Statements regarding Natura assessment for mining operations of the lithium project received

Metsähallitus and the ELY Center of South Ostrobothnia have given their statements on Natura assessment regarding the mine sites in the Central Ostrobothnian lithium province.

In September 2017, Keliber Oy ("the Company") submitted an assessment regarding the impact of the mining operations of the lithium project for the nature values of the Vionneva Natura area to the South Ostrobothnia ELY Center ("ELY Center"). Metsähallitus and the ELY Center have given their statements on the conducted assessment.

In their statement Metsähallitus notes, that considering the mitigating and follow-up measures (including sensitive species), the impact on the Natura area is not significant and doesn’t contradict the provisions of Section 65 of the Nature Conservation Act. Also the ELY Center note in their statement, that the mine sites of the Central Ostrobothnia lithium province are unlikely to significantly deteriorate the natural values for which the Vionneva Natura 2000 site was selected as a part of the Natura 2000 network. According to the ELY Center, this requires, that during the mining operations, the mitigating measures presented in the assessment report are implemented.

"We are pleased with the statements which we have received on the assessment. We will implement the mitigation measures and arrange the active monitoring of the impacts as outlined in the assessment report and in the statements. We have included these measures in our planning. We have already begun to implement the proactive and follow-up measures, which we were able to commence before the start of actual operations, "says Kari Wiikinkoski, Keliber Oy's Environmental Manager.

For further information:

Environmental Manager Kari Wiikinkoski tel. +358 (0) 50 3753 204