Plans for a titanium mine in Central Ostrobothnia have taken a significant step forward. The City Board of Kokkola has decided to begin work on a partial master plan for the mining project being developed by Titanor Oy.
The project covers land in Kokkola, Halsua and Toholampi near the Venetjoki reservoir. The proposed mining area spans more than 2,400 hectares, with the majority located within the municipality of Kokkola.
The decision marks a new phase for a project that has remained dormant for more than two decades but has gained renewed momentum due to rising titanium prices and growing demand from both industrial and defence sectors.
Titanium becomes a strategic raw material
The project aims to extract ilmenite, the primary ore used in the production of titanium metal and titanium dioxide.
Titanium has become increasingly important in recent years. The European Union has classified the metal as both a critical and strategic raw material and is seeking to reduce its dependence on imports from outside Europe.
NATO and the United States have also highlighted the need for secure supply chains for materials used in defence systems, aerospace applications and advanced manufacturing.
Kokkola moves forward with titanium mine as zoning process begins for strategic raw materials project
The European Union currently has no active titanium mines. Global production remains heavily concentrated in China, while Norway hosts the only significant primary titanium production in Europe.
Titanium is widely used in aircraft structures, satellites, military equipment and high-performance industrial components. Titanium dioxide is also used in paints, paper products, packaging materials, cosmetics and sunscreen products.
Deposit discovered more than 50 years ago
The titanium deposit in Kälviä was first identified in 1970 through exploration work carried out by Rautaruukki. During the late 1990s, trial mining and beneficiation tests were conducted, but the project was ultimately shelved because market conditions were not considered favourable enough.
Much has changed since then. Titanium prices have more than tripled compared with the period when the project was last actively pursued.
Funding for the first development phase was secured in 2025. Among the investors is Jussi Capital, the family investment company behind Finnish contract manufacturer Scanfil.
Titanor CEO Mikko Sopanen has previously stated that the initial phase includes environmental impact assessments, geological investigations and technical studies. The investment required for the mine and processing plant is estimated at between €85 million and €110 million.
Production could continue for two decades
Preliminary estimates indicate that the deposit contains enough ore to support approximately 20 years of mining operations.
The company plans to extract around 1.6 million tonnes of ore annually from an open-pit mine. If developed, the project could create around 140 direct jobs.
However, significant permitting and environmental reviews remain ahead. The area includes Natura 2000 sites and several planned wind power projects, meaning environmental and land-use issues are expected to play a major role in the approval process.
Previous environmental assessments raised concerns regarding tailings management and potential impacts on local water resources.
Potential new source of titanium for Europe
If all required permits are obtained, the Kälviä deposit could become one of the few domestic sources of titanium in Europe.
That could strengthen the EU’s supply security for critical raw materials and reduce dependence on imports from non-European suppliers.
The project's economics have also improved because ilmenite concentrate can now be utilised more efficiently than in the past. In addition to titanium dioxide, the concentrate contains iron compounds that can be used to produce ferrous sulphate, a chemical widely used in water treatment.
This allows a greater proportion of the mined material to be utilised, improving the project's commercial prospects.
Source: Yle
Fact Check:
Titanium is a lightweight, strong and corrosion-resistant metal used in aerospace, defence, medical technology and advanced manufacturing. Ilmenite is the primary ore used to produce titanium and consists mainly of iron titanium oxide. The European Union classifies titanium as both a critical and strategic raw material due to its heavy dependence on imports. According to Titanor’s preliminary plans, the Kälviä mine could operate for around 20 years and produce approximately 1.6 million tonnes of ore annually.
