Processöversikt och effektivisering av gruvetablering enligt svensk lagstiftning

Sammanfattning: Metals and minerals are prerequisites for a modern and climate-neutral society. Domestic mining facilities are also an essential part of the Swedish national economy. Sweden has a unique bedrock and is one of Europe's largest producers. However, the willingness to invest in the Swedish mining industry has dropped over the last decade. The main reason for this is the complication and uncertainty in the permit process. Mining is considered an environmentally hazardous activity and is regulated in Swedish law by the Mineral Act and the Environmental Code. The process of establishing a mine requires several different permits from a variety of government bodies. The process is often experienced as needing clarification, both by those seeking the permit and those granting it, causing duplications, the need for completion and an overall long processing time. Copperstone Resources, a Swedish junior mining company, is in the midst of the permit process for reopening and expanding an old copper mine in Kiruna in northern Sweden. A case study of their process attempts to pinpoint bottlenecks, e.g., duplicated trials, and describe the overall complexity of the holistic process. General efficiency measures are brought forth and applied to the case study.