Sweden's Parliament approves reclassification of uranium mining

The parliament - the Riksdag - voted in favour of a government bill on 11 June proposing amendments to Sweden's Nuclear Activities Act (1984:3) under which uranium mines are no longer to be considered as a "nuclear facility". The bill also included an amendment to the Act on Financial Measures for the Management of Residual Products from Nuclear Activities (2006:647) so that "extraction waste from a nuclear activity that concerns the extraction and processing of nuclear materials" is not considered a nuclear waste product.

With uranium mines no longer regulated as nuclear facilities, uranium extraction will no longer require explicit municipal consent. This creates a more predictable permitting framework which will facilitate future uranium mine development, according to Aura Energy, owner of the polymetallic Häggån deposit.

"The momentum in pro-nuclear legislation continues in Sweden, where the removal of the uranium mining ban in January 2026 has now been supplemented with the declassification of uranium mining as a nuclear facility. This step brings uranium into line with other minerals and creates a more predictable, uniform permitting process for uranium mining in Sweden," the company's Executive Chairman Phil Mitchell said.

Häggån, located in Berg municipality in the province of Jämtland in central Sweden, is estimated to contain 800 million pounds U3O8 (307,718 tU) of uranium resources in addition to other minerals including potash and vanadium. Earlier this year, the Geological Survey of Sweden formally proposed designating the deposit as of national interest for valuable materials.

"With an evolving regulatory environment in Sweden that is clearly supportive of investment in mineral exploration and development, Aura will continue to engage with local communities as crucial stakeholders in the establishment of a successful mining operation in Sweden," Mitchell added.

District Metals Corp's Viken property, also in Jämtland, contains 1.5 billion pounds U3O8 of inferred resources and 176 million pounds U3O8 of indicated resources, as well as vanadium, potash, molybdenum, nickel, copper, zinc, and other important and critical raw materials. The company's CEO Garrett Ainsworth described the parliamentary decision as a significant milestone in Sweden’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its domestic nuclear fuel and critical minerals supply chains. "This change to the permitting framework for uranium fits with Sweden’s ongoing nuclear expansion," he said.

"By establishing a more predictable permitting framework for uranium extraction and processing, Sweden is aligning these activities with other mining projects while maintaining robust environmental and safety standards. We believe these changes further enhance the strategic importance of the Viken Deposit and our broader Alum Shale Properties as Sweden and the European Union seek secure, long-term sources of uranium and other important and critical raw materials required for energy security and low-carbon economic competitiveness," he added.

Coastal sites

The Riksdag has also voted in favour of the government's proposal to amend Sweden's environmental code to enable the expansion of nuclear power in more places on the coast, while also maintaining the protection of natural and cultural values.

A ban on nuclear installations in coastal areas and the archipelagos of Bohuslän, from the border with Norway to Brofjorden, in the provinces of Småland and Östergötland, from Simpevarp till Arkö Sound, from Storfjärden in the estuary of Ångermanälven to Skagsudde, and on the island of Öland will be removed. A ban on nuclear installations in coastal areas and the archipelagos of Bohuslän, from Brofjorden to Simpevarp and from Arkösund to Forsmark, also the coast of Gotland, at Östergarn and Storsundet on Gotland and on Fårö, in places other than where there are already certain industrial and similar facilities, will also be removed.

All the amendments will come into force on 15 July.