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Is gold mining in Greece just a smokescreen for a conflict of interests? We know that when you mine for gold you are also mining for uranium. So are the riots in Northern Greece about some eco-friendly flower-power people who are frustrated that the big bad multinational companies are coming in to destroy their forests and cause massive damage to their woodlands that rely on tourism, or are they angry because they really want to protect the uranium which is also found here and which is used in the production of weapons that could then be sold on the black market? Check out this article.
"On the gritty side of this casino resort town near the Turkish border, three men in a hotel suite gathered in secret to talk about a deal for radioactive material.On the other, are the big multinationals that are already mining for gold in this area or that are planning to, only looking for gold? Or are they really looking for uranium and basically doing the same thing? One thing is for sure, with so much uranium sold on the black market, one cannot help but wonder. Check out this article:
The Georgian seller offered cesium, a byproduct of nuclear reactors that terrorists can use to arm a dirty bomb with the power to kill. But one of the Turkish men, wearing a suit and casually smoking a cigarette, made clear he was after something even more dangerous: uranium, the material for a nuclear bomb.
The would-be buyers agreed to take a photo of the four cylinders and see if their boss in Turkey was interested. They did not know police were watching through a hidden camera. As they got up to leave, the police rushed in and arrested the men, according to Georgian officials, who were present.
The encounter, which took place in April, reflected a fear shared by U.S. and Georgian officials: Despite years of effort and hundreds of millions of dollars spent in the fight against the illicit sale of nuclear contraband, the black market remains active in the countries around the former Soviet Union." Portland Press Herald - Black Market in Nucleur Material Still Active - http://www.pressherald.com/news/black-market-in-nuclear-material-still-active_2012-12-10.html?pagenum=full
"The Black Sea region is the center of the world's nuclear black market, with Russia being the known or suspected source of most nuclear contraband and Turkey the preferred destination. To date, known attempts at nuclear smuggling have been unsuccessful, because the insiders who stole fissile material were not experienced at finding buyers and moving the material across country borders. Recently, however, organized crime appears to have become involved in some nuclear trafficking. Such involvement threatens to change the nuclear terrorism equation, providing the marketing and transportation expertise previously lacking. The US response to nuclear smuggling is handled by the US Defense Department and the Energy Department. These agencies have few capabilities for dealing with organized crime, and the countries of the Black Sea region tend not to share nuclear information with one another. Unless international coordination and law enforcement are improved, criminal organizations will likely be able to supply terrorists sufficient fissile material to build an atomic bomb." Source - http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/the-black-sea-center-of-the-nuclear-black-marketThink its only limited to former Soviet states? Think again. The number of countries trafficking this dangerous material is frightening. Click here to learn more - http://www.wise-uranium.org/utiss.html#UTRAFF
Obviously HellasFrappe would not be able to answer any of these questions, simply because we are not experts on the subject and because we do not have solid evidence to support any of these theories but we are convinced that uranium is sold on the black market because it is a priceless commodity and there is a lot of money at stake. Another reason we believe that it is sold on the black market could be because it can be used in making dirty bombs. and you know what they say a dirty bomb is a poor man's Nuclear Weapon.
Sounds dangerous, and frightening, and it is, and from what we learn the northern area of Greece has a lot of it. So for a minute, forget about the oil in the Aegean and about the gold mining in Skouries, because from what we are discovering there are many interests (from many nations) that do not want us to actually talk about this issue at all! [1]
Also, our political leaders have known about this for decades and as always the mainstream media in Greece never uttered a word. Why all this secrecy? What interests forced Greek officials to keep quiet about this commodity?
The only answer we could come up with as a blog is that some domestic greedy b@stards or (lamogia) worked together with foreign interests (certainly the super-powers) and have already conducted these surveys in Greece for decades. These same interests, have also apparently mapped these findings, and according to various Greek blogs they also obstructed many officials of pressing the issue any further. (This is all noted in some of the videos that are posted in this article)
But before we analyze what, where and whom let us learn a little more about what uranium is.
"Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element. It is the second highest atomic weight of the primordially occurring elements, lighter only than plutonium. Its density is about 70% higher than that of lead, but not as dense as gold or tungsten. It occurs naturally in low concentrations of a few parts per million in soil, rock and water, and is commercially extracted from uranium-bearing minerals.Now that we are a little more familiar of what uranium is, we can proceed with the topic of the day. The following video is from a show that was broadcasted on ALTER with veteran reporter Costas Chardavelas. It features several experts who speak about the amounts of uranium found in Northern Greece, and also raises many controversies as to why these riches have been kept a secret for decades! Please watch the video, before continuing with our article. (It is in the Greek language, English subs were not available.)
It is estimated that 5.5 million tonnes of uranium exists in ore reserves that are economically viable at US $59 per lb of uranium, while 35 million tonnes are classed as mineral resources (reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction). An additional 4.6 billion tonnes of uranium are estimated to be in sea water.
During the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, huge stockpiles of uranium were amassed and tens of thousands of nuclear weapons were created using enriched uranium and plutonium made from uranium. Since the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, an estimated 600 short tons (540 metric tons) of highly enriched weapons grade uranium (enough to make 40,000 nuclear warheads) have been stored in often inadequately guarded facilities in the Russian Federation and several other former Soviet states." Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium
Now before you begin accusing HellasFrappe, or Costas Chardavelas of conspiracies, we also want to feature another article that was posted in a 2006 article in the TA NEA newspaper. According to the article, Greece is hiding at least 1,525 tonnes of uranium. [2]
The article said that if Greece ever decided to exploit these deposits it could ensure its energy independence for years, in case there was a future world energy crisis. The same article also talks about a study that was conducted by the Institute for Mining and Geological Research which states that the region of Drama and Serres is hiding more than 10,000 tonnes of uranium! (This was also stated several experts in the video we posted above).
Obviously, Greece has rich uranium deposits.
Still not convinced?
Well in February 1998, reports flooded the Greek news claiming that a large concentration of radon was discovered in a market area of Thesprotia.
What is radon? Radon is a radioactive element and for those who know, an indication of the existence of uranium.
Right away scientists began exploring the possibilities and discovered vast amounts in the areas of the Panagaio Mountain, Kavala, and Olympiada in Halkidiki. That is about the same time when FYROM friendly George Sorros suddenly gained an interest in northern Greek mines.
The news also inspired many geologists and scientists to begin investigating other possible deposits and from what reports say they did.
In fact a confidential report was accidentally published by the "Investor" newspaper on 23/2/96 -otherwise known in Greece as Ependitis-, concerning the results of measurements of IGME (the Hellenic Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration).
The report said that Greece has immeasurable wealth in deposits of uranium and other rare metals, which are estimated at some 100 trillion drachmas! (drachmas being the currency at the time)
The survey, which was signed by seven distinguished Greek geologists/scientists refers to the uranium deposits, which they claim are valued at some 300 million tonnes. Not 10,000 as noted by the article in TA NEA, but 300 million tonnes!
It also refers to other rare minerals such as rutile, loutesio and lanthanum, which have very specific uses in the manufacturing of missile systems.
Interestingly the scientists only gave data on deposits in the Kavala area.
So how much does uranium cost, and why all this secrecy?
Uranium is a rare commodity and because it is mostly used for the production of satellites and rockets, energy and even bombs, it is also very expensive. In fact the value of enriched uranium in 1998 was estimated at roughly US $20.000 a gram…. Yes you heard correctly frappers! Imagine what its cost is today 20+ years later.
Check out what its worth today by clicking here: http://www.all.biz/el/oyrnio-bgg1058036
To find out more about this, read a relevant article we had posted on HellasFrappe two years ago about this very subject.
Recipe on how to destabilize a country, make it poor & then make it request for help
http://hellasfrappe.blogspot.gr/2011/02/recipe-on-how-to-destabilize-country.html
Still need more proof?
In a separate study titled "Determination of uranium concentration in ground water samples of Northern Greece" we read:
"The activity concentration of 238U and 234U has been determined in groundwater samples of hot springs and deep wells from the region of Northern Greece. The analysis was performed by alpha spectroscopy after pre-concentration and separation of uranium by cation exchange (Chelex 100 resin) and finally its electro-deposition on stainless steel discs. " [3]In a book titled "Uranium Resources, Production and Demand, 1997", jointly prepared by the Nuclear Energy Agency of the OECD and the International Atomic Energy Agency, we read that:
"Numerous uranium exploration surveys have been carried out at various stages from 1955 to the present. From 1955 to 1970, various reconnaissance surveys were performed over potential areas in Greece.The above book is produced every two years and based on official information from 59 countries. [4]
They included airborne radiometric surveys over northern regions of the country in 1966 and car borne in the same areas during the 1960-1977 period. Beginning in 1971, systematic uranium exploration was undertaken in Macedonia (northern Greece) and Thrace where the results of car borne surveys and geochemical water and steam sediment sampling combined with radiometric measurements on sampling sites of the reconnaissance phase indicated the necessity of a detailed "follow-up" phase. This part of exploration was performed by the Greek Atomic Energy Commission in cooperation with the UNDP and the IAEA.
Since 1978, work was focused on the definition of uranium deposits by trenching, drilling and test mining, conducted by the two government organisations concerned - the Greek Atomic Energy Commission (GAEA) and the Department of Energy Resources (DER) of the Institute of Feology and Minieral Exploration (IOME). The surveys continued covering the whole country and an effort was made to estimate more accurately the uranium resources contained in the Serres lignite and coal-bearing shale."
The above video should be viewed before reading the rest of this article. (It is only in the Greek language).
The following is a small sample of what is stated in the video, by a former military officer:
"Greece's political elite has known about this country's rich deposits in uranium since 1950! The areas of Rodopi, Ikaria and Xanthi have uranium deposits. Uranium is one of the most priceless commodities in the world, its cost when processed, is estimated at US $20,000 a gram! In Olympiada, Chalkidiki there is lots of gold, and believed to be one of the largest deposits in Europe. In Thrace, the island of Milos, Lesvos and Limnos there is also a lot of gold. We are the only country in the European Union that has the mineral Nickel. In Thessaly and in the prefecture of Grevena we have oil and gas. At Imia we have Osmium"In a separate article featured on "Eleftheri Zoni" it is specifically noted that there are rich deposits in the area of Paranesti in Serres, in the area of Kerkini which is in Drama, in the area of Vathi in Kilkis, and at the Simvolos Oros area in Kavala.
Reference: http://www.elzoni.gr/html/ent/214/ent.4214.asp
Quite interestingly the article also reveals that a study was conducted by the United Nations in 1975 in the Serres area focused on the amounts of uranium. The author of the article, Mr. Nickos Martis, a former Minister of Macedonia - Thrace under the conservative government of the late Konstantine Karamanlis, says that at the time he had accompanied Karamanlis to the village of Maramena in Serres during which he met with the head of a Canadian technical company that was operating there and asked him what his estimate was on the amount of uranium in the area. The Canadian apparently told the former Minister that "if this (amount of uranium) was discovered in Canada, then it would be worth a lot of money".
On September 10, 1981 the then Prime Minister George Rallis apparently also made a visit to Maramena Serron. While there he was briefed by the President of Greece's Atomic Energy Commission (EEAE) Mr. Ntokos about the surveys that were being conducted by the EEAE in cooperation with the Greek Power Company (PPC - DEH). According to the former minister, Rallis was told that they had already found 2,000 tons of uranium with a possibility of this increasing to 4,000 tons.
"These numbers are sufficient enought to fuel a 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant (ie 10 to 15% of DEH's installed capacity for 30 years)."In 1984 and following several studies by the "Demokritos" Center in northern Greece, it was discovered that just this deposit in Serres was capable of yielding 6,000 of uranium.
In a 1947 book by Dimitiri Mbatsi entitled the "Heavy industry of Greece" we discovered that our country is one of the richest nations in the world in radon, aluminum, bauxite, manganese, magnesium, nickel, red mercury and lanthanum. We also discovered that we have massive amounts of uranium and coal (bit of info: the war in Kosovo was for lignite). We featured an article on this which notes that aside from the above minerals Greece has rich deposits of oil and natural gas, as well as a unique mineral called osmium (bit of info: the area under Imia is said to be rich in this mineral), but our country also has methane reserves south of Crete suitable to energize automobiles for ten thousand years!
Read Article - Greece's Natural Reserves & The Cooper Agreement
http://hellasfrappe.blogspot.com/2011/12/special-report-greeces-natural-reserves.html
And: http://freelakon.pblogs.gr/2010/10/h-symbash-cooper-poios-htan-o-dhmhtrhs-mpatshs.html
Rich deposits of uranium, which could exceed 20,000 tons was also noted in a report by the OECD and the International Atomic Energy Agency, titled "Uranium 2009", which was featured in the "To VIMA" newspaper several years ago. Although Greek scientists only speak of 10,000 tonnes of proven uranium, the report specifically states that the figure is estimated to be more than double. [6]
Now watch the video below. Aside from boring and provocative rhetoric from shady politicians such as Theodore Pangalos, it also includes information on the so-called "Grey Zones" in the Aegean, and focuses on what really lies beneath the sea area around the islet of Imia. This will give you a better understanding of why the Imia crisis occurred, and at what some of this country's political elite went to betray this country! One hint: Riches under Imia are suspected of being minerals!
Given all the above information, it can be concluded that the economic crisis in Greece has little to do with a troubled economic system and everything to do with establishing control by corporations on our country's mineral and natural resources.
So would it be safe to assume that the crisis in Northern Greece is not really about the devastation of a couple of trees, but is really a conflict of interests? And if yes, then is it because there is illegal trafficking going on here, or is there a war between global corporations going on right in front of our eyes?
No one knows, but certainly folks there is much more than meets the eye here.
Signed
Marina Spanos
HellasFrappe
Some References
- [1] Άρχισε η κλοπή της Ελλάδας. Νo 1 oυράνιο
- http://www.newsbomb.gr/tromokraths/story/98130/arhise-i-klopi-tis-elladas-no-1-oyranio
- [2] http://grhomeboy.wordpress.com/2006/05/27/does-northern-greece-hide-uranium-deposits/
- [3] http://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/abs/2012/06/epjconf_er2010_03005/epjconf_er2010_03005.html
- [4] Uranium Resources, Production and Demand, 1997 - http://books.google.gr/books?id=d5XWjynBiqcC&pg=PA194&lpg=PA194&dq=uranium+greece&source=bl&ots=ZWRcLks9_J&sig=Gy_rfnr82yw7RAE7LWLg6TdDZWc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HtSpUbKSAtOGswbvu4DgDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=uranium%20greece&f=false
- [6] Πλούσια σε ουράνιο η ελληνική γη! Τι αποκαλύπτει η έκθεση του ΟΟΣΑ και της Διεθνούς Επιτροπής Ατομικής Ενέργειας http://www.tovima.gr/society/article/?aid=346260