SPEAKERS

ABOUT THE REGION

PARTNERS

 11 – 13 June 2019  Skelleftea, Region Västerbotten, Sweden

What was discussed?

The event in Skellefteå focused on two key questions:

1. How can mining be a driver of improved regional well-being?
2. How can mining contribute to environmentally sustainable regions for future and current generations?

A special focus included the transition to the green economy, and  innovative ways to attract, retain and develop a skilled workforce. Participants learned about leading practices related to mining and regional development in the Arctic.

The event is designed for representatives from different levels of government, the private sector and civil society. It provided the opportunity for a global dialogue on experiences and leading practices on issues related to mining and regional development.

What was the context of this meeting?

The OECD is implementing a project to develop recommendations for improving regional development outcomes for regions and cities that are specialised in mining and extractive industries (minerals, metals and energy resources). It will create opportunities for peer-review and learning through events and studies undertaken by the OECD.

Find more infromation on the project here: OECD Mining Regions and Cities

Read the proceedings

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The region of Västerbotten is the second largest region in Sweden in terms of area with its 54 665 km², which is almost 13% of the country’s total area, and is located in the north of Sweden. The region is home to around 268 000 people and has three larger cities: Umeå, which is the largest city with around 110 000 inhabitants, Skellefteå and Lycksele.

The most important sectors in the region’s economy are forestry and wood industry, mining and metallurgy and electricity production. 

The Mining and Metallurgy Industry

The Skellefteå field in Västerbotten is very rich in minerals. The area is home to the Renström, Kristineberg and Kankberg underground mines, as well as the Maurliden open-pit mine, which are all operated by Boliden AB. With the exception of Kankberg, complex sulphide ores, which contain zinc, copper, lead, gold and silver, are produced by all the mines. The area also has a concentrator and a leaching plant for gold and tellurium production. The Björkdal mine produces gold from a combined open pit and underground operation and is operated by Mandalay Resources Corporations. 

Sweden’s only smelter to produce base metals, Rönnskärsverken, is located in Skelleftehamn in Västerbotten. The smelter is one of the world's most efficient copper smelters. Investments and developments in Kaldo technology made Rönnskärsverken a world leader in the recycling of electronic waste with a capacity of 120,000 tonnes of electronic scrap per year. 

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