Ecogain has been commissioned by LKAB to develop a vision for how the mining area in Kiruna will be restored and developed after the mining operations have been discontinued. The focus of the vision is an ecological landscape design. By creating natural environments that resemble the surrounding landscape, reindeer husbandry, biodiversity and other ecosystem services will be promoted.
Developing a vision for land reclamation around the Kiruna mine is a dream assignment that we have been working on since spring 2019. Iron ore has been mined in the mountain for over 100 years, and now we have set out the direction for how the area should be restored in the best way once the mine closes.
- Sara Carlsén, Project Manager, Ecogain.
Ecogain is a strategic partner to LKAB and has a key role in helping the mining company in its development work with natural capital such as biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Companies that use land have great opportunities to both minimize their impact on nature and create new value. This will become increasingly important everywhere on earth. That's why it's great that LKAB is at the forefront.
- Anders Enetjärn, CEO of Ecogain.
The vision that has now been developed is a voluntary commitment from LKAB and is based on the company's guidelines for sustainable land use. When the mine closes, a technical after-treatment will be carried out to make the area safe for the environment, people and animals. Then the ecological landscape design will take over.
With this vision, we can create major benefits for nature and society when ecosystems can be restored and developed. This in turn means that, for example, biodiversity is promoted, water purification is improved and the land can be used for grazing and resting places for reindeer herding.
- Emma Nyberg, Development Engineer Project Manager, LKAB.
