The Sokli mining project in Savukoski, Finland, is set to transition to its next phase with the commencement of a test mine aimed for fall this year. This project, which is highly anticipated, will focus on extracting phosphate, niobium, and rare earth metals from a substantially smaller scale mining operation compared to what is planned for the full-scale mining initiative. Notably, the previous test mining activities at Sokli took place nearly 50 years ago, when operated by the steel company Rautaruukki.

The test mine will operate at a fraction—the equivalent of one-hundredth—of the amount of ore that will be processed in the full-scale mine. The environmental permit application outlines plans to excavate ore from a depth of 25 to 30 meters in the Loitso area, which is one of the main deposits of the Sokli site and has previously undergone test mining. Following a six-month mining period, there will be three years of ongoing testing of different enrichment methods, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of both the extraction techniques and the project’s environmental impacts.

As the construction of the enrichment plant in the old processing facilities is set to begin shortly, the Sokli mining project aims not only to test operational effectiveness but also to evaluate its potential environmental repercussions. This initiative is crucial in determining the feasibility and sustainability of the project moving forward, as the outcomes will shape the project’s future development and regulatory considerations.