About Sweden's Nature
Sveriges Natur is the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation's member magazine. The magazine is produced according to journalistic principles by an independent editorial board.
View attachment 49574
"
Super-clean little mineral deposit that gives momentum to climate action? Or a large, dirty open-pit mine that wipes out high conservation values and traditional reindeer husbandry, for an uncertain environmental benefit? The battle over the graphite mine in Vittangi brings the concept of green transition to a head.
The fine powder is black like the carbon it is almost entirely made of. Six heat-resistant boxes filled with pure graphite are ready next to the conveyor belt to the oven above. The graphite is quarried on Mount Nunasvaara just outside Vittangi.
The furnace and pilot plant for the manufacture of materials for battery anodes are located about 300 km south of Vittangi, in a large industrial facility on the outskirts of Luleå.
View attachment 49575
"This is where we make sample material for our customers. We ensure that the process works and save time to get into the qualification for the automotive industry," says Stefan Sandberg, who is leading the work at the pilot plant for the Australian mining company Talga.
But he himself thinks that the term mining company is a bit misleading.
"I usually say that we are a tech company with the luxury of having a mine. Perhaps the world's best graphite deposit is a huge bonus that provides incredibly good conditions, together with proximity to transport and access to renewable energy from, among other things, hydropower.
The vittangi ore has an average of 25 percent graphite, compared with 5–10 percent in many other places. According to Stefan Sandberg, there are only a couple of other mines that – perhaps – can match the purity.
The concentrator at the planned mine in Vittangi will clean the ore from 25 to 90 percent. The ore must also be dried on site.
"On average, no more than two trucks per day should be needed from Vittangi to the plant here in Luleå.
Read more: Court grants permit for mine in Vittangi.
View attachment 49576
View attachment 49577
Materials for over a million cars
The trucks transport 70 tonnes of graphite concentrate, which is then purified up to 99.95 percent.
According to Talga, carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by 95 percent compared to today's anode manufacturing. A large part of the graphite in today's batteries is synthetic and is made from petroleum products such as petroleum coke with a large energy input.
"I think we have a great thing here, something that is really needed in Europe. It is unlikely that fewer cars will be sold in the future," says Stefan Sandberg.
Talga hopes to mine 100,000 tons of graphite per year for 25 years, enough for 200,000 electric cars per year. In the long term, it is expected to be able to supply the battery industry with materials for over one million electric cars.
The area where the treatment plant and anode factory will be built is located on Hertsön, a few kilometres further out. Today it is a ten-hectare clear-cut. It's raining, a backhoe and a tractor are noisy in the distance.
Here in Luleå's new industrial park, Talga will be next door to an expanded port, fossil-free steel production (Hybrit), separation of rare earth elements from mining waste (LKAB Reemap), and a large fertilizer factory (Fertiberia).
"This is where the great green industrial transition has already started [...] the hub for the enormous investments that are taking place here in the north," writes Luleå municipality on its website.
The groundbreaking ceremony for Talga's factory took place in September 2023, a week before our visit – on a flattened small pile of gravel closest to the entrance. One person who dug was Minister of Employment Johan Pehrson (L).
In front of the media, he took the opportunity to lecture Kiruna's Social Democratic government for not giving the green light to the mining area's detailed plan. "They are embarrassing themselves," he said, and was then accused of ministerial rule.
View attachment 49578
Local opposition to the mine in Kiruna and Vittangi
Because if Talga is met with enthusiasm in Luleå and Rosenbad, the tone is more hesitant closer to the mine hole. As it looks today, there is a political majority against the mine in Kiruna's city council. And in Vittangi itself, the resistance is strong, a demonstration gathered 120 participants in a village with 800 inhabitants.
Risks to the local environment and natural values are one reason. The mining area is located between the undeveloped Torne and Vittangi rivers. The Torne River is a source of drinking water and both rivers have been designated as Natura 2000 areas.
The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation's Kiruna district and county association highlighted several problems when the mine was up in the Land and Environment Court last spring. Although Talga had applied for an exploitation concession for several mines, it only applied for an environmental permit for one of them, Nunasvaara South.
Dictionary
Natura 2000 areas: Network of natural areas of special conservation value that the government has promised the EU to protect.
Exploitation concession: Exclusive right to extract minerals.
Therefore, the court could not take a position on the overall effect, according to the association, which also pointed to major shortcomings in the conservation value inventories. After a quick inventory of its own, the association found five times as many conservation value areas as the company's consultant, including the fact that marshes and old-growth forests had been missed.
"For us, it will be a black transition"
Strong criticism also comes from the three Sami communities in the area. The Talma Sámi community has its year-round land in the area of the planned mine.
"For us, the mine does not lead to a green transition. For us, it will be a black transition," says Chairman N. J. A. (look at my post in the bar about the interview here in Germanyl
It has been windy and snowing several decimeters the days before and now he is out to check the enclosure at the village's reindeer enclosure outside Jukkasjärvi, a few kilometers east of Kiruna. The reindeer are on their way from the mountains for separation and slaughter.
"From here it's 5-60 km to Nunasvaara, the move takes about a day. Last year, our winter group was there from December to April. There's good grazing there," he says.
The national interests of reindeer husbandry and minerals are pitted against each other in the area. The mine is planned where the Sámi village is narrowest and basically cuts off the winter grazing. Talma's lands end at Vittangi.
"Nunasvaara is very important to us, we have no other options. But now it will not be possible to get the reindeer to stay there. They can't get past. Instead, they will be dispersed to the lands of the other Sámi communities.
One reason why the court still gave the green light is that Talga has promised to close the mining between September and April. But according to N. J. A., it doesn't help. Enrichment will continue throughout the year. The noise, dust and transport are enough for the reindeer to flee the area.
Read more about the Sámi people and exploitation in Sara-Elvira Kuhmunen's column
Green colonialism in the name of transition.
View attachment 49579
Great disappointment in the Sámi village
In the Sámi community, there is great disappointment over the dialogue with the mining company. The Sámi feel that they have been met with both a derogatory attitude and a lack of understanding of their way of life during the court proceedings.
"The company doesn't have a good view of the Sámi people. Already at the first meeting with us, they offered to buy up all the reindeer and replace them with building a school," says NJA.
The Gabna and Saarivuoma Sámi communities also see the mine as a threat. The reindeer will be mixed and disturbed by dust, noise and explosions. Gabna's migration routes would be crossed by new obstacles such as a widened transport route and new power lines.
"There will be more traffic, more people and more disruption in an already crowded area," says K. K. N., spokesperson for Gabna.
Talga's mine would be the fifth on their land. In addition, there are other exploits with constantly new processes to deal with.
"The legislation is adapted to mining companies. They set the agenda and timetable and have infinite resources compared to us. How much should we have to endure? And how much should nature have to withstand?
Concerns about major projects in the future
Talga argues that the mine is a small project, but that doesn't correspond to reality, she says.
"Rather, this mine is a test balloon for larger and more serious projects. To top it all off, graphite may soon be passé as a battery material. Research is well advanced in replacing it with raw materials from the forest industry. The area can be destroyed unnecessarily," says KKN.
For example, battery manufacturer Northvolt is collaborating with Stora Enso on a wood-based anode material.
View attachment 49580
Along the road to Vittangi we pass large mining areas. A few miles before the village, a narrow gravel road leads up to Nunasvaara. On a hill just after the bridge over the Torne River stands a hand-painted sign with the text "Yes to a future without mines". A dripping tap testifies to concern for the drinking water.
Talga's environmental team meets us a bit up the mountain, where white snow streaks alternate with black rocky ground.
"This is our test mining from 2015. The graphite in the pilot plant comes from here," says environmental engineer Christin Jonasson.
We pulse uphill through the forest towards the planned open pit mine, which will be about 500 meters long.
"There is graphite at least 100 metres down. Geologically, it is an open deposit in all directions," says Peter French, Director of Environment and Society.
View attachment 49581
The view opens up towards the Vittangi River and the other deposits.
"Nunasvaara South is the most mature project, where we have been able to show that there is ore so that we have been able to apply for an environmental permit," says Christin Jonasson.
Since there is no previous mining infrastructure here, the company has been able to start from what the area looks like and do it right from the start, she believes.
The mine will be mined using a method of dry landfill of waste that reduces the impact on the local aquatic environment, so-called dry stack tailings.
Talga has also been involved in developing a new method for calculating and compensating for biodiversity loss (CLIMB).
And according to the application, the ore will only be mined during the summer months, as an adaptation to reindeer husbandry.
But the Sámi communities also believe that the other industrial processes are disruptive?
"We have made assessments and believe that the area we are influencing will be small. They argue that the area of impact will be vast. We would like to work together and share information about other projects and areas so that we can reach a common view. It hasn't happened, but we've tried and continue to try," French said.
Christin Jonasson says that the company's consultant has been in the area and updated the conservation value inventories according to a new standard introduced this year.
"We also include what the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation has reported in the Swedish Species Information Centre's portal. It is a continuous effort to follow up on natural values. Some classes of conservation value areas have been raised and some areas have been expanded, but the conclusions about where we can place the industrial area have not changed.
Valuable natural areas
Right on the northern border of the planned open-pit mine is one of the valuable natural areas that was not included in Talga's original inventory.
The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation's consultant, inventor J. H., shows the way up a steep slope among thick old pines. We step carefully into the melted snow.
"Most trees here should be at least 350-400 years old. Dead wood is present in all stages of decomposition.
Under a prostrate tree, he finds narrow-footed thorn fungus, red-listed in the VU category, vulnerable. Vittangibon and U. T., a member of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, is helping with the search for species. Nearby, they find other red-listed species such as dwarf goblet lichen and spruce fungus.
UT tells us about bear encounters in the vicinity. A goshawk flies between the trunks, a flock of ravens makes noise higher up the mountain.
View attachment 49582
View attachment 49583
The combination of species and biotope (habitat) places the area in the highest conservation value class, according to J. H.
"Sloppy inventory on the outskirts would be one thing, but this is in the middle of the actual business area. The pine forest stands out on all the aerial photos, I don't understand how it's possible to miss it.
xxx
"The species found in the inventory also have a clear tendency to avoid the actual mining and industrial area, while the company has found more in the peripheral areas.
It only took him a few minutes to check the inventory to see shortcomings, which he and other groups from the association were then able to confirm in the field. Missed old-growth forest, marshes and Lake Hosiojärvi in the middle of the area that have not been listed as conservation value areas, capercaillie spawning grounds and lots of habitats for red-listed species.
Talga's inventory receives harsh criticism
The fact that Talga's consultant used two days for a field inventory of almost 700 hectares is also unreasonably short, according to J. H. He does a lot of inventory for mining companies, wind power contractors and traffic projects all over Sweden, but is particularly knowledgeable about Norrbotten.
He is aware that his criticism is jeopardising future assignments.
"I'm not against mines, but I think they should be built in the right place. The socio-economic assessment is for others to make, but as a Swedish citizen, I want to see a reliable basis for decision-making.
"Legal scandal? Quite possible."
He is surprised that the mine was granted an environmental permit in the Land and Environment Court despite the criticism and even more that the Land and Environment Court of Appeal confirmed it in August after appeals.
"I'm not a lawyer, but I can't understand how you can let such a flawed basis through. Legal scandal? Quite possible.
xxx
U. T., who organised the non-profit inventories, agrees. He has several critical views on the mine based on his strong commitment to climate change. He himself chooses not to use cars altogether and does not see continued mass motoring as a future solution, even if the cars become electric.
When Talga held an open house in the village, he also emphasized that the company completely lacks experience of operating mines.
"From the beginning, it is a small exploration company with the main goal of attracting investors.
The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation appeals the permit
The fact that the environmental permit was approved also surprised G. H. B., who is the legal representative of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and several of the mine's neighbours. She is now writing an appeal to the Supreme Court.
"I thought that both we and the Sámi communities had good reasons. The species may not carry the most weight, but they show the problem. I constantly encounter the same poor data when it comes to water issues and natural values.
She doesn't think the problem is incompetent or "malicious" consultants.
"Rather, it's about the assignments they get. Proper investigations are expensive and poor decision-making data is all too often accepted. It is also in the nature of things that the applicant may not want to report things that prevent them from obtaining a permit.
A consultant who does too good a job may not get any more assignments.
"
This could be circumvented with another system, for example if the review authority and not the applicant orders the investigation material.
New inventories confirm species richness
It is difficult to obtain leave to appeal from the Supreme Court, but GHB received an unexpected boost from the new inventories commissioned by Talga.
There is no final report yet, but the list of finds in Artportalen resembles or exceeds JH and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation's expectations. About a hundred red-listed species have now been registered in the area and perhaps 1,500 habitats for red-listed species (depending on how you delimit). A diversity of species that stands out.
"For me, it is extremely clear now that the court has made its decision on incorrect grounds," says GHB.
Just before the article's deadline, a press release from Talga is issued with a view to investors. After an introduction that the EU sees natural graphite as a strategic and critical mineral for the transition that is in short supply, the company talks about new opportunities in Vittangi.
On the one hand, the deposit at Nunasvaara South turns out to be deeper than expected. On the one hand, the company has found another large area of graphite, northeast of the planned mines.
A new chapter in the story of the mine and the transition – green or black.
xxx
https://www.sverigesnatur.org/aktuellt/omstridd-gruva-utmanar-gron-omstallning/
May those type of days continue, giving them much grief and us huge smiles 
