Land Use and Environment

Environmental studies Sustainable development of communities, industry, agriculture and business is the result of economic, social and environmental efficiency. Man-made changes to our physical environment are broadly similar to the Earth´s geological evolution except on a shorter time scale. Biodiversity and health depend inherently on the quality of the physical environment.

GTK provides an array of services to improve environmental performance in the mineral, process and energy industries, and in public services (waste management and water supply). We offer fully equipped field and laboratory facilities, along with multidisciplinary teams assembled for specific problems, to collaborate with industry and the public sector on the following issues:

• Contaminated land, water and air: screening of sites by investigations, natural anomalies, modeling, recommendations for remediation, audits, and due diligence studies for the real estate business
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): advisory services for industry and public bodies, quality standards, baseline studies, impact prediction, recommendations for mitigation, monitoring
• Waste management: industrial and community wastes, studies for site selection of landfill, containment studies, monitoring
• Mining and the environment: mining and quarrying of metallic commodities, radioactive minerals, industrial minerals and natural stones, EIAs, studies of acid rock drainage, tailings disposal, effluent control, studies for closure and remediation (sealing, covering), surface and ground water protection, compliance monitoring, specific issues in small-scale mining, air quality (see “The minerals industry and environment”).
  

Our expertise in methods and instrumentation include:

• a full range of geophysical tools, from ground penetrating radar to instrumented marine research vessels and airborne facilities
• a remote sensing laboratory equipped with the latest multispectral scanning technology, and
• state-of-the-art chemical and mineralogical laboratories.
  
  

Services for land use planning

Geological studies related to land-use planning comprise mapping and studies of quaternary deposits and its raw materials and the environment. These studies are needed for informed decision-making by the authorities.

Our services include:

• data and information for regional planning
• comprehensive geological information on the web ("GeoTIETO")

GTK has partisipated in the "European Spatial Planning Observation Network" (ESPON) project.

Infrastructure and construction

Developing infrastructure, e.g. houses and transport, power, telecommunication and gas distribution networks, depend on geological information of the ground or sea bed.

We have skilled professionals and advanced instruments to carry out geophysical studies from the air, on the ground and on the sea bed, and to transform the recorded data into information, knowledge and recommendations.

Ground geophysics

We offer a wide range of geophysical field surveys which provide information on the 3D characteristics of soil and bedrock.

Our instrumentation include comprehesive and extensive ground geophysic equipment and methods.

Marine geology

GTK has years of experience in mapping the sea bed and its mineral resources in the Baltic Sea area.Besides Finland, marine geological projects have been undertaken in Sweden, Russia (the Baltic and Arctic Seas), Estonia and the Antarctic.

Information collected on off-shore deposits and seabed conditions can be used for environmental studies. Our vessels, equipment and expertise have also been used to plan underwater constructions, to route tunnels, cables and waterways, and to locate wrecks and other objects. GTK research vessels are equipped with comprehensive instrumentation to generate 3D presentations of sediment deposits and bedrock quality. GTK has also developed a submersible magnetic measurement system for detecting metallic objects (old bombs and ammunition).

Radioactive waste management

Conducting studies of radioactive waste management has encouraged GTK to refine its traditional geological and geotechnical methods and to develop entirely new, more focused methods.We have established a partner network covering almost all aspects of safe rock engineering. We offer these capabilities to our customers with an interest in:

• Underground construction
• Landfill construction
• Exploration of groundwater in bedrock structures
• Uranium mining and the environment
• Radon emissions

Environmental education and geotourism

The Earth’s geological potential involves not only its mineral and energy resources and land-use for construction, but also wildlife, and educational and recreational values.

Environmental education

Environmental knowledge extends to whatever puts quality and content into people’s lives. Ultimately environmental education aims at changing people’s environmental attitudes and, more importantly, their behaviour.

Successful education and learning require:

• Setting up educational approaches, methods and tools
• Organizing training for teachers, civil servants and pilot instructors
  
• Planning education of local people
• Producing educational material
• Planning educational sites.
  
  
  

Geotourism

Environmental education and geotourism contribute to people’s responsibility for the environment and their ability to integrate environmental considerations into all decision-making in an informed way. Geological as well as biological features may attract nature lovers and tourists. Natural attractions can also generate considerable service business. Tourism should be organized on a sustainable basis to ensure that these attractions give lasting pleasure to future generations. To develop geotourism we provide:

• Evaluation of regional nature values
• Mapping and popularization of nature targets
• Innovative design of nature parks, trails and visitor centers
• Production of educational and tuition materials (guide books, site information, multimedia presentations, in-depth studies)
• Staff training

Geological outdoor maps published