Outokumpu seeks a permit to develop more ore while offering compensation elsewhere. The proposal includes partial removal of forest protection
Finnish stainless steel producer Outokumpu plans to expand its chromium mine in Keminmaa, near Torneå. To make this possible, the company has submitted a proposal to lift environmental protection on one hectare of the Riston ikikuusikko forest, a three-hectare privately protected area known for its old-growth spruce and ecological value. Two hectares would remain protected under the plan.
– The section within the expanded mining zone would stay in its natural state – the company said – but acknowledged that changes to groundwater levels could still impact the surrounding environment.
Outokumpu has proposed protecting thirteen point five hectares of forest in a different location as compensation. The request is part of a broader application for both an updated mining permit and a new environmental permit, currently under review by Finnish authorities.
Larger ore reserves than previously estimated
In January, Outokumpu announced that ore reserves at the Keminmaa site are significantly larger than earlier projections. According to recent underground drilling, the mine contains about sixty-two point five million tons of chromium ore — nearly double the previous estimate of thirty-two point one million tons.
The expansion is considered essential to secure long-term access to chromium, a critical component in the production of stainless steel at Outokumpu’s facility in Torneå.
A unique mine with strategic value
Outokumpu recently completed a major investment of over two hundred eighty million euros, deepening the Elijärvi mine from five hundred to one thousand meters. The company describes the expansion as a strategic move to support its stainless steel production in Finland.
However, environmental concerns remain. Critics have questioned the decision to expand the mine at the expense of protected forest, despite Outokumpu’s proposal for compensation.
A decision from Finnish authorities is expected later this year.
Source: Yle
