Sweden eases mining permits to cut reliance on Chinese minerals
Sweden has declared the mining of critical minerals and rare earths a matter of national security, a move designed to speed up the permitting process for new mines. The government said the step is needed to reduce the country's dependence on Chinese supplies of the materials. The change puts Sweden among a growing number of European nations moving to secure domestic critical-mineral supply chains.
Sweden has declared the mining of critical minerals and rare earths a national security interest, a designation that will ease and speed up the permitting process for new mining projects.
The government said the change is intended to reduce the country's dependence on Chinese supplies of critical minerals, which are essential inputs for electric vehicles, batteries and a range of high-tech manufacturing. Sweden holds some of Europe's largest known deposits of rare earth elements, though development has historically moved slowly due to lengthy environmental and permitting reviews.
The move mirrors a broader push across the European Union to secure domestic supply chains for materials seen as strategically vital, as governments grow wary of relying on a small number of external suppliers for inputs central to the energy transition and defense industries.
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