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Courtesy of a legend from another place...


Statement on the request for a planning injunction regarding Stenbrottet 2:1, Nunasvaara, Kiruna municipality

The Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU) received the above-mentioned case for comments on 21 March 2024. SGU submits the following opinion.

SGU considers that the designated national interest claim for valuable substances or materials under Chap. 3, Section 7 of the Environmental Code is relevant and valid. 7 of the Environmental Code is current and valid. The purpose of national interests is to identify deposits that have specific properties and are important for the needs of society, so the national interest status constitutes a claim for extraction.

The deposit is very important for Sweden's and the EU's supply of natural graphite, for example for anode material for batteries. Nunasvaara is Europe's largest and richest graphite deposit. There is currently no production of graphite in the EU. Graphite is also on the EU's list of critical and strategic raw materials.

The Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which will enter into force on 23 May 2024 (yesterday), will accelerate the extraction of critical raw materials in the EU and strengthen the responsibility of Member States to reduce vulnerability and increase security of supply.

The Government may order a municipality to adopt, amend or revoke a detailed development plan within a certain period of time if this is necessary to ensure that a national interest under Chapters 3 or 4 of the Environmental Code is met (Chapter 11, Section 15 of the Planning and Building Act (2010:900)). According to SGU, a detailed development plan is needed for the area that makes it possible to meet the national interest claim.

The decision in this case was taken by Director-General A. W.

Acting Head of Department E. I., Chief of Staff G. R., lawyer N. W. and geologist L. L. also participated in the final processing of the case. The investigator P. Å. has been the rapporteur in the case.

A. W.

https://www.sgu.se/globalassets/om-sgu/yttranden/2024/begaran-om-planforelaggande-avseende-stenbrottet-2-1-nunasvaara-kiruna-kommun.pdf