TLG - Media, page-12203

Good question. Here is some information that I found from the anti-mining facebook page that I shared not too long ago. This is a post from Gunilla Högberg Björck, who is an activist herself and obviously against the mine, but from my quick research is an environmental lawyer in Sweden - so she would be a knowledgeable source of info:

She says:

"The municipality is unfortunately only a referral body. The Mining State and the Land and Environmental Court of Appeal are review authorities and make the decisions on mines"

From what I know, the municipality may be able to obstruct and delay by preventing a "detailed plan" from being approved. Mickey mouse local planning. With no detailed plan, the mine won't be able to begin, even with environmental approval. That is their ploy. However, I think this would be unprecedented, embarrassing and swiftly overruled.

The municipality will basically be undermining and overruling the environmental court and the state mining inspectorate (if their decisions are both positive).

All of this overreaching obstruction for a modern mine with a very small footprint that by all accounts will have minimal environmental impact, rehabilitating as the mine progresses and operating only 6 months of the year. Add to this that graphite is a critical mineral that will be feeding the only natural anode producer in Europe that will more than likely be named a strategic project under the CRMA. What chance do other mines have if this is what happens? Total insanity and something that logically cannot stand in the way for very long.