LKAB invests in demo plant for earth metals

The plant will also serve as a research and development centre.

"The Demonstration plant will give us the processing ability at smaller scale, while providing essential insights and facilitating future investments. This brings us one step closer to increase Europe´s self-sufficiency of critical minerals that are crucial for achieving electrification and climate transition,” says Jan Moström, President and CEO, LKAB.

The demonstration plant will be operational by the end of 2026 and will utilise what was previously mining waste in Malmberget to produce phosphorus, rare earth elements and gypsum.

When the process works well enough in the demonstration plant, LKAB will take the next step and build a full-scale industrial park in Luleå. According to the original plan, full-scale production will start in 2030, but whether this can be achieved depends on how the demonstration plant develops.

On Thursday, LKAB published its interim report for the third quarter. It showed that sales decreased and earnings deteriorated compared to the same quarter last year. The decline in earnings is due to weak production, lower deliveries and falling market prices.

Net sales totalled SEK 8.4 billion (10.8) and operating profit SEK 2.1 billion (5.0).

Production during the quarter was 4.9 million tonnes (7.0). The reasons for this were production disruptions and production stoppages to rectify the problems. Two of LKAB's pellet plants have had production stops during the autumn. The production problems will continue during the fourth quarter.

Lennart Håkansson

editor@northswedenbusiness.com