Boliden has applied to the European Commission to designate the Nautanen deposit as a strategic project under the Critical Raw Materials Act. The Nautanen copper deposit is located in central Norrbotten, about 15 km northwest of Aitik copper mine. Earlier studies and exploration results indicate that there is a potential for a underground mine as a satellite to Aitik, where existing industrial infrastructure such as mill and tailings facility can be used.
Boliden sees the potential to invest in an underground mine including an entrance ramp to enter the mine from distance to minimize environmental footprint. The conceptual annual production of extracted raw material in Nautanen is approximately 2-3 Mtonnes per year, with a life of mine plan around 20 years. Feasibility studies of the deposit are still ongoing and will define the final operation.
Depending on permits, which are not yet obtained, production is estimated to begin in early 2030's. The EU Commission is expected to communicate the assessment results of the applications submitted during the second quarter of 2026.
