Sweden’s new mineral strategy aims to shorten the approval process for new mines and place access to metals and minerals at the centre of the country’s security policy. Presented by the government on 23 July, the plan responds to growing European demand for raw materials and concerns over dependence on supplies controlled by China.
The strategy sets out measures in eight areas, including simpler permitting procedures, access to land and water, economic security, international cooperation, exploration, research, recycling and public acceptance. The government’s stated objective is to develop a larger, fossil-free and technologically advanced mining and recycling sector.
“Access to metals is no longer industrial policy. It is security policy,” Minister for Energy and Enterprise Ebba Busch (Energi- och näringsminister) said when presenting the strategy.
According to the Swedish government, metals and minerals are essential for electrification, digital technologies, industrial production and defence equipment. The government argues that Sweden’s geological resources and established mining industry could help reduce both Swedish and European exposure to geopolitical supply disruptions.
Sweden’s mineral strategy focuses on faster permits
One of the main proposals is to examine how the time required to approve a new mine can be reduced. As SVT reported, the government also intends to establish a new authority responsible for environmental permitting.
The details of the authority, including its competences and relationship with existing agencies and environmental courts, have not yet been finalised. The government presents it as part of a broader effort to make environmental assessments more coordinated and predictable.
The 50-page mineral strategy says that environmental legislation should continue to protect health, ecosystems and cultural environments, while avoiding procedures that unnecessarily obstruct productive and sustainable projects.
It also proposes a review of how applications for mining concessions are assessed. Timelines established under European legislation on critical raw materials could be used as a reference for Sweden’s broader ambitions.
The EU Critical Raw Materials Act sets a maximum permitting period of 27 months for strategic extraction projects. The preparation of the environmental impact assessment by the project developer is not included in that limit, and projects must still comply with applicable environmental legislation.
Municipalities could receive part of the mineral fee
The government also plans to review the mineral fee (mineralersättning), which companies pay when extracting minerals covered by Sweden’s Minerals Act.
Under the present system, municipalities do not directly receive part of that revenue. Busch argued that this arrangement should be reconsidered because local communities must deal with the consequences of mining, including heavy transport, machinery and environmental effects.
The review will examine whether some of the fee could remain in the affected area. Such a change could give municipalities a more direct economic benefit from mining projects, while also addressing one of the obstacles to local acceptance.
The strategy recognises that mines occupy a relatively small portion of Sweden’s territory but can have significant consequences for people, ecosystems and existing activities in surrounding areas. This is particularly relevant in northern Sweden, where proposed mines often overlap with reindeer-herding areas and can affect Sámi culture and livelihoods.
Public acceptance is therefore included as one of the strategy’s eight priorities. The government says dialogue with municipalities, residents, businesses, civil society and holders of reindeer-herding rights will be necessary to achieve its long-term objectives.
Mineral deposits could become areas of national interest
Another proposal would allow mineral deposits considered particularly important to Sweden to be designated as areas of national interest.
Swedish spatial planning already requires authorities to balance competing interests, such as environmental protection, infrastructure, defence, energy production and reindeer husbandry. By giving selected mineral deposits stronger formal status, the state could intervene earlier when different public priorities overlap.
Busch said the government wants the strategic value of mineral resources to be considered more clearly. However, designation as a national interest would not in itself amount to permission to begin mining. Individual projects would still require concessions, environmental assessments and other permits.
The strategy states that Sweden currently has 13 active mines and produces around 90% of the iron ore extracted within the European Union. It is also one of the EU’s leading producers of copper, zinc, lead, gold and silver, while its bedrock contains potential deposits of rare earth elements and other critical materials.
Mining becomes part of Swedish security policy
The government directly connects the strategy to Europe’s industrial dependence on China, which dominates several stages of critical-mineral supply chains, particularly the processing of rare earth elements.
The Swedish strategy estimates that the EU consumes around 25% of the world’s raw materials but produces only about 3%. For several critical metals, import dependence exceeds 90%, often with supplies concentrated in a single country.
Busch argued that large geopolitical actors can use state support, export controls and artificially low prices to weaken international competitors. The government is therefore considering additional instruments to support projects considered important to national security, potentially including a state investment company.
The Swedish plan complements the EU Critical Raw Materials Act, which sets targets for 2030. The EU wants at least 10% of its annual consumption of strategic raw materials to come from extraction within the bloc, 40% from European processing and 25% from recycling. It also aims to prevent more than 65% of any strategic raw material at a relevant processing stage from being sourced from a single non-EU country.
The effectiveness of Sweden’s new mineral strategy will depend on how its proposals are translated into legislation and administrative reforms. Faster decisions could make the country more attractive to mining investors, but the government will also have to demonstrate that shorter procedures do not reduce environmental scrutiny or the influence of affected communities.
