Leading European miner LKAB said that Norrbotten has good conditions for success through LKAB's project ReeMAP for rare earth elements are needed to build wind turbines. One of LKAB’s most important focus areas right now concerns new technology and circular methods for extracting critical minerals and raw materials from mining waste. From today’s mining waste, the goal is to extract rare earth elements and phosphorus as valuable by-products from the iron ore mining. In Luleå, LKAB is planning investments of around SEK 10 billion in the coming years to develop the new circular industrial park.Europe has no mining of rare earth elements of its own today. China dominates both mining and refining, while we in Europe have a heavy dependence on REE’s to produce electric cars and wind turbines needed for our green transition. Rare earth elements are therefore found on the EU’s list of 30 critical raw materials. What these raw materials have in common is that they are important to our industry and economy, that we are dependent on imports and that there is a high risk of supply interruptions, for example related to geopolitical risks.A wind turbine mainly consists of steel and iron. But rare earth elements are also needed. LKAB’s ore contain REE’s that increase in relation to the amount of phosphorus.
Leading European miner LKAB said that Norrbotten has good conditions for success through LKAB's project ReeMAP for rare earth elements are needed to build wind turbines. One of LKAB’s most important focus areas right now concerns new technology and circular methods for extracting critical minerals and raw materials from mining waste. From today’s mining waste, the goal is to extract rare earth elements and phosphorus as valuable by-products from the iron ore mining. In Luleå, LKAB is planning investments of around SEK 10 billion in the coming years to develop the new circular industrial park.Europe has no mining of rare earth elements of its own today. China dominates both mining and refining, while we in Europe have a heavy dependence on REE’s to produce electric cars and wind turbines needed for our green transition. Rare earth elements are therefore found on the EU’s list of 30 critical raw materials. What these raw materials have in common is that they are important to our industry and economy, that we are dependent on imports and that there is a high risk of supply interruptions, for example related to geopolitical risks.A wind turbine mainly consists of steel and iron. But rare earth elements are also needed. LKAB’s ore contain REE’s that increase in relation to the amount of phosphorus.
