Source: Reuters                     Date: 17 March, 2011

Finland's Parliament on Tuesday passed a new mining law that miners fear will increase bureaucracy and compensation to landowners, making future operations more difficult.

Parliamentarians voted 147 in support and 13 against on updating a law from the 1960s. It is expected to come into force on July 1.

The government says the new law promotes mining but also takes into account environmental issues, citizens' and landowners' rights and gives municipalities more potential to influence decision-making on mining projects.