One year ago, the Swedes broke the news that they had found Europe’s largest known deposit of earth metals in Kiruna. Not far from the ore mines of the mining company LKAB. Now there is talk of further investment if the track is not developed and improved. Major damage Almost a month has passed since the train derailment on Malmbanan near Vassijaure in northern Sweden. An ore train on its way to Narvik derailed and damaged several kilometers of railway tracks. 25,000 sleepers must be replaced on a 15 kilometer stretch. Photo: Trafikverket The mining company transports every day ten trains fully loaded with iron ore from Kiruna to Narvik and on to the world. This corresponds to two thirds of all ore that is extracted from the mines in Kiruna. The ore will now be stored until the track opens again. This has major financial consequences. Major consequences LKAB says they lose NOK 100 million every day the track cannot be used, and that without double tracks and improvements they cannot increase production in the mines. LKAB is now putting pressure on Swedish politicians for double tracks and improvements to Malmbanan. Photo: EILIF ASLAKSEN / news – Without increased capacity and improved accessibility, LKAB cannot convert to a production of iron raw material with a low carbon footprint, or start extraction of critical minerals such as phosphorus and rare earth metals as we are planning, LKAB press manager Anders Lindberg writes to news . The minerals LKAB will extract are used in the production of everything from electric cars and hard drives to lifts and trains. Metals that Europe is crying out for. Today, China is the leader in both mining and refining. Press manager at LKAB, Anders Lindberg Photo: LKAB The iron ore, located at the Per Geijer area in Kiruna, has an unusually high concentration of the rare earth metals. LKAB estimates that there are around 1 million tonnes of the earth metals in the part of the Per Geijer field that has been explored so far, but it has not been fully mapped. Lindberg further writes that it may take years before they have recouped what they lose from the course being closed. And it is not just for the Swedes that this has consequences. According to the Port Director at Narvik Harvn Børge Edvardsen Klingan, their Port Director Narvik Harvn, Børge Edvardsen Klingan Photo: Narvik Harvn estimates that the accident has led to 4,000 extra truck trains onto bad winter roads and NOK 5-7 billion in market value of fish and ore. – It is dramatic for Narvik and the users of the lane, says the port director. Frustrated At Narvik Harbor and Narvik Terminal it is completely quiet. No ore boats or much activity to be seen. Large parts of the freight traffic to Northern Norway are affected. A great deal of the goods going to Northern Norway are transported from Alnabru via Sweden and up to Narvik. From here it is transported by car out into northern Norway. Edvardsen Klingan is worried about the security of supply in the north if double track is not built soon. – Now we are frustrated, he says. There has been talk of and political pressure for double track on the track for years. Now the track is also important for Nato and our allies. – The corridor is very important from a preparedness perspective, and now it is at a standstill again, says a stated port director. County council: – Disappointed county council for transport Marianne Dobak Kvensjø (H) shares the concerns of the business community. – The derailment not only affects the mineral and transport industry, but also has major negative consequences for tourism. Kvensjø writes that she has been in contact with the Swedish and Norwegian authorities regarding alternative transport: – We expect alternative transport to be put in place for passenger trains between our two countries. Photo: Kåre Riibe Ramskjell – Both the county council and the county council are clear that this must be a priority section for the government and that the government must allocate sufficient funds for double track. Kvensjø says that the county council is actively working with the government to get more funds for transport in Nordland. – Double tracks on Ofotbanen must be one of the most important priority transport projects in Nordland and for Norway. – I am disappointed that the government has so far not allocated funds for double track and expect that in the upcoming national transport plan you will see funds for this and other important Nordland projects. Struggling with the politicians He says that they are struggling to coordinate the forecasts and expectations that Bane Nor and the Norwegian Railway Directorate have put forward against the reality they see. – We see strong growth and a full railway in 2026, points out Edvardsen Klingan. Just across the border, work is also being done to attack Swedish politicians. – We have a close dialogue with the state and with the Swedish Transport Administration, which owns the track, explains Lindberg and says that there has just been a meeting between CEO Jan Moström and the Swedish Transport Administration’s director general Roberto Maiorana about the issue.
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Closed railway threatens plans for extraction of rare earth metals – news Nordland
