Mineral policy

Kjell Jansson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I begin by moving for approval of the committee's proposal in the report and for the rejection of all motions.

Mineral policy is very important for the future of industry in Sweden and for the modernization of the industry. It is important for Sweden as a country with high prosperity that we can develop the industry progressively. It is important for a growing business sector and new job opportunities.

The mining industry is one of our basic industries, in particular LKAB. The mines are the first step in refining products. The ore we extract from the mountain in the north will, after many steps of refining, roll out as cars in Torslanda in Gothenburg or at Scania in Södertälje.

Mr. Speaker! The importance of making Sweden self-sufficient in minerals is crucial for the future of industry. We must reduce the dependence on communist China. It is necessary.

Batteries, fuel cells, electric motors, robots, drones, circuit boards, chips, wind power and solar cells are examples where we are currently dependent on China.

We are most dependent on China when it comes to wind power and batteries. We know that we have a factory in the north that was supposed to build batteries. Now, no batteries were built. Electric motors we can manufacture ourselves through ABB in Västerås, which is a leader in terms of manufacturing electric motors.

We have hammered out the change of the environmental assessment and Natura 2000 areas. It is currently applicable law. The double assessment has been removed. The change has been much appreciated by the industry.

Mr. Speaker! It is of great importance that we open up for new mineral mining in the country. It is a step towards reducing the dependence on China. Today, large parts of the minerals are purchased from China. I have mentioned several examples. China accounts for 100 percent of heavy rare earth elements in the EU. Turkey accounts for 99 percent of the need for boron. South Africa accounts for 75 percent of platinum.

Sweden has twelve mines today. LKAB plans to open the Per Geijer mine. It is a long process. But yesterday a joyful announcement came from the EU: The mine will receive fast-tracking in the review. We hope that it will be so. Since May 2024, the EU has had new legislation, CRMA, regarding what is called strategic and critical raw materials. It is extremely high quality of the ore. The mine can become as large as the entire Kiruna deposit.

LKAB's Reemap project in Malmberget is also highlighted by the EU as prioritized. And hopefully, there is another mine in the long term: the Viscari mine outside Kiruna.

There are minerals that we do not mine but that we have the possibility to mine. It is vanadium, a battery metal. It is cobalt, a battery metal. It is lithium, a battery metal. And it is, not least, uranium, nuclear fuel, which will become relevant.

Mr. Speaker! If we manage to achieve this, I believe that many long-term sustainable jobs will be created, not least for the next generation, in Sweden. This shall then occur without overly generous state subsidies. It is important that the companies that are now being built up operate under market economic conditions. Otherwise, they will not be long-lived.

A strong industrial policy, where market and demand rule, is the foundation for Swedish prosperity. We shall ensure that Sweden becomes a competitive industrial country for the next generation, and we must have the strength to prioritize mineral mining.

It is of the utmost importance that we become self-sufficient in minerals – this is to create better conditions for our industry and the next generation.

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Isak From (S)

Mr. Speaker! Just as Kjell Jansson said from the rostrum, there is a battery factory in Skellefteå. It is actually producing batteries for Scania right now. The big question is whether it will be able to continue producing any batteries. This is, as Kjell Jansson says, a private matter.

We are, as Kjell Jansson says, completely dependent on China when it comes to batteries and the like. This also applies to almost all of the rare earth metals and strategic metals that Kjell Jansson mentioned from the rostrum.

We will need to mine them. But then the question is: Where should we mine them? I think it is very positive that LKAB received CRMA-permission and support for the Per Geijer ore. That is naturally a positive part. Another project – which was not considered finished and which did not receive permission – is Norra Kärr in Östergötland. In that case, I have a question for Kjell Jansson. Kjell Jansson spoke about the ore in the north. Is it only in the north that it should be mined? That is a question.

I have another question, which Kjell Jansson can consider. If we are now to mine ore and iron in northern Sweden, we need to have lime. Lime needs to be mined, for example on Gotland. But with this government, we are now importing approximately 1,000 ships of lime per year to Sweden. Is that sustainable, Kjell Jansson?

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Kjell Jansson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member Isak From, for the questions! They were relevant questions, I think.

We can start with the first one – about mining ore only in the north. I am completely open to the fact that we can also mine ore in the southern part of Sweden and in Östergötland, as you mention. It is no problem for me. I think it is important that we take advantage of the mineral resources we have in Sweden to make ourselves independent of China, as I said. This is, therefore, not at all foreign to me.

The second question concerned the limestone on Gotland. Yes, we really want to keep the limestone quarrying on Gotland. There have been discussions, as you know, with the Land and Environment Court, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, and everyone else in this matter. But we could help each other by facilitating with legislation, so that we can do this and avoid exporting so much limestone.

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Isak From (S)

Mr. Speaker! Now it is the case that we import lime when we should be able to export lime. It is also the case that during this government's time, Gåsgruvan in Värmland was rejected. BDX in Norrbotten was also rejected, and that concerned opening lime quarries in Jokkmokk. Thus, it becomes even more central to get new mining started on Gotland.

It seems to be completely hopeless for the government to obtain any more permits. During this government's time, HaV has even tightened the limit values so that SMA Mineral in Värmland must have cleaner wastewater than the natural. That is because HaV has tightened the limit values for uranium in the wastewater. Those are the conditions one has in Värmland. It is clear that we need to have better conditions in more places.

We have a situation where the government is playing ping-pong with the mining permits. One sits on the mining permits for a year, then they are returned to the review authority that processes them, after which they are appealed and end up on the government's table again. But it is clear that the CRMA processes that are now being started and are intended to expedite this are absolutely crucial. There were five projects that received permits – three for LKAB and two others. I will return to that in my speech.

Extreme measures will be required to speed up the review authorities – and the big issue that still is not addressed is the local opposition.

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Kjell Jansson (M)

Mr. Speaker! The local opposition exists everywhere, and there is respect for that. It must be handled. It is about people who are neighbors and so on.

I can only regret that it is not possible to open more limestone quarries. The member mentioned several, and it is probably our authorities that are stopping them – and perhaps also overly rigorous legislation, which may need to be reviewed.

I am a great supporter of opening more limestone quarries. We are probably in complete agreement, the member From and I, on that issue. I can therefore only hope that it works. If I get the opportunity, I will check with the government what it is that is putting a stop to it.

(cont. § 18)

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