Inari municipality seeks more control over mining

The northern Finland district wants more control after some 3,000 square kilometers were reserved by Swedish mining company.

Residents of Inari, a municipality in northern Finland, were taken by surprise this week, when it was announced that Swedish mining company Arctic Minerals AB had left a reservation notification for large land areas in both Inari and Sodankylä municipalities. The reserved area spans some 3,000 square kilometers, over reindeer herding areas and important lakes. Its announcement adds to a series of mining conflicts around Lapland — most recently in Enontekiö in Finland and ongoing issue with Nussir copper mine in Repparfjord in northern Norway.