Serving the industrial lifting market since 2001 The upgradation works at the world's largest underground iron ore mine will enhance the site's infrastructure crucial for efficient iron ore extraction and meeting global demand ABB has completed the upgrade of mine hoists at LKAB’s Kiruna site in northern Sweden ensuring continued operational productivity The upgradation works at the world’s largest underground iron ore mine enhance the site’s infrastructure which houses the largest installed base of ABB mine hoists globally The recent upgrades to seven hoists include integrated mechanical The improvements are crucial for maintaining high-performance hoisting operations essential for the safe and efficient lifting of ore from depths of 1,365 metres responsible for mining no less than 80% of all iron ore in the European Union (EU) The project has been commissioned on schedule and below budget marking a significant achievement for both companies The upgrades will help LKAB secure its iron ore supply for decades supporting industries such as steel manufacturing LKAB CEO Jan Moström said: “Taking productivity to another level minimising downtime and contributing to meeting global iron ore demand “These mine hoists play an integral part of our operations and we’re ensuring the Kiruna mine remains a benchmark of safety and efficiency for decades to come.” and supports industries in enhancing efficiency and sustainability by leveraging its engineering and digitalisation expertise The company has more than 140 years of history and around 110,000 employees Its Process Automation business plays a crucial role in automating The division addresses essential needs across various sectors helping industries operate more efficiently and sustainably ABB Process Industries hoisting global business line manager Björn Jonsson said: “Hoisting is the most efficient way to transport ore from great depths “The solutions we have put in place have been designed around the need to future-proof one of the world’s largest and most productive mines we have delivered an upgrade that ensures the flexibility necessary for the long-term success of operations for at least the next quarter of a century.” ABB provided a tailored hoisting solution to the expansion of the Karowe diamond mine in Botswana which will extend the mine’s life by over 12 years one for ventilation and one for production The production shaft will accommodate hoisting production, supported by a service hoist Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the Progressive Media network © Business Trade Media International Limited it became the backbone of Swedish industry Its mine grew so vast that the ground beneath it collapsed A newly discovered deposit of rare-earth metals—the largest in Europe—has placed the town at the heart of Europe’s green transition The mine will be a key part of the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act which aims to source 10% of the bloc’s essential minerals domestically This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Reindeer v rare earths” Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents George Simion will face Nicusor Dan, a mainstream candidate, in a run-off There are five luxuries it can no longer feasibly afford Friedrich Merz’s career is one of unforced errors and puzzling missteps Both Donald Trump and Ukraine’s diplomats will consider it a success ShareSaveCommentLifestyleTravelHow To Visit Kiruna, Sweden’s City On The MoveByDavid Nikel Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights David Nikel is a travel writer covering cruising and Scandinavia.Follow AuthorJun 17 12:14pm EDTShareSaveCommentKiruna Church is a landmark wooden building in the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden an entire city is being relocated in a decade-long project to keep the city alive The startling urban planning project provides a quirky backdrop to an exploration of this fascinating Arctic region of Sweden Kiruna's relocation is a result of ground subsidence caused by iron ore mining The town was built close to the mine back in 1890 because of the protection offered by the mountains from the Arctic winds in order to continue mining operations at the world’s biggest underground iron ore mine something which couldn't have been foreseen more than 130 years ago There was only option to ensure the safety of residents and preserve the city’s future: relocate thousands of residents and the entire downtown district approximately two miles away Some major milestones in the relocation have passed A new railway station was one of the first parts of the project to open the city’s completely new commercial center opened The downtown district of 'new' Kiruna is now complete approximately 6,000 people will have been relocated to new housing and more than 20 buildings of historical value will have been moved to the new downtown Some will be lifted and relocated while others must be dismantled and reconstructed Visitors to Kiruna can witness this massive engineering feat in progress a rare opportunity to see a city being essentially rebuilt giving visitors a feel for modern mining and automation technology Booking in advance for the three-hour tour is essential A visit to Kiruna is about so much more than the mine and relocation project Kiruna and the wider region of Arctic Sweden offer visitors a deep-dive into diverse outdoor experiences and the natural phenomena of the midnight sun and northern lights Winter is an exciting travel season in Kiruna Whether you’re a thrill-seeker or prefer a more relaxed pace the winter season is a wonderful—albeit cold—time to visit Kiruna The average temperature in the coldest month of January is 10°F but it can get much colder on any particular day Many of the best winter experiences are available at the Icehotel just a few miles to the east Built using ice blocks from the adjacent river Sweden’s original ice hotel offers unique accommodation from December to April in breathtaking rooms sculpted from ice Not keen on spending the night on a bed of ice allowing visitors to appreciate the hotel’s wonderful artwork The Icehotel remains open with an ice sculpture hall and outdoor experiences focused on the river Reindeer skins keep guests warm at the Icehotel Abisko feels like a completely different place in the summer the long days open up opportunities for long-distance hiking in Abisko National Park and visiting the beautiful Torne River The flamboyant wooden structure of Kiruna Church contrasts dramatically with the functional miners' accommodation Shaped with a broad base and pyramid-like sloping rooflines Although it will eventually be relocated a few miles to the east Kiruna’s newly built town hall houses the county art museum packed with contemporary art intended to provoke discussion getting to Kiruna is relatively straightforward International travelers will likely arrive into Stockholm's Arlanda Airport direct 90-minute flights are available to Kiruna Airport operated by both Scandinavian Airlines SAS and Norwegian Air consider taking the train from Stockholm to Kiruna The overnight train ride is around 15 hours and provides breathtaking views of the Swedish countryside and the Arctic region The drive from Stockholm to Kiruna is about 1,240 kilometers and can take around 14-16 hours Ensure your vehicle is well-prepared for winter driving if you're traveling during the colder months Consider breaking up the journey with an overnight stop in the university city of Umeå the center of the northern Swedish city has been moved further east named "Kristallen" or "The Crystal" (behind the clock tower) The Norrbotten County Art Museum is also located here it will be decided whether Kiruna in Northern Sweden will be the European Capital of Culture in 2029 it will be the third Arctic city to receive the title this decade Les på norsk. it will be decided whether Sweden's northernmost city will be named the European Capital of Culture in 2029 While the capital of culture year is nearing an end for Bodø in Northern Norway just south of the Arctic Circle in Northern Finland will be the European Capital of Culture in 2026 Sweden will host the cultural year for the third time in 2029 "Nestled in the northern reaches of Sweden the small yet rapidly expanding mining city of Kiruna seeks to share its strong blend of Arctic and industrial narrative through creative experiences," reads a news release from the European Commission on the nomination.  Kiruna is built around the mining areas of the Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB which began its operations here over 120 years ago the Kiruna mine is the world's biggest underground iron ore mine and LKAB is Europe's largest iron ore producer mining activity has caused cracks in the ground of the northern Swedish town the city center has been moved three kilometers further east in a large-scale urban relocation project that is still ongoing Kiruna municipality's websites state that the topics to be explored as the European Capital of Culture include how the city will find itself and we are managing our history by letting culture lead the way creating quality of life and joy for our inhabitants and visitors," the municipality adds "This is exactly what we think Kiruna needs right now, a new goal, a new dream of what this municipality and city could hold," says one of the project managers, Emma Jonsson, in Kiruna municipality, to SVT. In its justification for applying for the title Kiruna municipality highlights the culture's significance in keeping people in the city and in attracting new residents northward Kiruna has international recognition thanks to our unique industries the municipality is working to attract new inhabitants as there are currently 1000 available jobs in the municipality." "To reach the aim of 25,000 inhabitants by 2030 the municipality must motivate Kiruna's inhabitants to stay and get new people to move here Kiruna needs culture to ensure an increased supply of expertise and attractiveness in the municipality and the region Becoming the European Capital of Culture will secure the budget for culture and ensure that no more cuts are made," writes the municipality High North News is not responsible for the content or opinions expressed on external web pages Editor in Chief:Trine Jonassen E-mail High North News Editor/Commentator: Arne O. HolmTel: (+47) 905 29 472 Journalist:Hilde-Gunn Bye Journalist:Astri Edvardsen Translator:Birgitte Annie Molid Martinussen ABB has successfully completed a major upgrade of the mine hoists at LKAB’s Kiruna mine in northern Sweden and longevity of operations for at least the next 25 years the project has now been completed on time and under budget marking a significant milestone for both companies the world’s largest underground iron ore mine and home to ABB’s largest installation of mine hoists LKAB is well-positioned to secure its iron ore supply for decades to come a critical material for industries such as steel production LKAB already accounts for 80% of the EU’s iron ore supply This latest upgrade will further boost operational reliability and increase productivity ABB’s enhancements to seven of the mine’s hoists include integrated mechanical designed to support efficient and safe ore lifting from depths of 1,365 meters in two stages a key factor in maintaining full production capacity “These hoists are essential to our operations we are ensuring that the Kiruna mine continues to set the standard for safety and efficiency for years to come,” said Jan Moström “This project is about improving productivity and meeting the global demand for iron ore.” Global Business Line Manager for Hoisting at ABB Process Industries “Hoisting is the most effective method to transport ore from great depths We have tailored our solutions to future-proof one of the world’s largest and most productive mines a global leader in electrification and automation enables industries to perform sustainably and efficiently With over 140 years of history and 110,000 employees ABB’s solutions are designed to improve the performance and sustainability of industries worldwide Through its Process Automation business, ABB supports industries in energy ABB Process Automation delivers industry-leading technology and services to ensure a more efficient and sustainable future The story of ‘MAKE IN INDIA’ has reached far and wide. But who are makers of ‘MAKE IN INDIA’? What is their story? ‘Machine Maker’ is a dedicated magazine that seeks to bring the incredible stories... Read more info@themachinemaker.com +91-703-093-2700 Contact Us India's Top Elite Hotel Frost in Kiruna is enhancing the guest experience by integrating wellness solutions through a new partnership with Gympak By offering in-room fitness and recovery options the hotel makes it easier for travelers to maintain their well-being throughout their stay located in the heart of Kiruna - Sweden’s northernmost city - is a newly built four-star hotel set to open in June 2025 smoke-free rooms that blend contemporary comfort with the unique charm of the Arctic Guests can also enjoy two exquisite restaurants and state-of-the-art conference facilities designed to meet the needs of both business and leisure travelers It offers both indoor and outdoor infinity pools and treatment rooms - all with spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding nature sees the collaboration as a key step in meeting the needs of today’s travelers: "More and more travelers want to maintain their routines even while on the go and wellness is playing an increasingly important role in the hotel experience we can offer smart wellness solutions that make it easy to unwind and find balance - whether our guests are visiting for work or leisure." Silvester Mujkic has extensive experience in the hotel industry and has previously been involved in launching several Elite hotels he continues to develop hotel experiences with a focus on quality and guest satisfaction This commitment to well-being also reflects Kiruna’s own transformation including the Northern Lights and Arctic wilderness the city is undergoing a historic relocation due to mining activities Kiruna remains deeply connected to its cultural and environmental heritage Elite Hotel Frost’s partnership with Gympak aligns with this forward-thinking spirit offering a wellness-driven experience for travelers seeking both adventure and balance a leading provider of on-demand fitness and wellness solutions is excited to bring its expertise to Kiruna’s hotel industry By integrating its innovative technology into the hotel guests will have more opportunities to maintain their wellness routines during their stay saying: "Wellness is no longer just a convenience; it’s an expectation Through our partnership with Elite Hotel Frost we are making it easier for guests to prioritize their well-being while experiencing everything this extraordinary destination has to offer." Elite Hotel Frost’s wellness initiative reflects a broader shift in the hospitality industry where hotels are evolving into holistic lifestyle experiences the hotel takes another step toward meeting modern travelers’ expectations for both comfort and well-being but tariffs increase uncertainty; Robotics listing in 2026 Monday - Friday 9am-12pm / 2pm-6pm GMT + 1 All financial news and data tailored to specific country editions Distribute Your News Directly to Readers and Internet Search Widespread Integration into Global News Publications Industry Specific to Reporters and Trade Publications Delivered Over News Wires Geographic & Topic Specific In relation to the renewal of the Board of Statutory Auditors of Enel S.p.A (�Enel� or the �Company�) whose term is expiring - put on the ordinary part of the agenda at the Enel�s Shareholders� Meeting convened for May 22nd 2025 in a single call � Enel informs that upon the expiry of the term for the filing of the slates of candidates for the office of Statutory Auditor of … a leading provider of freight transportation in�North America announced that it has been named a VETS Indexes 4 Star Employer for the third consecutive year Nissan Formula E Team�s Oliver Rowland enjoyed an excellent weekend on the streets of Monte-Carlo taking the win during Round 6 of the 2024/25 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and earning pole position and a second place finish during today�s E-Prix.� For the opening event yesterday Rowland lined up on the front row in P2 after making the final of the duels The MINI Cooper Convertible is the perfect companion for open-air driving adventures which opens in just 18 seconds even at speeds of up to 30 km/h enables a summery open-air feeling while driving � Mattia Binotto becomes Head of Audi F1 Project and will be responsible for overall development while Jonathan Wheatley will lead the race operations as Team Principal � Development of race car (chassis) and power unit for F1 debut in 2026 under central management � Christian Foyer becomes COO at Audi Formula Racing GmbH Audi is aligning its Formula 1 project … 2025 Live on NBC Acura at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca � Acura Motorsports and Honda Racing Corporation USA have a long successful history at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca recording 19 victories�more than at any other racing circuit�in Camel Lights Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) in collaboration with MaRS Discovery District is extending support for the inaugural cohort of the Mobility Unlimited Hub a program designed to help startups scale groundbreaking active mobility solutions � Alstom and SL enter a five-year support agreement for digital systems in the Movia C20 and C30 metro fleets � The agreement includes 24/7 monitoring and systems for real-time train performance analysis � The partnership ensures long-term digital reliability and a modern The captivating novel The Great Great Aunts from Prussia by Robert Beckstedt will be featured by the self-publishing and book marketing company ReadersMagnet at two prominent book events this April in California: the Los Angeles Book Confab on April 23-24 at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City in Universal City and the 2025 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books … The inspirational book Bible Sticks: An Unlikely Calling by Ron Vance will be displayed by the self-publishing and book marketing company ReadersMagnet at the 40th Annual Printers Row Lit Fest “I am very proud of this milestone which shines a light on the many years of international collaboration at Esrange This has been instrumental in achieving hundreds of successful rocket missions providing invaluable access to space for scientists worldwide,” says Lennart Poromaa The launch Monday morning was the 600th from the space center near Kiruna in northern Sweden.  the rocket payload featured a wide range of scientific disciplines which were conducted during seven minutes of microgravity advanced material science and biological research on human cells will be recovered by helicopter on Tuesday Published by: The Independent Barents Observer AS About us The Barents Observer follows the Code of Ethics of the Norwegian Press and the document Right and Duties of the Editor We report under full editorial independence and have no external interference Donate to our independent journalism Støtt oss via Vipps: 105 792 - Det betyr mye newstips@thebarentsobserver.com atle@thebarentsobserver.com thomas@thebarentsobserver.com☏ +47-905 73 143 denis@thebarentsobserver.com georgii@thebarentsobserver.com liza.vereykina@thebarentsobserver.com olesia@thebarentsobserver.com Privacy policy How is it humanly possible to move an entire town from one location to another Located in the far north of Swedish Lapland Kiruna is a town with a population of around 23,000 The town itself was founded in 1899 after the extension of the railroad from Gällivare and it officially became a municipality in 1908 The Scandes (Scandinavian mountains) can be seen clearly from the city centre and the surrounding area is home to six unregulated rivers and more than 6000 lakes Two national parks (Abisko and Vadvetjåkka) can also be found here along with the 400km long King’s Trail Kiruna also shares a long history with the indigenous Sámi people who inhabit the region of Sápmi encompassing large northern parts of Norway Though the surrounding landscape is breathtaking, the land itself is needed for industrial purposes which perfectly explains why the entire town is “on the move.” According to the people of Kiruna “everything is focused on ensuring that the town and the mining industry can coexist in harmony.” The town is at risk of literally being swallowed whole Kiruna’s principal industry is mining with the railroad linking the town with the port of Narvik a major transshipment point in Norway for iron ore has been present in Kiruna since the beginning of the 20th century and now employs around 4,000 staff in roughly 15 countries due to years of work being done in the world’s largest underground mine for iron ore the town is at risk of literally being swallowed whole Large cracks started to appear in buildings and roads and some areas of the town started to sink by several centimetres per year LKAB and the Swedish government decided that it was best to relocate the entire town to a new site about 3km to the east In order for the company to continue mining until 2035 everything situated above the mine is being moved for safety This architectural beauty holds deep cultural and emotional significance to the people of Kiruna “we are more than happy that the church can move the deputy chair of the board of the Sami parliament says and we also have the mining business and now the movement of the city centre It is more and more difficult to continue with the movement of reindeers.” Reindeers aren’t the only things on the move; roughly 6,000 tenants are due to relocate with their rents gradually rising over eight years to a cap of 25% higher than the old rate while necessary has clearly sparked mixed feelings among residents with many seeing is as a loss of familiar neighbourhoods and routines Perhaps the question doesn’t lie in whether it is humanly possible to move a town but in how people choose to move forward when staying is no longer an option As the iron ore extraction continues to expand moving the town ensures that both the continuation of its key industry and the long-term safety of its residents is upheld While the move brings destruction and difficult choices to those living there it also shows a community’s unique response and adaptation to an equally unusual problem Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed When LKAB presented its strategy for a green transformation the company emphasized that fossil-free production would require large amounts of energy When the company now slows down the green shift in Kiruna the expected need for electricity will also be impacted going forward The photo is from one of LKAB's underground mines The Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB has decided to slow the transition to fossil-free sponge iron production in the Northern Swedish town of Kiruna The new plan will reduce the company's enormous electricity needs Les på norsk. The Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB is slowing the green transformation of its industry in Kiruna One of the core areas in the company's transition the shift to the production of fossil-free sponge iron [direct reduced iron] has been moved forward to the 2040s in Kiruna The news was first reported in Dagens industri and is confirmed in a press release from the company LKAB is Europe's largest producer of iron ore The company's ore mines are located in the Northern Swedish municipalities of Kiruna and Gällivare The group also invests heavily in the extraction of minerals and rare earth metals LKAB postpones its transition to fossil-free production in Kiruna The new plans will change the company's expected energy needs in the coming time In 2020, LKAB announced its major investment into transforming its industry into a.o. fossil-free production. As HNN reported, SEK 400 billion was to be invested over 15-20 years in this transition. One of the main aspects of the strategy was the carbon dioxide-free production of sponge iron This entails using hydrogen from fossil-free electricity instead of coal and coke to produce the sponge iron which eventually would replace iron ore pellets.  and the steel company SSAB led to the development of this type of technology under the Hybrit project A hybrid pilot facility was put into operation in Luleå in 2020 Gällivare was chosen as LKAB's starting point for the transition to fossil-free sponge iron A demonstration facility is to be built in LKAB's industrial area in Malmberget in the municipality which is scheduled to be completed in 2028 states to the Swedish news agency TT that the Hybrit plans for Gällivare are set for the next decade One of LKAB's main products is iron ore pellets a small ball consisting of a mixture of refined iron ore The company is now increasing its production volume of iron ore pellets in Kiruna and slowing the transition to carbon dioxide-free sponge iron production in the northern Swedish city The postponing of the green shift in Kiruna from the end of the 2030s to after 2040 is about the company choosing to prioritize mining production after the discovery of new deposits LKAB refers to the discovery of resource deposits in Kiruna which opens up opportunities to increase the production volume of pellets and fines we have a different situation than just a few years ago we see that we can increase the production volume This means that we will gradually be able to increase iron ore production by up to 50 percent during the 2030s," says CEO Jan Moström during a press conference in the Kiruna mine in January 2023 The occasion was the company's presentation of rare earth mineral resources discoveries at the Per Geijer deposit in Kiruna The company refers explicitly to the opportunities in the Per Geijer ore in which LKAB has made significant discoveries of rare earth metals.  “We increase our competitiveness through the extraction of by-products in our deposits We increase the degree of processing both by producing sponge iron for fossil-free steel and by extracting rare minerals and phosphorus All these aspects will be developed in parallel although they are affected by a number of external factors we cannot always influence” The external factors include the Iron Ore Line capacity “The capacity of the Iron Ore Line is absolutely crucial – we simply cannot have a mine without functioning logistics We have had a positive collaboration with the Swedish Transport Administration over the past year we were able to get more deliveries out than we previously thought would be possible the capacity needs to be enhanced if we are to be able to produce at full capacity and grow our production in the future” The basis for the assessment of the future market is that the transition of the steel industry will continue the timetables regarding the development and expansion of processing into sponge iron are affected “The immediate focus is on the plans for the demonstration plant in Gällivare Production will then gradually increase in Gällivare while a continuation in Kiruna with sponge iron will likely come after the 2040s This also affects our expected electricity needs moving forward and the rate at which our transition needs to have access to more electricity” Most of the iron ore products that LKAB produces are transported on the Iron Ore Line to Narvik the ore is shipped to the company's European customers the transition that LKAB announced in 2020 would require 50 TWh of electricity for LKAB in 2040 this would correspond to about half of Sweden's electricity consumption today “It means a decrease in the need for the electricity we need," explains CEO Moström "The assessment is that the period until 2030 should be able to be managed within the scope of existing electricity systems – the needs until then concern the planned demonstration plant in Gällivare as well as the industrial park we are planning for phosphorus and rare earth metals in Luleå the expansion of the main grid to Malmberget and Kiruna are more important issues in the short term” the Communications President Johansson says they feel secure in having enough energy for the facility in Gällivare until 2030 there has not happened enough there," he says the company sums up that there are still challenges to face regarding Kiruna's electricity grid the capacity of which is already inadequate.  believes LKAB's Hybrit decision in Kiruna is wise "The climate changes can be felt here and now. However, engaging in wishful thinking will not save the climate. On the contrary, a realistic view of how long it takes to restructure complex businesses is needed," Wallnor writes in an editorial in Dagens industri. She also emphasizes that LKAB has an existing business to fall back on which allows the company to "hurry up slowly." "Realistic restructuring goals reduce the chance that taxpayers' money will end up in the water or that forecasts for the need for electricity are exaggerated at the expense of other companies' opportunities to receive allocations." a masked person apparently carrying a weapon made it into one of LKAB’s new mining areas in Kiruna There were people working on site, but none of them were injured, the company informs Operations at the mine have been temporary halted and the incident reported to the police The threatening appearance took place at Per Geijer the company’s new mining area for rare earth elements It is the second case reported to the police over the last week. On the 30th of August, someone vandalised four drilling machinery units in the same area LKAB now says it is strengthening security around its facilities The company has also reached out to the Swedish Security Police (Säpo) The Per Geijer is considered one of Europe’s largest deposit of rare earth elements According to the company it holds more than one million tonnes of oxides LKAB is now in the process of investigate the deposit and a big number of exploration drilling operations is planned in the the coming years The state-owned company is the biggest iron producer in Europe It has the lion’s share of its operations in and around Kiruna the region originally dominated by the Sámi people Holm is forced to park the motorhome in heavy snow in northern Finland but has a pleasant experience in northern Sweden Esrange Space Center is located approximately 40 kilometers east of Sweden’s northernmost city Kiruna and is owned and operated by the state-owned Swedish Space Company (SSC) In January 2023 the new orbital satellite launch site was inaugurated and came to be the first of its kind in mainland EU is located in the Sámi reindeer herding village Talma The new launch site is viewed as critical asset for strengthening Europe’s capability to launch satellites and improve space competitiveness future satellite launching operations at Esrange raises concerns in the Sámi reindeer herding villages in the area The space center is located in Sapmi - the cultural land of Sámi People which covers the northern regions of Norway For decades the Esrange Space Center and reindeer herders have had to coexist on the land The Chair of Talma reindeer herding village told SVT that increased operations will make reindeer husbandry more difficult in the area Already now it is hard since it isn’t possible to care for the animals at all times due to restricted access to the area during tests Another Sámi reindeer herding village affected by the expansion is Saarivuoma At the moment the reindeers’ winter pasture area is used for for landing test rockets and balloons There are also plans to build two landing platforms on the village’s land for the purpose of testing reusable rocket technology will also be used as a testing ground for Europe’s reusable rocket technology program “Themis.” This program will conduct so-called hop tests where the rocket lifts off and lands but a landing site will also be needed for these tests in the future,” Philip Olsson Saarivuoma released a report assessing the effects of the proposed landing sites on reindeer husbandry and Sámi culture Among other things it states that there is a “concern for the powerlessness felt when outside developers seem to take for granted that they can occupy the land and habitat of Sárvuopmi” (Saarivuoma) and that “This is a form of structural violence that is just as serious as overt violence” a member of Saarivuoma and author of the report is critical to the placement of the landing platforms and we have lived here for thousands of years Despite the landing platforms being only 40x40 meters each their infrastructure will require a fenced area of 150x300 meters He says that no sustainable arguments have been presented as to why the landing sites have been located in the proposed areas “There is no need to exploit sensitive mountain areas for this purpose when there are already developed areas available If they can control the rockets’ trajectory why can’t they ensure they land at the launch site or in an already exploited area” The report calls for clearer agreements and rules between Esrange and the Sámi village Sikku says that communication with Esrange regarding test landings is not always effective there are recurrent discussions about this issue “They [Esrange] see us as a problem rather than partners One can detect a form of structural discrimination where they believe they have a greater right to the land,” Sikku notes says that there are currently discussions about various options for the landing platforms but nothing has been finalised regarding the location or timing He also states that the dialogue with the Sámi People is important: “Operations at Esrange have been ongoing since the 1960s and the dialogue with the Sami villages and other nearby residents has been positive over the years it is naturally very important that this dialogue continues we are already prioritising this highly and will continue to do so.” Space defense has become increasingly important for both Europe and NATO due to several strategic Military orbital satellites are vital for modern defense and security offering capabilities that enhance intelligence gathering Esrange has planned to launch orbital satellites for many years the new orbital satellite launching complex was finally opened and the interest for launching military satellites from the site has grown since Sweden became a full member of NATO in March 2024 In Foreign minister Billström’s speech during the USA visit, he highlighted the importance of space and stressed the value of partnerships, especially given today’s geopolitical landscape, as part of Sweden’s space diplomacy. According to a press release from SSC utilizing northern Sweden’s existing civilian space capabilities could make Esrange a key hub for international collaboration in space defense Olsson says that SSC has signed agreements with two rocket manufacturers that are to transport the satellites to space One of the rocket manufacturers are South Korean and the other partner is to be announced next week The South Korean company’s rocket model is currently being tested in South Korea the company will establish itself at the new launch facility at the Esrange Spaceport in Sweden The first launch from Esrange is planned for the end of 2025 The second rocket partner is scheduled to begin operating at Esrange in 2026 So far European satellites have been launched to orbit from Europe’s spaceport in Korou Hitherto the only orbital launch site in use situated within European territory is located in the Archangel region (Arkhangelsk Oblast) of northern Russia located in Nordmela on the island of Andøya in Northern Norway is also vying to become the first to launch orbital satellites A spokesperson from the German commercial space company Isar Aerospace says that they are currently awaiting required permits The timetable is not clear but test flights will be conducted as soon as possible Another launch site on European soil is also being developed at the SaxaVord Spaceport on the Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland Subsidence from the world’s biggest iron ore mine threatens to swallow up the Arctic town of Kiruna But what does its relocation mean for the local Sami reindeer herders In the far north of Sweden, 125 miles above the Arctic Circle once voted the most beautiful old building in the country is designed to resemble a hut of the indigenous Sami people In 2026, the entire 600-tonne wooden building will be loaded on to trailers and moved to a new spot near the local graveyard. It’s just one large – and technically tricky – piece of a project to move Kiruna to a new home three kilometres (1.9 miles) east of the old town Billed as the world’s most radical relocation project Kiruna is moving because subsidence from the local iron ore mine is threatening to swallow the town Cracks have already appeared in the hospital; a school is no longer safe for its pupils “We are more than happy that the church can move,” Tjärnberg said and its fate has been intertwined with that of the mine since it was founded in 1900 metals that are vital to produce electric car batteries and wind turbines “Sweden is literally a goldmine,” the deputy prime minister to not be so highly dependent on one single country for gas in the way we were [on] Russia.” An aerial view of the vast LKAB iron ore mine at Kiruna Photograph: AlamyThe discovery of rare earth metals offered the chance the source of 86% of the global supply of rare earth elements But Kiruna’s transformation is alarming some of the Sami people who inspired its most beloved building and gave the town its name – Kiruna comes from the Sami word giron Centuries before LKAB began tearing up the earth, Sami people were herding reindeer throughout the Arctic lands. Now they fear that way of life – already threatened by the climate crisis, which is making it harder for reindeer to find their main winter food source, lichen – is coming under more pressure The fragmentation of the land makes reindeer herding ever more difficult the deputy chair of the board of the Sami parliament told the Observer: “We have the railroad and we also have the mining business and now the movement of the city centre It is more and more difficult to continue with the movement of reindeers.” He fears that any stop to such an “an ancient activity” could compromise Sami rights to the land Nearly 10,000 Sami people in Sweden are on the electoral register for the Sami parliament but the true population is unknown as the Swedish census does not collect ethnicity data Free weekly newsletterThe planet's most important stories Get all the week's environment news - the good dismissed suggestions that it would be better to produce fossil-free iron ore in Sweden rather than depend on polluting metals from elsewhere “Not if it destroys remaining biological diversity,” he said “We want to retain our old culture and our old values to have a good life not to have an easy life with high expenditures and unhealthy consumption habits.” An LKAB spokesperson, Anders Lindberg, said two Sami villages have had to change their reindeer herding routes since the mine opened in 1900, but insisted the company was now “much better” at listening to herders and trying to minimise its impact on their work. Nevertheless, the Sami village of Gabna may have to change its herding routes as a result of the recent rare earth discovery. “It is possible that there will be an impact on reindeer herding and that they will have to reroute again,” Lindberg said.. Meanwhile, Nina Eliasson, the head of planning at Kiruna municipality, said “not so many people are negative” about moving the town, but acknowledged many were sad when their home was demolished. “Then you feel that this is for real. And of course [it is about] your memories, the place that you grew up in.” About 6,000 people are due to move. Tenants will see their rents gradually rise over eight years to a cap of 25% higher than the old rate. Eliasson said the mining company had no choice but to raise rents to upgrade the 1960s housing stock. The work may not be complete until 2035 and the town has not received any security that future mining may not lead to further changes. “We didn’t get any guarantees at all,” Eliasson said. “We had to accept it.” This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025. The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media. NCCNCC has been commissioned by LKAB to construct a new recycling center in Kiruna. The project is a turnkey contract with an order value of approximately SEK 160 million, and completion is scheduled for the autumn of 2026. LKAB's premises in Kiruna. Photo: NCC LKAB currently manages the waste from its operations at three facilities: an environmental store, a disposal site and a decantation facility. NCC has been commissioned by LKAB to construct a recycling center for consolidated management of waste from operations. NCC’s project encompasses a building of approximately 2,000 square meters for management of hazardous waste and waste oil, and approximately 40,000 square meters of land for sorting and processing waste. The recycling center will include a section for hazardous waste, a garage and an office. “NCC has a broad range of know-how in environmental technology, and we are pleased to be entrusted with building a modern recycling center that will give LKAB a solid basis for dealing with the waste from its operations,” says Linda Bäckström, Project Manager at NCC Infrastructure Kiruna. The order value is approximately SEK 160 million and it will be registered among orders in the NCC Infrastructure business area in the second quarter of 2025. The project will start immediately and is scheduled for completion in the autumn of 2026. Niklas Westman, Communication Partner NCC Sverige AB, niklas.westman.ncc.se Hans Andersson, Head of Department, NCC Infrastructure, +46 72-214 53 64, hans.andersson4@ncc.se NCC’s media line: +46 8 585 519 00, press@ncc.se, NCC’s Media bank About NCC. NCC is one of the leading construction companies in the Nordics. Based on its expertise in managing complex construction processes, NCC contributes to a positive impact of construction for its customers and society. Operations include building and infrastructure project contracting, asphalt and stone materials production, and commercial property development. In 2024, NCC had sales of about SEK 62 bn and 11,800 employees. NCC’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. https://news.cision.com/ncc/r/ncc-to-build-new-recycling-center-in-kiruna%2Cc4132863 https://mb.cision.com/Main/197/4132863/3376969.pdf Copyright © 2025 FactSet Research Systems Inc.© 2025 TradingView Mining company LKAB's iron ore freight trains in Narvik The Swedish mining company transports large amounts of iron ore products to the port of Narvik on a daily basis The railway line is also important for the transport of goods into Northern Norway as well as seafood products southwards to Oslo through Sweden According to a preliminary status report from the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority a damaged wheel could have contributed to the train derailment on the Iron Ore Line a year ago The fully loaded train was heading from the northern Swedish city of Kiruna to Narvik when several cars derailed near the Norwegian border Les på norsk. The derailment on the Iron Ore Line in December last year may have been caused by a defective wheel This was stated by the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority The final report is scheduled for March 2025 A loaded iron ore train heading from Kiruna in Northern Sweden to Narvik in Northern Norway derailed near the Norwegian border with several cars but the derailment led to significant damage to infrastructure A decision was made to investigate the incident and the damages were estimated at 2 million euros informs the Accident Investigation Authority The report reveals that a wheel is to have derailed while the trail was still in motion The more extensive derailment occurred 15 kilometers later with several derailed axles and cars The investigators found an axle with a loose A crack on the back of the wheel flange is a likely contributor The cause of this is still under investigation the iron ore extracted in northern Sweden is loaded onto ore ships for transport to international markets LKAB extracts iron ore in Kiruna and Gällivare in northern Sweden and is Europe's largest producer of iron ore The derailment had significant consequences for the Swedish mining company LKAB as most of the iron ore products it extracts and produces are shipped to Narvik for shipment to the markets 10-12 of LKAB's iron ore trains run in each direction between Narvik and Kiruna on a daily basis The railway line is also very important for transporting consumer goods to Northern Norway A double track has long been called for in order to increase capacity and reduce vulnerability yet another derailment occurred on the railway The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority is investigating this incident as well The move of Kiruna Church is a world-unique event and will take place over two days between 19-20 August 2025 The move will be livestreamed and a series of activities will be organised in connection with the event Are you a member of the media and want to cover the church move on site Learn more about the urban transformation of Kiruna we’re in the midst of the biggest transformation in our 130-year history Community engagement has always been important to us; in connection with restructuring and societal transformations After approximately 50,000 kilometers driven the first phase of testing with the fully electric Scania Heavy Tipper truck above ground .. The HYBRIT initiative and the upcoming demonstration plant in Gällivare were in the spotlight at this year's Hydrogen Conference What started as two separate projects quickly revealed a shared challenge: transporting large components down to the mine Kiruna in Swedish Lapland has been named one of the two European Capitals of Culture for 2029 a title that celebrates the city’s cultural creativity Photo: Kiruna's new city centre, by Håkan Stenlund (Download) With the concept Movement. ´Below Ground. On Earth. In Space´ Kiruna seamlessly weaves together the many dynamic elements that define its unique character—from its deep mining heritage and collective wisdom and knowledge to its Arctic surroundings and its aspirations for the future of space exploration. Sharing the spotlight with Uppsala as a finalist this achievement highlights the strength and diversity of Sweden’s cultural offerings Each year, the European Union selects two or three cities to carry this title, giving them a chance to showcase their unique culture and contribute to Europe’s cultural conversation. In 2029, Kiruna will share this honour with Lublin in Poland. Sweden has previously been represented by Stockholm in 1998 and Umeå in 2014. More about Kiruna’s candidacy and bidbook here Kiruna offers a blend of natural wonders and cultural heritage Kiruna's program will explore resilience and the interplay of indigenous and modern influences Learn more about Kiruna visitsweden.com and Kiruna in Swedish Lapland Fights to Kiruna are available with SAS from LHR and Norwegian from LGW Prices currently start at £73 for one-way flights and £173 for round trips It is also possible to travel by train using Eurostar Hbf in Germany and then 2-night trains from Hamburg via Stockholm Visit Sweden has an official assignment from the Swedish government to market Sweden as a destination Our vision is that Sweden by 2030 is the world's most sustainable and attractive destination built on innovation conscious and creating lasting value with regard to our guests https://corporate.visitsweden.com/om-oss/en/ LKAB's ambition is to gradually build a stable and sustainable industrial value chain within the EU This decision underscores that our plans align with Europe's needs both for electrification and for increased self-sufficiency in strategic and critical minerals Access to these materials is crucial for future electric vehicles SAS Launches Direct Route Between Copenhagen and Kiruna Northern lights from Absiko. Credits: Göran Strand/imagebank.sweden.se (Download) Nestled 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle Kiruna is a captivating city in Swedish Lapland It holds deep cultural significance as part of Sápmi the traditional homeland of the Sámi people whose heritage extends across northern Scandinavia and outdoor nature activities making it an increasingly popular destination The new route will operate from 12 December 2024 to 27 April 2025, with flights on Thursdays and Sundays, and additional Saturday flights during the Christmas and New Year period. Return prices start from GBP 120 per person from London SAS has already confirmed plans to extend the service for the 2025/26 winter season noted: “Demand for tourism in Swedish Lapland is growing significantly This route not only supports Arctic tourism but also provides northern Sweden’s residents with efficient connections to Europe and beyond.” With departures almost fully booked over the festive season SAS encourages travellers to secure their tickets soon connecting seamlessly with its extensive network This new route enhances connectivity to Sweden´s northernmost region while promoting sustainable tourism and supporting local economies making it a dream destination for nature lovers Kiruna is famed for natural phenomena like the Northern Lights During the Polar Night in December and early January and the "blue hour" – a brief daily twilight when the sky glows deep blue Aurora Sky Station in Abisko – an hour’s drive from central Kiruna – is known as one of the best places in the world to marvel at the Northern Lights.  At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Midnight Sun offers 24-hour daylight during the summer months plan your visit between late May and mid-July you can even combine it with skiing as late as Midsummer at the Riksgränsen ski resort The region is also a gateway to Sámi culture, where visitors can engage in authentic experiences with local hosts like Nutti Sámi Siida and Giron Reindeer These offer insights into Sámi traditions Kiruna's unique blend of stunning Arctic landscapes and rich Sámi heritage makes it a must-visit destination for those seeking adventure and cultural discovery More information on Kiruna: https://kirunalap land.se/en/ Our vision is that Sweden by 2030 is the world's most sustainable and attractive destination built on innovation Kiruna Church has been named Sweden’s most beautiful building and holds great cultural and historical value the church and its accompanying bell tower will be relocated The reason is the mining operations in LKAB's iron ore mine which are affecting the area considered the old town center Kiruna Church will be the largest building to be moved as part of the urban transformation that began planning over 20 years ago and has received worldwide attention The church relocation will be livestreamed and is accompanied by various activities during the event “This is an important and carefully planned move The church is truly unique and means a lot to many people beyond just being a landmark of Kiruna and we want to give everyone the opportunity to follow and be a part of this historic event,” says Stefan Holmblad Johansson The church has been thoroughly examined from a relocation perspective to ensure its cultural values are preserved in the best possible way including ensuring that the altarpiece and organ are moved with great care which is about 40 meters wide and weighs 600 tons will be loaded onto a trailer and moved in its entirety along a relocation route that will be approximately 5 kilometers long and 24 meters wide Preparatory work to widen the roads has been ongoing for a year situated between the cemetery and the new town center has been carefully selected in close dialogue with the parish as more buildings such as the parish hall and other cultural buildings will also be moved “It feels significant and wonderful that the church will be moving to its new location and coming home we have had a good dialogue with LKAB and the municipality and now we long for and look forward to reopening the church and having a vibrant parish life in the new location," says Lena Tjärnberg is a historic event both for Kiruna and for the entire country It has always been a safe haven and a beautiful structure that we are all proud of We are happy to be able to offer a fantastic new location near Kiruna’s new city center It will be incredibly exciting to follow the church’s relocation," says Mats Taaveniku Chairman of the Municipal Council in Kiruna Veidekke has been commissioned to relocate the church and its bell tower and is also responsible for constructing the relocation route as well as performing groundwork and infrastructure tasks including laying the foundation for the church at its new site further work will involve setting up the church and bell tower on the new plot and restoring both the relocation route and the original site "It's a very inspiring and honorable task to take care of these buildings that are so dear to everyone's hearts And it's exciting that the actual moving days are getting closer," says Mathias Rönnholm regional manager of Veidekke Anläggning Nord Important to note is that weather conditions may affect the moving date Media hotline: + 46 771 76 00 10, press@lkab.com  LKAB's mining in Kiruna has - and will - affect its environment to such a degree that Kiruna must be moved Mining leads to ground deformations and movement An Arctic city is moved as a step to enable continued ore extraction the opening of Kiruna's new city center has finally come An Arctic city in Northern Sweden is currently facing a fresh start Kiruna's new city center opens this weekend The official opening ceremony is set for Saturday the 3rd of September The Northern Swedish city has been moved about 3 kilometers east to enable the city's primary employer The Swedish mining company has extracted ore for over a hundred years in the Northern Swedish city in what is the world's largest underground iron ore mine.  In order for the company to continue the extraction of iron ore in the ore veins which stretch for more than a thousand meters below Kiruna The mining leads to ground deformations and there is a risk of movement and that the ground may sink and collapse Mining is the basis for Kiruna's economy and Kiruna municipality is therefore prepared to move parts of the city LKAB and Kiruna municipality went public with the news of the move in 2004 LKAB then presented a prognosis for how the ground deformations would reach the city center.  the work of moving the city center three kilometers east began the new town hall Kristallen was inaugurated as the first completed building as well as 450 000 m² of public and commercial premises the current city center will be dismantled all trade will be moved to the new center and the center shops will open the doors to their new premises the new city will be filled up with more businesses and homes High North News will be present in Kiruna to cover the event This article was originally published in Norwegian and has been translated by Birgitte Annie Molid Martinussen Biathlon | “The five girls in Group A are protected”: the last two World Cup places will be up for grabs early next winter Biathlon: the selection of the Austrian national team for the 2025/2026 training season Biathlon | Nordic skiing : for the Olympic winter the French teams will once again be changing their overalls Biathlon | “Joining this group is a step forward in my project” : Bressaud Martin Botet talks about his arrival in the French B team Biathlon | “It was a tiring race”: Johannes Thingnes Boe reflects on his participation in the Grue Halvmaraton Cross-country skiing : Linn Svahn back in training after concussion Cross-country skiing: the selection of the Swedish national team for the 2025/2026 season Cross-country skiing : Gustav Kvarnbrink’s fright after being hit by a car while training Cross-country skiing | Nordic skiing: the composition of the Austrian team for the 2025/2026 season Cross-country skiing | “It’s really nice to see progress” Jessie Diggins gives her news following plantar fasciitis Nordic combined: eleven Norwegians in the elite national team for the 2025/2026 season Nordic combined: the composition of the French teams for the 2025/2026 season Nordic combined: Ivar Stuan remains Norway’s boss for another 2 years… with an option until 2030 Nordic Combined: Florian Schabereiter becomes head coach of the Austrian women’s national team Nordic combined | Mo i 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the satisfaction of Mathis Desloges after winning the French individual classic title in La Bresse Vu de Trondheim #2: Jarl Magnus Riiber stripped of his title From Trondheim #1 : Marit Bjoergen head coach for women’s sprint Vu de Norge #451 : Sturla Holm Lægreid stands up against homophobia Vu de Norge #449 : Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen improves his rifle Planète Nordic #29: Oleksandra Merkushyna appreciates Julia Simon’s gesture Planète Nordic #23 : Norwegian cross-country skiers take on footballer Erling Braut Haaland on his recovery techniques dog’s name… at the Tour de Ski Planète Nordic #21 : Sebastian Samuelsson donates his race number to Dmytro Pidruchnyi in support of Ukraine Nordic Planet #20 : Dorothea Wierer could do nothing about the individual short in Kontiolahti after suffering a back injury the finals of the 2024/2025 Swedish cross-country skiing cup got under way in Kiruna (Sweden) a 5km individual skate race was on the programme Jesper Persson won by 12.2 seconds over Gustaf Berglund and 15.3 seconds over Johan Haeggstroem Evelina Crüsell won ahead of Maerta Rosenberg (+16 sec 5) and Lisa Ingesson (+21 sec 6) This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Discover the full composition of the Swedish cross-country ski team for the 2025/2026 season. 15:25. The Swedish cross-country skiing championships came to a close this Sunday afternoon on the Kalix slopes with the men’s 50km individual skate race.... 16:14. This Friday afternoon, the skate team sprints of the Swedish cross-country skiing championships took place in Kalix (Sweden). In the women’s race, the... During the classic mass-start of the French cross-country skiing championships in Les Saisies (Savoie) on Sunday afternoon, Renaud Jay and Arnaud Chautemps got the... 16:24. This Sunday, the 2024/2025 Swedish cross-country skiing cup drew to a close in Kiruna (Sweden) with the 13.6km individual classic. On the women’s... 16:34. The finals of the 2024/2025 Swedish cross-country skiing cup continued on Saturday in Kiruna (Sweden). In the classic sprint on the day’s programme,... On Thursday, the official training sessions for the French biathlon and cross-country skiing championships took place in sunny Les Saisies (Savoie). Discover the full programme of the French biathlon and cross-country skiing championships scheduled for this weekend in Les Saisies (Savoie). Geomorphological landscape design provides LKAB with the opportunity to continuously rehabilitate affected areas and initiate work to increase biodiversity, while ... What started as two separate projects quickly revealed a shared challenge: transporting large components down to the mine.  The plan in Gällivare regarding sponge iron continues as planned With insights into the new deposit, we see that we ... These are very good results which continue to support the strategic direction of the company. These significant mineral assets are the result of great efforts from all our colleagues and teams working together. The potential for Sweden's iron ore supply and also for the supply of critical minerals has once again improved and provides increased security for the future. After approximately 50,000 kilometers driven, the first phase of testing with the fully electric Scania Heavy Tipper truck above ground ... Demolishing the old Kiruna and moving residents to a fresh city center uproots generations of local heritage, interrupting tight-knit neighborhoods and erasing multigenerational family stores. This relocation is a challenge of identity, one that explores the relationship between architecture and community. In 2012, LKAB and Kiruna Municipality announced a competition to design a new town hall, the first building in the relocated city center. © Hufton + CrowAfter a two-year construction period, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden officially opened Kiruna’s new town hall on November 22nd. For Henning Larsen Partner and Design Principal Louis Becker, it stands as an architectural salute to Kiruna’s heritage and a public focal point for a reestablished community. © Hufton + Crow“Community identity often has real geographic roots,” says Henning Larsen Partner and Design Principal Louis Becker. “We knew that during Kiruna’s relocation, losing a sense of place could be a major challenge to the town’s residents. Our hope is that this town hall is not only an effective seat for the local government but a space that celebrates Kiruna’s history and establishes an enduring symbol of local identity.” © Hufton + CrowPresent at the ceremony was H.M King Carl XVI Gustaf who officially opened the new building and congratulated the city on the new building that hopefully will be of joy to all citizens and future generations in Kiruna Kristina Zakrisson and the Swedish Minister of Culture You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Peab has been commissioned to build LKAB's new office building in Kiruna The customer is LKAB and the contract is worth SEK 459 million The office building will be 11,550 m2 with five floors will have a garage with 60 spaces and a bomb shelter with room for 420 as well "It’s fantastic that we with our local organization continue to expand Kiruna city center this time with a new and aesthetically appealing office building for LKAB," says Susanne Hallberg The LKAB mine’s DNA has permeated the design of the new offices through details like making columns railings and fittings out of steel to create a connection to the business Hanging walls and protruding floors that mirror a mine have inspired the interior design of the building The open plan landscape provides a variety of views in the activity-based office building Natural material choices create a warm interior "The building will be a hallmark of Kiruna just like our current office building and a significant addition to Kiruna city center Using materials we ourselves contribute to producing and reflecting our mine in the building’s design is a beautiful thing that ties it to our history," says Magnus Backe Work will begin in early 2025 and is expected to be completed in 2028 The project will be order registered in the fourth quarter 2024 Peab is the Nordic Community Builder with 14,000 employees and net sales of SEK 58 billion With a local presence and focus on our own resources we develop do the groundwork and build everyday life where it’s lived Company headquarters are in Förslöv on Bjäre Peninsula in southern Sweden The Peab share is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm who tries to balance her risky job as a security manager in the Kiirunavaara mine with her family life has to fight for her life and the lives of her loved ones when her city starts collapsing into the mine The town of Kiruna in the Swedish Arctic is sinking due to the giant mine below and the town is in danger of collapsing but the mining town is sinking faster than anyone thought This is the plot behind the new Netflix movie The Abyss In the Swedish disaster movie The Abyss all hell breaks loose when the mining town of Kiruna in Swedish Lapland collapses in on itself due to the iron mine - the largest in the world - below the town earthquakes sends people falling into the earth who knows the mine better than anyone else The disaster movie also starres Peter Franzén and Kardo Razzazi and was directed by Richard Holm (Gåsmamman) with a screenplay by Holm his son Robin Sherlock Holm (The Machinery) Kiruna - 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle - is positioned top top of a massive iron mine owned by mining company LKAB The excavation of the mine creates seismic activity The Abyss is a dramatized version of this natural disaster Kiruna in Northern Sweden had to move for the billion-dollar mining industry to continue While 13 miners were working at the time of the earthquake It was the threat of a sinking town that caused the unpresedented event of the slow demolishing of Kiruna to save both the town and the billion-dollar mining industry. The new mining town are relocated only three kilometres east of the old one As the brand new center of Kiruna were officially opened autumn 2022 with HNN present the massive relocation project - that started in 2004 - is set to complete in 2035 The 2020 earthquake was a result of many factors. According to LKAB and almost 1000 million tons of iron ore have been produced since than The activity has strained and weakend the ground, also leading to increased  seismic activity Land subsidence causes the ground beneath Kiruna to slowly sink and earthquakes could potentially exacerbate this issue as seen in The Abyss The Abyss was filmed in Kiruna and Stockholm and has been a mining company town since it was founded in 1900 The mine produces 80% of the EU’s iron supply ShareSaveCommentLifestyleTravelKiruna: A Mining Town On The Move In Northern SwedenByDavid Nikel David Nikel is a travel writer covering cruising and Scandinavia.Follow AuthorMar 23 10:34am EDTShareSaveCommentThis article is more than 4 years old.The town of Kiruna in the Swedish Arctic must relocate because of geological instability caused by .. Because of the risk posed by expanding mining operations the entire town center of Kiruna is being relocated approximately two miles to the east A new railway station has already been opened further away from the mine This aerial view prior to the relocation project shows the old city hell (left) and the mining area .. Kiruna's mine is today one of the world's largest iron ore mining operations But the remarkable relocation project has its origins in the establishment of mining company LKAB in 1890 LKAB's first managing director Hjalmar Lundbohm founded Kiruna in close proximity to the mine as the nearby mountains provided protection from Arctic winds it was hard for Lundbohm to appreciate that more than 100 years later the only way to continue the lucrative operations would be to mine under his chosen location for Kiruna The unique Kiruna church will be relocated in approximately 2025 The expansion of the mine would require mining underneath the present location of downtown Kiruna which would pose an unacceptable subsidence risk to the town an earthquake of approximately 4.9 moment magnitude was triggered by mining operations The new downtown district is many years away from completion but it already has a new landmark building that is hoped will become a cultural center and gathering place for the new town The striking new town hall (right) is designed as a cultural center and gathering place for Kiruna's .. the 1958 clock tower from the previous town hall was dismantled and rebuilt alongside the new landmark once voted Sweden's most beautiful building will also be dismantled and relocated to the new district An exhibition at Stockholm’s national center for architecture and design (ArkDes) put the eyes of the town planning world on this rare urban relocation project The exhibition ‘Kiruna Forever’ examined Kiruna’s relocation through more than 100 works by architects some of the exhibition can be explored online The iron ore mine of Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB in the northern Swedish town of Kiruna on Nov Sweden — There are a number of sensations you experience as you make the 30-minute descent by pickup truck into the main tunnel of the LKAB iron ore mine in Kiruna your ears pop and it's hard to shake a feeling of isolation as the truck twists and turns on the darkened road guided only by reflectors on the tunnel's reinforced gray more than 4,000 feet beneath Earth's surface you discover a complex of brightly lit offices which sits 125 miles north of the Arctic Circle is one of the world's largest sources of iron ore reflectors on the reinforced stone walls guide vehicles deep underground This year, the company made a game-changing discovery at the mine. Mixed in with the iron ore were rare earths — raw materials that are used to power motors in wind turbines, electric vehicles and a range of other products and that are critical for the transition to clean energy. The company said it found the largest-known deposit of rare-earth metals in Europe The discovery of the deposit, known as Per Geijer, comes as many European countries like Sweden try to develop energy independence. That includes breaking a reliance on China which dominates the world's supply and processing of key metals and minerals It also comes as European countries seek to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like wind and solar using technologies that rely on rare earths an ultraviolet light shone on minerals reveals vivid colors that signal the rare earths inside the rocks LKAB was aware of some rare-earth deposits in Sweden as far back as the 1960s as it was mining iron ore "We knew that there was something out there, but we didn't know how much and at what depth and things like this," she says. Three years ago, they started taking a closer look, and the results were good. The company estimates there are 1.3 million metric tons (about 1.43 million U.S Just getting to the Per Geijer deposit is a major undertaking In a small office in the vast underground complex Jim Lidstrom heads up the team digging 5 miles of tunnels toward the rare earths putting cement on the walls to do a reinforcement," he says explaining that it will take a long time to reach the deposit "My guess would be around maybe six to seven years .. Then if LKAB decides there are enough rare earths of good quality to make it economically viable told NPR that Sweden needs to be energy independent She says that this message was driven home after Russia cut off energy supplies to Europe because of its support for Ukraine harsh reminder to choose your friends wisely," she says drawn a very tough lesson in terms of being so highly dependent off of Russia." Dependence on China is also a concern for Sweden, especially the Asian nation's grip on critical metals and minerals such as the rare earths. Like the rest of the European Union Sweden gets nearly all its rare-earth supply from China A loader on display at the LKAB visitors center 500 feet below ground "We are so dependent on minerals from China," says Erika Ingvald the head of mineral information and mining industry at the Geological Survey of Sweden in the college town of Uppsala "And China is known for using their raw materials This month, China started limiting exports of gallium and germanium China also dominates rare-earth processing but Ingvald says there's movement to increase processing capacity in Europe LKAB has bought into a company in Norway who are going to do this processing of those minerals," she says But processing can be harmful to the environment and there's a lengthy permitting procedure that also considers the impact of mining and processing on Sweden's vast Indigenous lands runs a small ranch about 25 miles from Kiruna He worries about what mining rare earths will do to the Arctic environment and reindeer herding Matti Blind Berg runs a small ranch about 25 miles from Kiruna that has horse trails and a riding school and chairman of a reindeer herding association He says Sweden knew about the rare-earth deposits at the LKAB mine for a long time He calls making a big deal of the find now a public relations ploy "They wanted to put pressure on the Swedish politicians to take shortcuts in the permission process," he says "It's a quite long process from the find of the minerals to the real mining is one of the world's largest iron ore mines Berg sits at a table alongside a clear blue lake He worries what mining the rare earths will do to the Arctic environment and the reindeer herding more active human activities disturb wildlife," he says your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt The Swedish town of Kiruna will be moved building by building to a new location in the country due to years of mining that have caused it to sink into the ground Valuable minerals have also been found in and around it, including Europe's largest deposit of rare earth minerals Kiruna is located 200km north of the Arctic circle and was founded to house the workers of an iron ore mine installed 125 years ago Most of its inhabitants have welcomed the move after taking part in a consultation about their desires an antiquarian at the Kiruna Municipality told Euronews that the relocation is a significant improvement and also - maybe the most important - was the access to nature We really enjoy outdoor life," Nyström said The relocation of 450,000 square metres of houses commercial and leisure premises should be completed by 2035 One of the most sensitive buildings is the iconic church a vicar at Kiruna Lutheran Church says is crucial for the town "It is very important to move the church for us and for the city I think people are looking forward to the move for the day when it is going to happen," she told Euronews Kiruna has around 23,000 inhabitants that populate a territory the size of Slovenia It is located in a protected landscape that attracts many tourists as it includes birch forests But the expansion of the mine worries the indigenous people of Lapland The government says it will take into account their needs the Deputy Chair from the Board of the Sámi Parliament told Euronews that the surrounding nature must be taken into account "Biological diversity in the Arctic is very crucial also for the people of the continent We cannot just depend on the Amazon and pretend that by protecting it we are then allowed to keep the consumption habits the extraction of natural resources and gaining profits in the Arctic by endless amount of years," he said announced it will soon use just clean energy sources aiming to be at the centre of the so-called green industrial revolution given that the discovery of rare earth elements in Kiruna means an expansion of industries in the Arctic Metrics details Kiruna-type apatite-iron-oxide ores are key iron sources for modern industry Diverse ore-forming processes have been discussed comprising low-temperature hydrothermal processes versus a high-temperature origin from magma or magmatic fluids We present an extensive set of new and combined iron and oxygen isotope data from magnetite of Kiruna-type ores from Sweden and compare them with new global reference data from layered intrusions and established low-temperature and hydrothermal iron ores We show that approximately 80% of the magnetite from the investigated Kiruna-type ores exhibit δ56Fe and δ18O ratios that overlap with the volcanic and plutonic reference materials (> 800 °C) mainly vein-hosted and disseminated magnetite match the low-temperature reference samples (≤400 °C) Kiruna-type ores are dominantly magmatic in origin but may contain late-stage hydrothermal magnetite populations that can locally overprint primary high-temperature magmatic signatures a Global map showing the different locations of origin for apatite-iron-oxide ore and reference samples b A close-up view of the main part of the Fennoscandian Shield showing the sample locations for magnetites from Sweden many of previous investigations have focused on one case study only and frequently present a range of various data with individual data sets often being relatively restricted in respect to data volume What has so far been missing is a broad and decisive geochemical approach to distinguish between these two rival formation hypotheses on an across-deposit scale To date no systematic stable isotope study employing several distinct Kiruna–type apatite iron oxide ore deposits is available and no systematic comparison with accepted magmatic and hydrothermal rock and ore suites has previously been presented in the literature Ve-Di samples represent vein and disseminated magnetites We note that the oxygen isotope data from two vein and disseminated (Ve-Di) magnetite samples from Grängesberg as well as magnetite from two samples from El Laco overlap with the low-temperature and hydrothermal reference group these samples still show Fe isotope signatures that are similar to our magmatic reference suite and are hence assumed to reflect originally igneous sources prolonged fractional crystallization leading to more andesitic to dacitic melts and the preference of magnetite for the heavy iron isotope are the likely reasons for the ultra-magmatic signature in several magnetite samples from the plutonic-volcanic reference suite as well as from some apatite-iron-oxide ore samples such volumetrically small features would have a minimal effect on the bulk isotope signature of our samples hydrothermal) isotope signals in apatite-iron-oxide ores may be entirely unrelated to the original mode of formation Schematic representation of magmatic stages for Kiruna-type apatite-iron-oxide ores from this and other studies Stages II and III comprise ortho-magmatic ore formation: with decreasing temperature and on-going crystallization in the melt the volatile/fluid pressure will increase and magmatic fluids are being expelled into the surrounding rocks Below ~600 °C (towards the end of stage III) the magmatic-derived volatile pressure may begin to decrease allowing progressively more of available external fluids into the system that initiate hydrothermal activity (<400 °C) Massive apatite-iron oxide ores appear to commence crystallization in the ortho-magmatic stages (Stages II and III) whereas vein and disseminated magnetites formed mainly during Stage IV (hydrothermal precipitation and replacement) This implies that the commonly observed hydrothermal signals in apatite-iron oxide ores are late-stage products that are results of syn- to post-magmatic hydrothermal processes active during the cooling of the volcanic system or in some cases possibly reprecipitation during later overprints Kiruna-type apatite-iron-oxide ores are hence dominantly a magmatic phenomenon and they presumably continue to form in active arc- and back-arc type sub-volcanic environments up to the present day Our combined isotope data and calculations represent a significant advance in the understanding of Kiruna-type ore deposits and over-rules most arguments for a completely hydrothermal mode of formation we provide a reference system for Fe–O isotopes in Kiruna-type ores against which future research can test genetic concepts for low- versus high-temperature origin of as yet underexplored Kiruna-type deposits An outline of the geological setting of our sample suite is given in the Supplementary Information All iron isotope data were recorded as δ56Fe which is the deviation of 56Fe/54Fe relative to the IRMM-014 CRM standard material The average 2σ error during iron isotope analysis was 0.03‰ The samples were diluted with 0.3 M HNO3 to a concentration of 2–3 ppm before measurement The Fe isotope analyses were performed on a Nu Plasma II HR-MC-ICP-MS in pseudo-high-resolution mode to resolve interfering species The samples were corrected for mass bias using the standard-sample bracketing technique The average 2σ external reproducibility for the samples was 0.06‰ for δ56Fe All oxygen data were recorded in the usual δ18O notation relative to SMOW where δ18O = (Rsample/Rstandard − 1)×1000 All oxygen isotope data were obtained with a 2σ error of ≤0.2‰ The authors declare that all relevant data are available within the article and its supplementary information files Magmatic origin of giant ‘Kiruna-type’ apatite-iron-oxide ores in Central Sweden Geological characteristics and tectonic setting of proterozoic iron-oxide (Cu-U-Au-Ree) deposits Oxygen isotope composition of magnetite in iron ores of the Kiruna type in Chile and Sweden Precambrian geodynamics and ore formation: The Fennoscandian Shield Tectonic and petrological frame of the Cretaceous iron deposits of north Chile Magmatic iron ores and associated mineralisation: Examples from the Chilean High Andes and Coastal Cordillerain In Hydrothermal Iron Oxide Copper-Gold and Related Deposits : A Global Perspective (ed Apatite-rich iron deposits of the Avnik (Bingol) region Magnetite-apatite deposits (Kiruna-type) along the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone and in the Bafq area associated with ultramafic and calcalkaline rocks and carbonatites Spatio-temporal distribution and tectonic settings of the major iron deposits in China: an overview A new genetic model for the Triassic Yangyang iron-oxide-apatite deposit South Korea: constraints from in situ U-Pb and trace element analyses of accessory minerals Fe-O stable isotope pairs elucidate a high-temperature origin of Chilean iron oxide-apatite deposits Mineral thermometry and fluid inclusion studies of the pea ridge iron oxide-apatite-rare earth element deposit On the relationship between alteration facies and metal endowment of iron oxide-alkali-altered systems Southern Great Bear Magmatic Zone (Canada) and superheated hydrothermal systems: the El Laco deposit The magmatic to magmatic-hydrothermal evolution of the El Laco Deposit (Chile) and its implications for the genesis of magnetite-apatite deposits New constraints on the timing of host-rock emplacement and iron oxide-apatite mineralization in the Kiruna District Tracing the fluid evolution of the Kiruna iron oxide apatite deposits using zircon and whole rock trace elements and isotopic studies Evidence for hydrothermal alteration and source regions for the Kiruna iron oxide-apatite ore (northern Sweden) from zircon Hf and O isotopes Mineral chemistry of magnetite from magnetite-apatite mineralization and their host rocks: examples from Kiruna Magnetite-apatite deposit from Sri Lanka: implications on Kiruna-type mineralization associated with ultramafic intrusion and mantle metasomatism On the magmatic origin of iron ores of the Kiruna type Kiruna iron ores are not intrusive-magmatic ores of the kiruna type Magmatic features of iron ores of the Kiruna type in Chile and Sweden: ore textures and magnetite geochemistry New field evidence bearing on the origin of the El Laco magnetite deposit In situ U-Pb and trace element analysis of accessory minerals in the Kiruna District Sweden: New constraints on the timing and origin of mineralization Hydrothermal fluid evolution and metal transport in the Kiruna District Sweden: contrasting metal behaviour in aqueous and aqueous-carbonic brines Did the massive magnetite “lava flows” of El Laco (Chile) form by magmatic or hydrothermal processes New constraints from magnetite composition by LA-ICP-MS Giant Kiruna-type deposits form by efficient flotation of magmatic magnetite suspensions Oxygen isotope composition of magnetite depositsat El Laco Chile: Evidence of formation from isotopically heavy fluids In: Geology and Ore Deposits of the Central Andes Society of Economic Geologists Special Publication 7 The effect of oxygen fugacity on liquid immiscibility in iron- bearing silicate melts Experimental investigation of the upper thermal stability of Mg-rich actinolite; implications for kiruna-type iron deposits Experiments on liquid immiscibility in silicate melts with H2O Immiscible silicate and Fe-P oxide melts preserved in unconsolidated tephra at El Laco volcano Experimental study of liquid immiscibility in the Kiruna-type Vergenoeg iron–fluorine deposit Immiscible hydrous Fe-Ca-P melt and the origin of iron oxide-apatite ore deposits The role of volatile exsolution and sub-solidus fluid/rock interactions in producing high 56Fe/54Fe ratios in siliceous igneous rocks felsic caldera province with diverse Zn-Pb-Ag-(Cu-Au) sulfide and Fe oxide deposits Fluorapatite-monazite-allanite relations in the Grängesberg apatite-iron oxide ore district Genesis of iron-apatite ores in Posht-e-Badam Block (Central Iran) using REE geochemistry petrogenesis and implications for Gondwana tectonics δ37Cl) evidence for multiple fluid histories in mid-Atlantic abyssal peridotites (ODP Leg 209) Iron isotope fractionation during skarn-type metallogeny: a case study of Xinqiao Cu-S-Fe-Au deposit in the Middle-Lower Yangtze valley Redox-controlled iron isotope fractionation during magmatic differentiation: An example from the Red Hill intrusion In-situ Fe isotope ratio determination in Fe-Ti oxides and sulfides from drilled gabbros and basalt from the IODP Hole 1256D in the eastern equatorial Pacific Iron and oxygen isotope signatures of the Pea Ridge and Pilot Knob magnetite-apatite deposits New insights on the evolution of the Lyon Mountain Granite and associated Kiruna-type magnetite-apatite deposits in Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Ore Deposits (ed Iron isotopic evolution during fractional crystallization of the uppermost Bushveld Complex layered mafic intrusion Gangue mineralogy and deportment of deleterious elements in the iron ore of the Kiirunavaara deposit Genesis of the Kiirunavaara nodular porphyry and Kiruna-type iron deposits: clues from titanite geothermometry and magnetite trace element compositions Magma redox and structural controls on iron isotope variations in Earth’s mantle and crust magnesium and uranium isotopic fractionation during continental crust differentiation: The tale from migmatites The effects of liquid immiscibility and thermal diffusion on oxygen isotopes in silicate liquids The oxygen isotope geochemistry of igneous rocks Oxygen isotopes in mantle and crustal magmas as revealed by single crystal analysis Crystal orientation effects in δ18O for magnetite and hematite by SIMS Low-temperature hydrothermal alteration of intra-caldera tuffs Gran Canaria (Canary Islands): insights from mineralogy Mineral lamination development in layered gabbros of the british palaeogene igneous province: a combined anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility quantitative textural and mineral chemistry study Ultra-precise stable Fe isotope measurements by high resolution multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with a Fe-57-Fe-58 double spike Iron isotope fractionation in river colloidal matter and zinc from complex aqueous solutions for isotopic measurement Oxygen isotope composition of garnet in the Peninsula Granite South Africa: constraints on melting and emplacement mechanisms Oxygen isotope composition of phenocrysts from Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island lavas: variation with fractional crystallization and evidence for assimilation Iron stable isotopes: beyond biosignatures Reconstructing paleoredox conditions through a multitracer approach: the key to the past is the present Download references Nyström (Swedish Museum of Natural History Stillman (Trinity College Dublin) for donating samples for this study and the Geological Survey of Iran for their help and support during field work and data interpretation as well as the staff at the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU) Mineral Office in Malå for helpful assistance during drill core sampling We thank Joel Baker for his help during isotope analyses at the Victoria University in Wellington and Harri Geiger and Weian Sun for help during the microprobe sessions the Swedish Research Council (VR) and Uppsala University (UU) is gratefully acknowledged Present address: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay Karin Högdahl & Sakthi Saravanan Chinnasamy Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences Swedish Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation The authors declare no competing interests Journal peer review information: Nature Communications thanks the anonymous reviewers for their contribution to the peer review of this work Publisher’s note: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09244-4 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily. So the government has to put it somewhere else shows the expected expansion of the iron-ore mine on the town's outskirts 2016 ShareSave How do you go about moving an entire city That was the question the remote Swedish mining town of Kiruna faced in 2004 when its 18,000 residents learned that the ground below it was growing increasingly unstable The city center sat on top of the world’s largest iron mine and high demand for the material had meant that the state-owned company Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara AB (LKAB) was digging deeper and deeper the vice chairman of Kiruna’s executive committee but the locals are so used to it that they barely take notice LKAB brought employment opportunities to the city waste rock from above falls and causes ground deformation this made the ground too unstable to support the city For the mining operation—and jobs—to survive, the city had to move. “It was never an option to close the mine,” Siren says in the film. As previously reported the Kiruna government came up with a billion-dollar plan to relocate the whole thing two miles to the east the move will take at least 20 to 30 years to complete Sweden / YouTubeOne segment follows a father-daughter duo who must move their 83-year-old store, Centrum House, to a new location, which has only been partially built. Their plan to do this, sometime between 2020 and 2021, highlights one of the challenges of Sweden’s project Shopkeepers have to decide when to leave their current stores says in the clip that bringing the store’s sign which has become an iconic symbol in the community And it has to be fitted to a new corner store but they now what the Centrum House is,” she told the filmmakers While some buildings are slated to be demolished some will literally be lifted up from the ground and moved via trucks and cranes voted Sweden’s most beautiful building in 2001 “Our biggest challenge is not the design of the new city,” says leading architect Mark Szulgit in the video “The biggest challenge is to move the minds of the people and the culture.” This post appears courtesy of Citylab Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Metrics details (A). Overview map of Fennoscandia with the Grängesberg mining district (GMD), the Bergslagen province and the Kiruna-Malmberget mining district indicated. (B). Geological map over the main ore zone in the GMD. (C). Vertical section (line X–Y in panel B) through the main ore body of the GMD. The ore zone extends downwards at a 70–80° dip to the SE. Black horizontal lines are adits. Modified from Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU) datasets and A. Hallberg, SGU. Chondrite-normalised REE diagram of host rocks and iron-oxide ores from drill cores 717 and 690 Parts (A) and (B) show the oxygen isotope data for two drill cores (Numbers 690 and 717) that traverse the main ore zone at Grängesberg between 570 and 670 m below the surface (see Fig. 1) Magnetite δ18O values from GMD compared to other volcanically-hosted iron ore deposits is more consistent with formation from a low-temperature fluid regime The cut-off point for this is calculated to be +0.9‰ in magnetites because fractionation factors determine that samples < +0.9‰ cannot be in equilibrium with either a magma or a magmatic fluid at high temperatures (≥ 800°C) Magnetites with values lower than +0.9‰ are calculated to have been in equilibrium with a high- δ18O (likely meteoric) fluid at temperatures of ≤400°C This realisation helps us to better understand the formation of Europe's most important iron source the ‘Kiruna-type’ apatite-iron oxide ores of central and northern Sweden Each sample was reacted in the presence of approximately 10 kPa BrF5 and the purified O2 was collected onto a 5Å molecular sieve contained in a glass storage bottle space-time distribution and possible modes of origin back-arc felsic caldera province with diverse Zn-Pb-Ag-(Cu-Au) sulphide and Fe oxide deposits The Palaeoproterozoic apatite-iron oxide deposits of the Grängesberg area: Kiruna-type deposits in central Sweden Likheter mellan Lapplands- och Grängesbergsmalmerna (1944) De mellansvenska järnmalmernas geologi Geologic characteristics and tectonic setting of Proterozoic iron oxide (Cu-U-Au-REE) deposits The effect of oxygen fugacity on liquid immiscibility in iron-bearing silicate melts Igneous rocks and iron ores of Kiirunavaara Kiruna iron ores are not “intrusive-magmatic ores of the Kiruna Type” Magmatic features of iron ores of the Kiruna type in Chile and Sweden: Ore textures and magnetite geochemistry Evaporitic source model for igneous-related Fe oxide (REE-Cu-Au-U) mineralization New field evidence bearing on the origin of the El Laco magnetitedeposit Calculation of oxygen isotope fractionation in metal oxides Calculation of oxygen isotope fractionation in magmatic rocks Reviews in Mineralogy & Geochemistry 69 Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 19 Mineralogy and geochemistry of Fe-Ti oxide and apatite (Nelsonite) deposits and evaluation of the liquid immiscibility hypothesis Oxygen isotope composition of magnetite deposits at El Laco (ed) Economic Geology Special Publication 7 Tl and other trace elements in altered MORB Yttrium: The immobility-mobility transition during basaltic weathering Hydrothermal mobilisation of the rare earth elements: a tale of “Ceria” and “Yttria” Hydrothermal alteration of the Miocene Tejeda Intrusive Complex mineralogy and O− and H− isotope geochemistry The origin of low δ18 O granites and related rocks from the Seychelles Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 143 Intercomparison of stable isotope reference samples Oxygen isotope composition of phenocrysts from Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island lavas: Variation with fractional crystallization and evidence for assimilation Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 138 a garnet standard for oxygen isotope ratios: Strategies for high precision and accuracy with laser heating Chemical and isotopic systematics of ocean basalts: implications for mantle composition and processes Geological Society of London Special Publication 42 Stable Isotope Geochemistry (Springer-Verlag Oxygen isotope studies of hydrothermal mineral deposits (ed.): Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Ore Deposits pp.109–142 (Holt Constraining fluid and sediment contributions to subduction-related magmatism in Indonesia: Ijenvolcanic complex Crustal differentiation processes at Krakatau volcano Download references We thank the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU) for access to the GMD drillcores and Fayrooza Rawoot is thanked for help with the O-isotope analyses at Cape Town University This work is funded by the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU) the Swedish Research Council (VR) and the National Research Foundation of South Africa Analyses and data interpretation were carried out by E.J. and writing was done by all authors working on a draft by E.J. contributed in approximately equal proportions The authors declare no competing financial interests This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ Download citation a shareable link is not currently available for this article Nature Reviews Earth & Environment (2022) Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science Swedish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy presented important news for European self-sufficiency of critical raw materials This happened on the same day the EU Commission visits Kiruna due to Sweden's presidency of the Council of the EU The mining company LKAB has made major discoveries of rare earth elements in the northern Swedish city of Kiruna The deposit has the potential to become Europe's most important mine for critical raw materials During a press conference in the Kiruna mine presented the big news: The Swedish mining giant has identified Europe's largest deposit of rare earth metals in Kiruna – and LKAB wants to develop this deposit This is the first time LKAB reports about the mineral resources and further exploration of the so-called Per Geijer deposit which contains resources of more than one million tonnes of rare earth metals.  and the Swedish people but also for Europe and the climate This is the largest known deposit of rare earth elements in our part of the world and it could become a significant building block for producing the critical raw materials that are absolutely crucial to enable the green transition there can be no electric vehicles,” says Moström The rare earth elements have been found in Kiruna which is located around 20 miles from the Arctic circle in Swedish Lapland LKAB's mining operation takes place in close proximity in what is the world's largest underground iron ore mine the company reported yesterday of mineral resources of rare earth metals exceeding one million tones of rare earth oxides This is currently the largest known deposit of its kind in Europe The Rare Earth Oxides found in Per Geijer are used to produce Rare Earth Elements (REE) The large amounts found are sufficient to meet a large part of the EU's future demand for manufacturing the permanent magnets that are needed for electric motors in Illustration of the Per Geijer deposit which shows the location in relation to the Kiruna mine and the city of Kiruna Moström of LKAB specified that a fossil-free future requires a six times greater production of minerals in 2040 than what exists today He also pointed out that the EU only uses 30 percent of the global metals and minerals only 3 percent of this is extracted in the union.  The demand for rare earth elements for electric cars and wind turbines is expected to increase more than fivefold by 2030 "This provides a potential for Europe to take the lead in the green shift," says Swedish Minister for Energy the EU’s self-sufficiency and independence from Russia and China will begin in the mine We need to strengthen industrial value chains in Europe and create real opportunities for the electrification of our societies Politics must give the industry the conditions to switch to green and fossil-free production the Swedish mining industry has a lot to offer The need for minerals to carry out the transition is great LKAB recently entered into a cooperation with Norwegian REEtec, where LKAB has now become the majority owner. As High North News recently reported, the companies will develop a foundation for a Nordic value chain for rare earth metals together. In LKAB's process the earth metals are extracted as a concentrate that contains all the earth elements in a mixture This is where REEtecs technology and planned factory on Hærøya in Norway come into the picture LKAB wants to establish a circular industry park in Luleå which will extract critical minerals 100 percent of the concentrate from Lulelå will go to the factory REEtec will build in Norway “LKAB is already planning a circular industrial park in Luleå with new technology for the extraction and processing of phosphorus and fluorine-based on today’s existing mining production A production start is planned for 2027,” says Leif Boström LKAB has already started to prepare a drift the road to possible mining of the deposit is long The first step is an application for an exploitation concession for the Per Geijer deposit in order to be able to investigate it further at depth and investigate the conditions for mining The plan is to be able to submit an application for an exploitation concession in 2023 LKAB writes that they have already started preparing a several-kilometer-long drift at a depth of approximately 700 meters in the existing Kiruna mine towards the new deposit in order to be able to investigate it at depth and in detail.  “If we look at how other permit processes have worked within our industry it will be at least 10-15 years before we can actually begin mining and deliver raw materials to the market where LKAB has been mining ore for more than 130 years the European Commission’s focus on this issue and the Critical Raw Materials Act the Commission is now working on is decisive.  We must change the permit processes to ensure increased mining of this type of raw material in Europe Access is today a crucial risk factor for both the competitiveness of European industry and the climate transition,” says Jan Moström Tommaso Dorigo is an experimental particle physicist who works for the INFN at the University of Padova and collaborates with the CMS and the SWGO.. Geomorphological landscape design provides LKAB with the opportunity to continuously rehabilitate affected areas and initiate work to increase biodiversity The plan in Gällivare regarding sponge iron continues as planned With insights into the new deposit High Energy Light Isotope eXperiment (HELIX) is a balloon-borne experiment designed to measure the isotope composition of cosmic rays at an altitude of ~40 km The construction and tests of the payload has been delayed due to global pandemic HELIX is successfully launched from the Esrange Space Center located at Kiruna HELIX followed the Polar Vortex and successfully landed on Ellesmere Island (Umingmak Nuna) While we learn a lot about the Universe by observing photons (like radio and visible light) other particles known as “cosmic rays” also bring us information about the Universe The HELIX experiment is designed to search for elemental isotopes The majority of cosmic-ray beryllium isotopes are created by particle interactions as cosmic rays travel throughout our Galaxy we can use the measured isotope ratios of beryllium to study how long the cosmic rays travel inside of our Galaxy These measurements will provide important clues to explain the recent discovery of excess antimatter particles in the cosmic rays As cosmic rays interact with the atmosphere of the Earth and are destroyed to become other subatomic particles HELIX is designed to take measurements at high altitude using a long duration balloon provided by NASA Separating isotopes is a challenging task especially because cosmic rays are very energetic HELIX has 13,000 separate channels of particle detector components and a 1 Tesla superconducting magnet on board The HELIX team at Queen’s University includes Conor McGrath (postdoc) and two Master's students (Melissa Baiocchi and Avani Bhardwaj) Five undergraduate students also contributed either as summer research scholars or by pursuing HELIX-related subjects as their thesis topic Scientific American article on HELIX (including comments from Prof. Park)   Department new page   Tel: 613-533-2707 Web Privacy Queen’s University is situated on the territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabek The world’s biggest iron ore tunnel mine is about to swallow the Swedish city of Kiruna “The mines are underneath us,” says Göran Cars It’s early afternoon but the sun is already setting behind the mountain colouring the clouds and outlining the town’s most prominent feature: two huge smokestacks “And you can see the direction of the cracks – coming from the mine and going straight up to the city centre.” The mine, Kiirunavaara, is the reason this Swedish town of roughly 20,000 people deep in northern Lapland exists at all. It is one the world’s largest underground iron ore mines, and it dominates both economically and visually, the smokestacks sending up twin plumes of black smoke from the denuded mountain like a kind of Arctic Mordor the miners have tunnelled so deep into the earth – 2km at some points – that they have now literally undermined the town and opening a great crack in the earth itself which grows wider and several metres closer to the city every year Kiruna is about to be swallowed by the very mine that gave it life the gigantic state-owned company that operates the mine would simply move the city – houses and all It identified a condemned zone threatened by the growing sinkhole and gave everyone living there three choices: LKAB would move you to a new apartment load your house on to a flatbed lorry and move it to the new city It was Cars who was given the responsibility to plan that new city “The basic idea here was to have a town square because the present town doesn’t have a town square,” Cars said last week at the ribbon-cutting for City Hall A very modern and very gold building designed by the Danish architects Henning Larsen its most notable feature is that it has an art gallery built into it – the new Konstmuseet i Norr – a rectangular structure that squats inside the atrium like a cube of potato wrapped in smoked salmon City Hall sits more or less alone in what feels like the middle of nowhere and then a succession of factories and junkyards known locally as Death Valley by no later than 1 September 2020 there will be an entire town on this spot The plans show mixed-use commercial and residential buildings radiating in broad avenues from City Hall – and all of it built at the kind of super-dense scale you expect in a capital city not a sprawling town 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle Several dozen buildings will be moved by a specially assembled team of experts who have become so good at their jobs that Cars claims it’s now usually cheaper to move a home than to demolish and rebuild The huge wooden church will be hoisted and moved; other buildings such as the current city hall and the railway station is such a big deal in Sweden that it's hard to really be critical enoughAlice Bah Kuhnke minister for culture and democracyAnd all of it will be paid for by LKAB It’s not exactly generosity that is motivating the company “The mine is required by Swedish national law to compensate for the structural damage it has caused.” “Part of Kiruna’s absolute problem is that women have been moving away from the town while men have been staying on,” Cars says He tells of efforts to attract foreign women to marry mineworkers You had ads: ‘Wealthy miners looking for female company’ the more expensive it becomes to remove the iron – and the number of jobs is dropping In a globalised age it is increasingly hard to convince young people with university degrees to live deep inside the Arctic Circle “Our employees live here,” says Johan Mäkitaavola I hope my children will stay here or at least come back when they have studied We need educated people to move to Kiruna and work.” It is already home to a budding space industry and in the winter there are direct flights from Tokyo and Shanghai for sightseers eager to glimpse the northern lights A digital rendering of a plan for the shopping street in the new Kiruna city centre. Photograph: White Ghilardi+Hellsten Tegmark“It’s a big deal,” says Alice Bah Kuhnke the Swedish minister for culture and democracy who attended the opening ceremony along with the king of Sweden LKAB has almost been part of our DNA – they are so important to the finances of the Swedish state So for us that’s a really challenging thought because since it’s such a big deal it’s hard as a politician and as a Swede to really be critical enough.” Part of that means acknowledging an inconvenient truth – the fact that the new town sits on the territory of the Sami whose reindeer herding is frequently disrupted by mining The Sami convene their Swedish parliament in Kiruna – though you wouldn’t know it from the opening ceremony “Where’s the Sami flag? Where’s the Sami representative [on stage]?” says Carola Grahn a Sami artist whose work is exhibited in the new gallery “We have a Sami parliament but the head of the Sami parliament wasn’t invited.” “They just don’t need to give a fuck so they don’t give a fuck,” says Nils Johan Labba with a shrug A traditional craftsman with an 18-month waiting list for his knives he is also a member of the Sami parliament Or it was – everything changed with the city Kiruna as a city doesn’t take much consideration about Sami people or Sami lifestyles.” The indigenous Sami people are traditional reindeer herders – an activity frequently interrupted by mining Photograph: Grahame Soden/Guardian CommunityA sense of betrayal is rooted in the Sami experience in Kiruna; several Sami told me versions of an apocryphal story about a Sami man discovering a special heavy stone and being tricked by a Swedish prospector into revealing the location of the iron ore deposits The company seems exasperated by the issue “They have their interest in this land and we have ours,” says Mäkitaavola acknowledges the Sami people’s interests must be respected “But moving the city centre to this area has the least impact There haven’t been any reindeer in this area since before the city transformation “We can’t just sit and say we can’t do anything because we have the reindeer herders The impression Kiruna’s officials clearly want to give is of a kind of northern Swedish pragmatism Kirunavaara mine dominates the city Photograph: Chris Michael/The GuardianThe townspeople are less sanguine Jan Lindgren is the third-generation owner of Centrum JW Lindgren clothing store (“They always film our sign when they shoot something in Kiruna – the sign and the mountain”) and speaks with a mixture of anxiety and resignation about having to move in 2022 “But we thought it would be very good if they do the right things from the beginning We can see the mountains on a clear day here though presumably the new buildings will mitigate that barrenness Birgitta Dahlberg owns one of the apartments being destroyed “I have to go,” says the retail worker with a shrug “I’m really hopeful I’ll get somewhere to stay and that I can choose from old apartments [vacated by people moving to newer ones] But maybe it’ll be better in the new place There is a stepped system of rent increases over eight years to gradually accustom tenants to the new payments but Dahlberg says many people on low incomes don’t have any room in their budgets Will I have existed?” Her past will be wiped away it’s too much – you have to keep focused on the day to day.” Even Sami people work in the mine sometimes,” says Grahn The clocktower from the old City Hall was moved to the new location Photograph: Peter Rosén/LapplandMediaBut she says it remains important to show that there is more to Kiruna than the wishes of the company One of her artworks displayed at the gallery is a bouncy castle A window beside it has a view of an actual mountain Luossavaara – a disused mine – as well as tiny mountains of rubble: the first construction sites of the new Kiruna buildings “I don’t think I need to explain the sadness,” she says and mentions another mining project – this one in Jokkmokk that area’s not really our most prominent [territory] Because when the mine starts to make money her eyes wide as she looks out past her inflatable mountain to the actual one Follow Guardian Cities on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to join the discussion, and explore our archive here This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media To avoid falling into the mine it grew up around Sweden’s northernmost city is knocking down 3,000 homes and starting a redesigned centre a safe distance away How do citizens feel about the transformation Kiruna feels like the sort of city that might be forgotten about unnervingly quiet; the streets so empty I half expect a tumbleweed to pass by as a punchline the gentle silence is broken by a procession of Harley-Davidsons roaring through the town situated 90 miles into the Arctic Circle and a 75-mile drive away from the nearest town Home to about 23,000 people and 11,000 snowmobiles Kiruna has gained an unlikely fame over the past year This remote and rather unprepossessing place is to become the city that gets moved: two miles to the east Kiruna’s current location hinges on the reason for its very existence, as well as its potential demise: this particular patch of Lapland – usually bright-white snow and reindeer – is, in fact, home to one of the largest iron ore deposits in the world. After the Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag (LKAB) mining company was established in 1890 and a railway to the area built But now the extent of the mining is threatening the city itself The expansion of LKAB’s mining activity is leading to ground subsidence that is causing buildings to crack and collapse – and it will only get worse They will fail dramatically. They are threatening the very existence of KirunaTimo Vilgats, of the local Green PartyKiruna’s new city centre Photograph: White architectsIn a highly unusual case of urbanism the whole town centre and its surrounding neighbourhoods are to be demolished – and rebuilt at LKAB’s expense two miles away leaving behind some unaffected areas which will now become the western edge of the new city The 3,050 homes that would be affected by the impact of the mining – in addition to shops the city hall and the hospital – will all be bought by LKAB The process of moving the city will happen in phases with the majority estimated to be completed by 2040 a series of government-organised public events is drawing to a close that celebrate “Kiruna in transformation” a stage and tent sit on a vacant piece of land outside of the city What feels like an underwhelming festival is in fact an opportunity to get people thinking more about their moving town: this particular spot overlooks the future centre of Kiruna having raced in a special marathon from the existing centre – perhaps to demonstrate how close the new city will be It’s not the first time that Kiruna has had to demolish buildings for the mining to increase “But never on this scale and never the city centre,” Peter Niemi is a move of only two miles enough to keep the town safe head of the department of land and development too.” So could the city move again in another 100 years “It will be too expensive for LKAB to move the city again,” Peter says simply Apartment blocks due to be demolished in Kiruna’s town centre Photograph: Francesca PerryKiruna is not the only place LKAB is having to spend money in order to move neighbourhoods away from a mine LKAB has another major iron ore mine there and its impact on the environment is forcing a similar process of relocation Buildings have been moved in a piecemeal way for 50 years as a result of a huge hole opening up in the centre of the town But the plan is for Malmberget to be relocated “almost completely” to neighbouring Gällivare Malmberget and its community will be assimilated into another town entirely Kiruna is shrouded in darkness and snow for much of the year but there is a bizarre atmosphere in a snow town without its snow A hotel overlooks a large car park dotted with vehicles A parade of shops – seemingly unchanged in the last 20 years – leads you to yet another car park without bumping into a single person it is no wonder that the plans take on a completely new design “We want to build something that’s more special than what we have today: a more attractive town,” says Peter For 15 years, we have been trying to move to the city centre – but now the centre is coming to usMikael, a local residentHouses in the east of Kiruna that will be safe from demolition Photograph: Francesca PerryIn the meantime demolition of apartment blocks in Kiruna’s centre has already begun in consultation with citizens – are to be retained and moved “It’s important to have old buildings as part of the new city otherwise it is built quickly and all looks the same,” Eva says “More buildings could be moved depending on the owners and structural conditions,” she explains LKAB is currently negotiating with the owners of the buildings that need to be demolished: the company will either pay for the house or replace it with a similar one in the new city “One person refused to sell their house and is going to court,” Eva says “But most citizens are very positive.” Nevertheless it didn’t take long to discover the core group of citizens who oppose the move They are threatening the very existence of Kiruna.” Timo Vilgats and Gunnar Selberg from the local Green Party and Centre Party respectively are among those staging a “peaceful protest” at the event to share concerns about the city’s plans people in Kiruna had a vision that God would send a boat to pick them up so they sold their houses and waited for the boat,” Timo recounts People have been forced out of their homes The local government hasn’t asked for guarantees from LKAB that they will be rebuilt and they’re not providing guarantees themselves.” Mikael agrees: “I’m concerned that the iron ore prices are going down which implies LKAB are running out of money I’m worried that they will destroy the buildings in the city and not have enough money to rebuild them.” Their fears are not simply that people’s homes will go unbuilt There is another concern if they are constructed: affordability But LKAB insist they are planning to help make up the difference “We will give the tenants a lower rent for just over five years when they move to a more expensive apartment,” explains Lundgren there are alternatives if you can’t afford the higher rents,” they explain You would have to move away from the city altogether.” Considering Kiruna’s remote location that would be quite a move – and many of the city’s residents rely on the mine as a primary source of employment Kiruna’s church which will be dismantled and reassembled in a new location Photograph: Francesca Perry“Nobody is asking the people about these plans,” Timo and Gunnar complain “We asked the citizens which buildings meant something to them,” says Marianne Nordmark “A couple of years ago we ran a project to ask citizens what they liked about the city today and what they want in the new city,” she adds was a new central square with shops and meeting places and a cultural centre “Citizens felt they don’t really have that today a landscape architect from White architects who is working on the project explains that they have been working with citizens to discuss the public space design “We want the public to be very involved and make these public spaces their own,” he says everyone is surprisingly matter-of-fact about the whole thing as if opposing the plan or finding fault with it simply isn’t necessary or realistic we don’t have to move because we live on the eastern edge of the city,” Mikael explains we have been trying to move to the city centre – but now the centre is coming to us!” is the general mood of the town’s residents dominates and sustains the city: what the mine wants The continuance of its operations is vital both to the local economy as well as community But what of those who have to move? The town’s church is one of the 21 buildings that has been selected to be saved and relocated to the new city centre – understandably, considering it was voted the country’s most beautiful public building by the Swedish people. Due to its design, the church will need to be carefully deconstructed, wooden beam by wooden beam, and painstakingly reassembled in its new location. The church sits atop a hill, overlooking the mine across the valley, as if competing for prominence – a battle it seems to have lost. But Lars Jarlemyr, the minister of the church I speak with on a Sunday afternoon, is not fazed by the building’s relocation. “People aren’t really worried now. And the building will stay here for another 10 years,” he says. I wonder whether this is the crux of the lack of concerns: that the move itself still feels far enough in the future to be quite abstract. Read moreLars is the only person I meet whose house has to be demolished He concedes that the newly built apartment block he will move to will be more expensive to live in “I’m not worried but there are people who are concerned about where they’re going to live.” What troubles Lars is not the buildings – they can easily move It is the social networks and relationships in the town that he hopes will not be affected by the city’s changes As I am driven around the city by retired resident Reinhold Brynefall and his wife places affected by the move are pointed out to me gesturing to a row of colourfully painted wooden homes “that’s where the line of demolition goes up to.” The people living on one road are safe their neighbours on the parallel street are not It strikes me that the buildings may not be the only things lost “I think there will be two cities,” a check out girl at a supermarket in the city centre tells me Kiruna is a town whose lifeblood is the mine it grew up around there are hopes that this massive transformation will draw people together rather than push them apart “We have lived side by side for 125 years,” Peter says at the event Follow Guardian Cities on Twitter and Facebook and join the discussion The relocation of Kiruna town center due to mining has been ongoing for years Swedish mining company LKAB argues that Kiruna municipality is delaying a regulation plan that would allow further mining in an area affected by cracks in the ground Local authorities say LKAB must compensate for potential population decline following the town’s being relocated due to mining activities Kiruna in northern Sweden was hit by the most powerful earthquake in Sweden in 12 years The quake led to the evacuation of the mine in Kiruna as well as production halt The active area in which the quake hit is still exposed to high seismic activity She says the mine is currently subject to continuous inspection “The prognosis is that we might be able to resume small-scale production on Thursday that is; a third of our regular production That is what we believe we will produce this week and next We do not know more about production at this stage” a conflict about a detail regulation plan has emerged between the mining giant and Kiruna municipality “There are no blur about the detailed regulation plan and it has been worked out by service personnel and ready to sign since last year the conduction of this is delayed and related to a long line of demands and desires from the municipality” says CEO of LKAB Jan Moström in a press release The mining company argues that the municipality is delaying the detailed regulation plan applying for an area called Gruvstadspark 4: 2 The plan will allow further mining in an area affected by cracks created by iron ore mining activities The idea with the plan is to allow further mining activities through changing the current use of areas for allowing them to be used by the mining industry LKAB argues that it may have to halve its production and lay of people if the detailed regulation plan is not approved by next year Formally, this is a detailed plan followed by a civilian legal agreement about how LKAB is to compensate the municipality for loss of land, infrastructure and buildings in the area, according to SVT1 LKAB presented its prognosis for how the cracks in the ground from mining would affect the town center LKAB suggested relocating the town center in order to continue production and for the company to cover the expenses related to this relocation Some 6,000 people are moved from the town center which is approximately 33 percent of Kiruna’s central population The relocation has already been ongoing for years Kiruna Municipality Councilor Gunnar Selberg (Center Party) says to High North News that they now have to go another round on issues that were originally agreed upon by LKAB and Kiruna municipality when the town transformation began “There were some issues we had agreed upon when the town transformation began amongst others that no costs from this transformation were to be passed on to Kiruna’s inhabitants It was decided that development should come before liquidation.” This is not just about the detailed regulation plan 2: 4 We want to go another round to bring these matters into accordance so that we get back onto the right track and so that the inhabitants of Kiruna will not have to pay for the development of a new town center.” What are your specific demands to LKAB before you approve the detailed regulation plan “We have not tied this directly to the detailed regulation plan Before we move on with our town relocation in general we want to establish agreement with LKAB on this Kiruna Municipality Councilor Gunnar Selberg (Center Party) You want LKAB to compensate for population decline We only demand that if people leave Kiruna due to the town relocation for instance through tracking how many people leaving Kiruna from the addresses that are being relocated due to the town’s relocation.” “When people are forced to leave their houses and homes there is a great risk that they will leave Kiruna altogether If our tax base and population volume decrease we have to counter this with actions creating attraction so that people want to move to Kiruna I have pointed out research and university education If we could have a mini-university in Kiruna we can draw young people here to compensate for those who move away.” Selberg argues LKAB has to at least create a part of this “As for the issue of population development I am pleased that LKAB will also provide resources to compensate for a population decline” He also stresses that the compensation is not specifically connected with detail regulation plan 2: 4 “We do not tie this to the detailed regulation plan We now see that there have been 16 years of town transformation we decided that the costs should not fall on the inhabitants of Kiruna and that there should be development before liquidation we see that the message does not get through We have to take another round on these principles.” What will it take from LKAB for you to let the regulation plan through “We’ve sat down with the County Councilor and worked on a document about this that has been changed and re-sent between us a number of times we are getting closer and I believe we will solve this now we will move the detailed regulation plan along but all the plans related to the city transformation.” “There will not be an agreement that allows us to sue LKAB before a court of law; it is about establishing a shared view that these are important issues that we are to work on.” Selberg says that if they manage to agree now this may be raised as a case to decide at the next municipal board meeting the municipal authorities have used their power to demand anything from railway stations to new hospitals and other far-reaching commitments for the future with blurred meaning.” The company recently asked the Swedish government to intervene and overrule the municipal planning monopoly the municipal board represented by Councilor Gunnar Selberg (Center Party) first required funding of a.o a town center- located railway station and a hospital in order to adopt the regulation plan the demand is rather that LKAB compensates for the population decline that local authorities claim the town relocation may lead to This article was originally published in Norwegian and has been translated by HNN's Elisabeth Bergquist