According to the president, it is important for the state to know what lies in the earth’s crust of Estonia, as this is the only way to decide how much of the mineral resources we can use as well as whether, what and when to mine. ‘We have to have the courage to research, which does not mean that we will immediately start mining,’ claimed President Karis during his visit to the Arbavere Research Centre. According to the head of state, researching the earth’s crust is similar to natural sciences – it is necessary to study all aspects and potential effects.
‘As mineral resources are found, it is necessary to assess the effects of their extraction to groundwater and to what extent building materials such as sand, clay and sandstone can be mined at all,’ noted President Karis. ‘It is a disservice to immediately break ground. We cannot afford to tear up the earth for one mineral resource. Geological surveys need to take into account the principle of diversity. The earth’s crust of Estonia is quite abundant,’ said the head of state.
‘In addition to oil shale, phosphorite, peat, limestone, sand and clay, Estonia has iron ore and rare earth metals, but the technology required for their extraction is not yet well developed. Competence has been centred in Arbavere, where samples of the earth’s crust collected at various times from all over Estonia can also be seen. This is a legacy we can use and take a fresh look at.’
According to the head of state, the purpose of research is also to find technologies that are as responsible and sustainable as possible, which can be used to extract the riches of the earth’s crust from complex compounds in a sensible way.
