Phosphorite War
Encyclopedia
The Phosphorite War is the name given to a late-1980s
environmental campaign in the then-Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
, against the opening of large phosphorite
mines in the Virumaa region. The movement, peaking in 1987, was successful in achieving its immediate goals, but also in encouraging and strengthening the nationalist movement which led to the restoration of Estonian independence in 1991. In Estonia it is regarded as a catalyst that led to the destabilization and dissolution of the Soviet regime.
The campaign focused on two major issues. The large-scale environmental degradation that the new mines would cause was the most common subject in the public discussion. The other, more covert issue was the fear that the new mines' need for a workforce would start a wave of migration, bringing tens of thousands of workers from other parts of the Soviet Union to Estonia. In the view of Estonians this would have greatly worsened the already fragile demographic balance (the share of Estonians in Estonia dropped from about 97% immediately after World War II to 61.5% in 1989).
/Lower Ordovician
boundary) are found in several places in Northern Estonia. The Rakvere deposit, lying mostly in Lääne-Viru County, is the largest phosphorite deposit in Europe. Phosphorite mining in Estonia started in 1924 near Maardu
. In 1940 a new larger mine was opened, which together with a factory producing low-grade phosphorus fertilizers operated until late 1991, causing several environmental problems in the area. Currently no phosphorite is mined in Estonia as it is not considered economically viable.
The central government of the Soviet Union in Moscow
took interest in exploiting the phosphorite deposits in Lääne-Viru County in the early 1970s. The first proposals suggested mining the Toolse deposit (north of Rakvere
), but in the early 1980s, plans for the Toolse mine were cast aside and instead mining the Rakvere deposit was seen as more favourable. The plans were not made public, but among Estonian scientists and environmentalists involved in the decision making there had been considerable opposition to the plans since the early stages. Notably, there were people in the Estonian Academy of Sciences
, like Endel Lippmaa, who were aware of and opposed to the plans.
. Although the Estonian Communist Party publicly held a position that the decision about mining had to be made by Estonians, it appeared that the central government had already finalized the plans.
Numerous protests broke out and petitions were signed against the new mines. The question came to a head in spring 1987 in an unprecedented public debate. In April students from Tartu University held a meeting in the main hall of the university and unanimously condemned the actions of the leadership of the Estonian SSR. At traditional May Day
demonstrations, students carried slogans against phosphorite mining and wore yellow t-shirts with the text "Phosphorite – no thanks", which became extremely popular.
On May 8 a cartoon by Priit Pärn
was published in the newspaper Sirp ja Vasar. Entitled Just shit , the cartoon showed a peasant shoveling on his field a piece of manure
shaped like Estonia. The cartoon was widely discussed and is probably the most famous cartoon ever published in Estonia. Following these and other events and faced with general opposition to the mines, in September 1987 the Soviet authorities had to back down from their plans. The end of the Phosphorite War is hard to define, but the movement mostly calmed down during 1988.
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
environmental campaign in the then-Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic , often abbreviated as Estonian SSR or ESSR, was a republic of the Soviet Union, administered by and subordinated to the Government of the Soviet Union...
, against the opening of large phosphorite
Phosphorite
Phosphorite, phosphate rock or rock phosphate is a non-detrital sedimentary rock which contains high amounts of phosphate bearing minerals. The phosphate content of phosphorite is at least 15 to 20% which is a large enrichment over the typical sedimentary rock content of less than 0.2%...
mines in the Virumaa region. The movement, peaking in 1987, was successful in achieving its immediate goals, but also in encouraging and strengthening the nationalist movement which led to the restoration of Estonian independence in 1991. In Estonia it is regarded as a catalyst that led to the destabilization and dissolution of the Soviet regime.
The campaign focused on two major issues. The large-scale environmental degradation that the new mines would cause was the most common subject in the public discussion. The other, more covert issue was the fear that the new mines' need for a workforce would start a wave of migration, bringing tens of thousands of workers from other parts of the Soviet Union to Estonia. In the view of Estonians this would have greatly worsened the already fragile demographic balance (the share of Estonians in Estonia dropped from about 97% immediately after World War II to 61.5% in 1989).
Background and early developments
Phosphorite deposits (Obolus sandstone at the Upper CambrianCambrian
The Cambrian is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, lasting from Mya ; it is succeeded by the Ordovician. Its subdivisions, and indeed its base, are somewhat in flux. The period was established by Adam Sedgwick, who named it after Cambria, the Latin name for Wales, where Britain's...
/Lower Ordovician
Ordovician
The Ordovician is a geologic period and system, the second of six of the Paleozoic Era, and covers the time between 488.3±1.7 to 443.7±1.5 million years ago . It follows the Cambrian Period and is followed by the Silurian Period...
boundary) are found in several places in Northern Estonia. The Rakvere deposit, lying mostly in Lääne-Viru County, is the largest phosphorite deposit in Europe. Phosphorite mining in Estonia started in 1924 near Maardu
Maardu
Maardu is a town and a municipality in Harju County, Estonia. It is part of Tallinn metropolitan area. The town covers an area of 22.76 km² and has a population of 16,529 ....
. In 1940 a new larger mine was opened, which together with a factory producing low-grade phosphorus fertilizers operated until late 1991, causing several environmental problems in the area. Currently no phosphorite is mined in Estonia as it is not considered economically viable.
The central government of the Soviet Union in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
took interest in exploiting the phosphorite deposits in Lääne-Viru County in the early 1970s. The first proposals suggested mining the Toolse deposit (north of Rakvere
Rakvere
Rakvere is a town in northern Estonia and the county seat of Lääne-Viru County, 20 km south of the Gulf of Finland.-History:The earliest signs of human settlement dating back to the 3rd-5th centuries AD have been found on the present theatre hill. Probably to protect that settlement, a wooden...
), but in the early 1980s, plans for the Toolse mine were cast aside and instead mining the Rakvere deposit was seen as more favourable. The plans were not made public, but among Estonian scientists and environmentalists involved in the decision making there had been considerable opposition to the plans since the early stages. Notably, there were people in the Estonian Academy of Sciences
Estonian Academy of Sciences
Founded in 1938, the Estonian Academy of Sciences is Estonia's national academy of science. As with other national academies, it is an independent group of well-known scientists whose stated aim is to promote research and development, encourage international scientific cooperation, and...
, like Endel Lippmaa, who were aware of and opposed to the plans.
Major events
The phosphorite issue became known to the general public on 25 February 1987, which is often used to mark the start of the Phosphorite War. On this day Moscow’s plans to expand phosphorite mining in Northern Estonia were revealed on Estonian TVEesti Televisioon
Eesti Televisioon is the national public television station of Estonia. It made its first broadcast on 19 July 1955.The bulk of ETV's funding comes from government grant-in-aid, around 15% of which is in turn funded by the fees paid by Estonian commercial broadcasters in return for their...
. Although the Estonian Communist Party publicly held a position that the decision about mining had to be made by Estonians, it appeared that the central government had already finalized the plans.
Numerous protests broke out and petitions were signed against the new mines. The question came to a head in spring 1987 in an unprecedented public debate. In April students from Tartu University held a meeting in the main hall of the university and unanimously condemned the actions of the leadership of the Estonian SSR. At traditional May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
demonstrations, students carried slogans against phosphorite mining and wore yellow t-shirts with the text "Phosphorite – no thanks", which became extremely popular.
On May 8 a cartoon by Priit Pärn
Priit Pärn
Priit Pärn is an Estonian cartoonist and animation director whose films have enjoyed success among critics as well as the public at various film festivals....
was published in the newspaper Sirp ja Vasar. Entitled Just shit , the cartoon showed a peasant shoveling on his field a piece of manure
Manure
Manure is organic matter used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Manures contribute to the fertility of the soil by adding organic matter and nutrients, such as nitrogen, that are trapped by bacteria in the soil...
shaped like Estonia. The cartoon was widely discussed and is probably the most famous cartoon ever published in Estonia. Following these and other events and faced with general opposition to the mines, in September 1987 the Soviet authorities had to back down from their plans. The end of the Phosphorite War is hard to define, but the movement mostly calmed down during 1988.