Planned plant in northern Sweden aims to strengthen Europe’s supply of fertilizers and high-tech raw materials. Feedstock will come from an existing iron ore mine.
The Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB has received environmental approval for its planned industrial park for critical minerals. At the Luleå site in northern Sweden, rare earth elements and phosphorus are to be extracted. The raw material will consist of currently unused by-products from LKAB’s iron ore mine, located in Gällivare, about a three-hour drive away.
According to the company, the plant in Luleå will be the first in Europe to test these processes. Construction of the demonstration facility began in January 2025. Operations are scheduled to start in the fall of this year.
Phosphorus is an essential component of mineral fertilizers and therefore crucial for food supply, while rare earths are needed for a wide range of civilian and military technologies. Europe is highly dependent on imports for both raw materials. Both LKAB’s industrial park and its iron ore mine have been designated strategic projects under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act. The company’s Per Geijer rare earth deposit in Kiruna, northern Sweden, is also included. All three projects may therefore benefit from easier access to funding and faster permitting procedures.
However, even though the EU sets the strategic framework and prioritizes projects politically, final approval rests with the Swedish government. This could be particularly decisive in the case of Per Geijer; the deposit is being promoted as highly promising but has also attracted attention due to concerns from the Indigenous Sámi population, who see their traditional way of life as being at risk.
Photo: oticki via Canva
