Page 16 - IAV Digital Magazine #579

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
Rare Earth Mineral
Deposit Causes Swedish
City To Relocate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp6p37uhzH4
by Matthew Bourne
A recent discovery has resulted in the relocation of the entire Swedish city of Kiruna, with one building at a time being moved.
Situated in Sweden’s Lapland region, Kiruna is a charming town with a popula- tion of slightly over 17,000. It’s famous for its gigantic iron ore mine, which includes an under- ground visitor center. Kiruna’s iron ore mine, managed by
the state-owned com- pany LAB, accounts for a staggering 80 percent of the European Union’s supply.
Kiruna has recently come across valuable minerals, including the largest known deposit of rare earth elements in Europe. These particular ele- ments are essential for the production of electric car batteries and wind turbines, making them incredi- bly valuable resources for eco- friendly technologies.
Ebba Busch, Sweden’s deputy prime minister, proud- ly refers to Kiruna as a “goldmine” and encourages Europe to take note. She wants Sweden to help reduce the world’s dependence on Russian minerals, which have experi- enced a significant price surge recently.
Kiruna’s success in iron ore mining makes it well posi- tioned to profit from the rare earth mineral deposit. And relocat-
ing the town will make it easier for this deposit to be exploit- ed.
However, Kiruna must find ways to avoid the environmental degra- dation of past mining.
The daily extraction of ore from the mine, equivalent to the weight of six Eiffel Towers, has caused land deformation along Kiruna’s west- ern border. This issue affects not only the residents but also the town itself. Reports from the local area
even mention cracks found in a hospital and a local school that fails to meet building standards.
As a result, it’s not just the rare earth mineral deposit that’s causing Kiruna to relocate. It’s also the damage caused by iron ore mining.
The relocation project seeks to move Kiruna approximately 1.9 miles to the east of its original location. Government officials expect that this relo- cation project will be completed by 2026.
The relocation project will preserve historic landmarks such as the local church, which was built in 1912.
However, the reloca- tion will impact the cost of living for the nearly 6,000 people who will be moving their
homes. According to News18, tenants should expect a rent increase of up to 25 percent.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine