LKAB Swedish Rare Earths Project Risks Violating Sami Rights

A report published April 15, 2026, by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) warns that the Per Geijer iron ore and rare earths project in northern Sweden could violate the indigenous rights of Sami reindeer-herders. The project, managed by the Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB, is positioned as a critical component of the European Union’s strategy to secure raw materials for the green energy transition.

The Per Geijer deposit is one of Europe’s largest known rare-earth finds, containing approximately 1.2 billion tonnes of ore, including 2.2 million tonnes of rare-earth oxides (REO). Because of its scale, the EU has designated it a strategic project under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), a status intended to accelerate the permitting process.

EU Strategic Importance and Resource Dependency

The project is central to the EU’s goals to reduce its heavy reliance on third countries for minerals essential to defense, electric vehicle production, and clean energy. Per Geijer is expected to supply neodymium, praseodymium, and dysprosium, which are critical for offshore wind turbines and electric-vehicle motors.

According to data from Eurostat and the European Commission, 95% of the EU’s rare-earth imports in 2024 originated from Russia, Malaysia, and China. The EU’s dependency on China for heavy rare earth elements is described as effectively absolute.

The CRMA has established specific benchmarks for 2030 to mitigate these vulnerabilities, requiring that:

• At least 10% of strategic raw materials be mined within the EU.
• At least 40% of these materials be processed domestically.
• At least 25% of the materials be recycled.
• Dependence on any single third country for these materials does not exceed 65%.

Impact on Sami Indigenous Rights

Despite its economic and strategic value, the Per Geijer deposit intersects a centuries-old reindeer migration corridor used by the Gábna Sami community. The SEI report states that the project carries a significant risk of violating the indigenous rights of the Sami community members, according to Rasmus Klocker Larsen, a senior research fellow at the institute.

The report further asserts that the plans for the mine would breach Sweden’s obligations under the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Specifically, the mine would obstruct the ability of herders to move reindeer between summer and winter pastures.

The mine would cut our land in half. It would end reindeer herding as we know it.

Lars-Marcus Kuhmunen, head of the Gábna sameby

The Sami community has indicated that while they are not opposed to mining in principle, they oppose projects that threaten their culture. Kuhmunen described the project as potentially the last nail in the coffin for the community.

Regional Context and Environmental Pressures

Mining is a long-standing industry in the Kiruna region. LKAB’s century-old Kiirunavaara iron-ore mine has already necessitated the relocation of the entire town of Kiruna. This process included the relocation of the Kiruna Church, which was moved five kilometers in August 2024 to prevent damage from subsidence.

The pressure on the Sami way of life is further compounded by climate change. The Arctic region is warming nearly four times faster than the global average, adding environmental stress to the reindeer herding corridors already impacted by a century of mining activity.

Corporate Response and Legal Status

LKAB stated that it had not reviewed the SEI report as of April 15, 2026. However, the company acknowledged that the new deposit would have an impact and expressed a desire to engage in dialogue with the Sami village to identify solutions and develop compensation measures.

LKAB has maintained that the Per Geijer project is essential for the long-term viability of the Kiruna mine, which is the world’s largest underground iron ore mine. The company applied for a mining concession in 2025.

Even if the mining concession is granted, LKAB must still obtain an environmental permit before operations can begin. Both the concession and the environmental permit are subject to legal appeal, and Sami reindeer-herders have vowed to challenge the project in court.