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Mertainen Mine

Country/Territory
Sweden
Type of court
National - higher court
Date
Jun 18, 2014
Source
UNEP, InforMEA
Court name
Mark- och miljööverdomstolen
Seat of court
Stockholm
Reference number
Joint cases M 7307-13 and M 11820-13
Language
Swedish
Subject
Wild species & ecosystems, Mineral resources
Abstract

A company, Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara AB, applied for a mining permit and a permit for related activities such as crushing and sizing operations. The activities risked having effects in a Natura 2000 site, the marshland Rautas.

 permit had been given in the lower instance, but the case was appealed to the Land and Environment Court od Appeal by several environmental authorities, much because of the risks for the Natura 2000 site.

In its judgment, the Land and Environment Court of Appeal granted the permit to mine and process the ore. However, they made some changes in the permit in relation to the original application by the mining company.

The operations have to be undertaken in the way that they were presented in the application. There were limits for dust deposits and regulations for the control of the limits.

There was also a requirement to control the status of certain species on the Natura 2000 site that were mentioned in the Habitats Directive.

Full text
M 7307-13 and M 11820-13.pdf