Sweden stands to gain a leading role under the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act, thanks to its substantial geological resources and established mining sector. With known deposits of rare earth elements, vanadium, graphite, and other metals, especially in alum shales and northern iron-ore deposits. Sweden is well positioned to contribute to Europe’s goal of securing critical raw materials needed for the green and digital transitions.
The Act encourages member states like Sweden to identify and accelerate projects that can strengthen domestic supply. For Sweden, this means not only stepping up exploration efforts but also modernizing permitting processes and improving coordination between national agencies. Projects that meet EU strategic criteria can benefit from shorter approval timelines and stronger access to EU-level support and financing tools.
Sweden will also play a role in building up EU processing and recycling capacity, ensuring that materials extracted domestically are refined, reused, and kept within European value chains. With its high environmental standards and technological expertise, Sweden is well suited to demonstrate how critical raw material production can be both sustainable and globally competitive.