The Norra Karr deposit of rare earth elements (REE) is situated in the southern part of Sweden, on the picturesque shores of Lake Vattern, one of the largest lakes on the Scandinavian Peninsula. The lake is surrounded by a unique mountain landscape, some of which is protected by the European Union’s Natura 2000 program. Vast reserves of fresh water coexist here with equally immense reserves of rare earth elements, which are now deemed critical for the transition to renewable energy.
According to local resident and activist Carina Gustafsson, Lake Vattern provides drinking water to 500,000 households. Approximately 260 farms and homes located within a two-kilometer radius of the proposed mine are dependent on the lake’s water supply, as well as a rich biodiverse landscape around the lake.
This 110-million-ton mineral deposit is estimated to contain approximately half a million tons of REE comprising both heavy and light elements found in eudialyte and
— source fpif.org | Tatyana Novikova | Aug 23, 2023