{"id":199731,"date":"2026-01-25T02:51:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-25T02:51:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/europes-rapid-path-to-rare-earth-sovereignty-goes-through-per-geijer-the-worlds-largest-underground-iron-mine\/"},"modified":"2026-01-25T02:51:04","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T02:51:04","slug":"europes-rapid-path-to-rare-earth-sovereignty-goes-through-per-geijer-the-worlds-largest-underground-iron-mine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/europes-rapid-path-to-rare-earth-sovereignty-goes-through-per-geijer-the-worlds-largest-underground-iron-mine\/","title":{"rendered":"Europe’s Rapid Path to Rare Earth Sovereignty Goes Through Per Geijer, the World’s Largest Underground Iron Mine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Need for Rare Earths in Europe<\/h2>\n

In the realm of global geopolitics, possessing valuable resources like oil, gas, and rare earth elements can provide a strategic advantage akin to holding several kings in a game of mus. China currently dominates the rare earth market, processing around 90% of these vital materials worldwide. While locating rare earths within European borders is promising, extracting them and fostering a thriving industry remains a complex challenge. Fortunately, the European Union (EU) anticipates that the Per Geijer supermine in Kiruna, Sweden, could meet 18% of its lanthanide requirements.<\/p>\n

Per Geijer: More Than Just a Mine<\/h2>\n

Per Geijer stands out as the largest underground iron mine globally, operated by the public company Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag<\/a> (LKAB). It’s not merely an iron mine; it is a unique facility that also houses high concentrations of rare earth oxides and phosphorus. In early 2026, LKAB projects the mine will yield 2.2 million tons of rare earth oxides, doubling previous estimates. These resources hold the promise of reducing European dependence on foreign supply chains.<\/p>\n

Why Is This Project Vital?<\/h2>\n

The significance of Per Geijer cannot be overstated. European independence from external rare earth supplies would alleviate reliance on fluctuating markets and diplomatic tensions. Moreover, with the EU designating this megaproject as strategic under the Critical Raw Materials Law<\/a> (CRMA), expedited processes for mining and extraction are now in place.<\/p>\n

Exploring the Mining Process<\/h3>\n

Typically, the timeframe from discovering a mining site to actual production can span 15 to 20 years. However, the EU is keen on accelerating this timeline. The presence of rare earth oxides within a high-grade iron mine increases overall profitability, as these materials can be extracted more efficiently alongside iron operations. Their extraction involves separating lanthanides trapped within apatite, a process that not only yields rare earth concentrates but also phosphoric acid, essential for fertilizers.<\/p>\n

The Northern Triangle: An Integrated Industrial Ecosystem<\/h2>\n

The Per Geijer project involves a triangular ecosystem across Kiruna, Malmberget, and Lule\u00e5. The Kiruna site focuses on extraction, while Malmberget handles concentration, drawing from existing operations and newly discovered deposits. Lastly, Lule\u00e5 specializes in the chemical technology necessary for separating rare earth elements from other materials using hydrometallurgical methods.<\/p>\n

Projected Timeline and Challenges<\/h3>\n

Although construction is actively underway, with tunnels connecting existing and new deposits, the large-scale commercial plant\u2019s operational timeline is estimated to extend into the 2030s due to the need for environmental assessments and permit acquisitions. Challenges such as the subsidence of Kiruna, which necessitates the relocation of entire buildings, and conflicts with indigenous Sami communities, who rely on reindeer grazing routes, add layers of complexity to this ambitious initiative.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

While the establishment of the Per Geijer supermine positions Europe on a path toward rare earth sovereignty, the path is fraught with obstacles that require careful navigation. As the EU strives to secure its technological and industrial future, the outcome of this extensive project will likely have far-reaching implications, not just for Europe, but for global resource markets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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General News – 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Need for Rare Earths in Europe In the realm of global geopolitics, possessing valuable resources like oil, gas, and rare earth elements can provide a strategic advantage akin to holding several kings in a game of mus. China currently dominates the rare earth market, processing around 90% of these vital materials worldwide. While locating […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":199732,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36399],"tags":[5142,2420,48224,12764,1549,3013,4579,1365,12429,465,166],"class_list":["post-199731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-earth","tag-europes","tag-geijer","tag-iron","tag-largest","tag-path","tag-rapid","tag-rare","tag-sovereignty","tag-underground","tag-worlds"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=199731"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199731\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":199733,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199731\/revisions\/199733"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/199732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}