Rare earths in Sweden
One building at a time – village has to move because of mining
The city of Kiruna suffers from the discovery of rare earths in the ground. People have to move, buildings are loaded onto trailers and put somewhere else.
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Kiruna in northern Sweden with its terracotta-colored church in the foreground: the town has to relocate because of mining.
imago images/Ragnar Th. Sigurdss
The church is scheduled to be loaded onto trailers in 2026 and moved to a new location near the local cemetery.
IMAGO/Panthermedia
Kiruna Church is not only a landmark of the city, but also a meeting place for the whole community, says Rev. Lena Tjärnberg.
IMAGO/Panthermedia
The authorities only announced in mid-January 2023 that large deposits of rare earths had been discovered in Kiruna.
imago images/Ragnar Th. Sigurdss
The state-owned mining company LKAB explained that rare earths are used in the construction of electric motors and wind turbines, for example.
IMAGO/imagebroker
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The largest deposit of rare earths known in Europe to date has been discovered in northern Sweden.
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“Without mining there are no electric cars,” said LKAB boss Jan Moström.
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For the city of Kiruna, however, the find means that it now has to relocate almost completely.
Just under two weeks ago, the Swedish mining company LKAB announced the Found the greatest known Occurrence of rare earths in Europe. “This is good news, not only for LKAB, the region and the Swedish people, but also for Europe and the climate,” said CEO Jan Moström at the moment. Well, not all residents are as happy as the LKAB boss – around 6000 people have to move a few kilometers because of the ore mining.
With a third of the population, numerous buildings will also be resettled, the action is considered the most extreme resettlement project in the world. Among the many structures set to move to a new location by 2026 is Kiruna Church, a fairytale, terracotta-colored wooden structure that dates back to 1912. The approximately 600-ton building is scheduled to be loaded onto trailers and moved to a new location near the be brought to the local cemetery, as reported by the “Guardian”.
way of life of the indigenous population threatened
The town has been in danger of being swallowed up by the subsidence of the local iron mine for many years. Cracks have already appeared in the hospital, and one school is no longer considered safe. The resettlement plans are therefore not new. “We are more than happy that the church can move,” says Pastor Lena Tjärnberg. “Of course I know that people are sad.” The Church of Kiruna is not only a landmark of the city, but also a meeting place for the whole community.
The relocation of the city also threatens the way of life of the Sami, the indigenous people in northern Sweden, the British newspaper reports. Centuries before mining companies began extracting rare earth elements, the Sami were herding reindeer in the arctic regions. Now they fear the animals, already struggling to find winter food due to the climate crisis, will come under even more pressure.
The effects of the resettlement will be felt by everyone in Kiruna. Many people will see their homes demolished, says Nina Eliasson, the planning department director at the community. The place they grew up in will disappear forever.