by Hannu Lahtinen, Director, Availability of Raw Materials, Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)
and Ilkka Keskitalo, Senior Specialist, Finnish Safety and Chemical Agency (Tukes)
Introduction
While known for base metals and the largest gold production in the EU, Finland’s focus has been gradually shifting toward securing the critical minerals essential for the green transition. Despite its long history of mining and refining, the country remains historically under-explored, and its rich geological landscape and untapped mineral potential make it a key destination for future exploration activities.
Mining and exploration landscape
Finland’s mining and mineral exploration sector is characterized by a stable legal framework, clear permitting procedures, and a strong emphasis on environmental protection and safety. The operating environment requires thorough preparation, impact assessments, and active stakeholder engagement in regulatory processes. While demanding, the permitting system is transparent and predictable, and a leading reason why Finland has performed well in international surveys assessing the attractiveness of jurisdictions for mining and mineral exploration.
In recent years, environmental considerations, biodiversity, water management, and the involvement of local communities have become increasingly central, as they have globally. In this context, the Finnish Safety and Chemical Agency (Tukes) serves as a key nexus where legislation, technical expertise, and practical supervision come together.
Tukes supports the early stages of projects, particularly through its open and digital permitting system. On its website, it features a public map service with exploration permit areas and available reservations and also provides comprehensive guidance for permit applications. Beyond this, Tukes is responsible for monitoring compliance with the Finnish Mining Act (621/2011) and ensuring that new technologies and operating models are introduced in a controlled manner, with risks properly identified and managed.
In addition to the stable and transparent regulatory landscape, mining and exploration activities in Finland are aided by the availability of high-quality geoscientific data, robust infrastructure, and drilling contractors that rank among global leaders. This is further supported by an extensive road network and skilled workforce, which ensure efficient and reliable operations.
Brief project overview
Currently, around 60 companies are exploring for minerals in Finland, with activities mostly concentrated on gold and base metals. Gold plays a role in many projects due to its high market price, but the same deposits often contain significant quantities of other minerals. According to Finnish legislation, mining permit holders are required to utilize all economically recoverable minerals within a deposit.
Several advanced mining projects are ongoing that will possibly add new metals to the list of valuable materials mined in Finland, such as iron, titanium, niobium, zirconium, and REE.
In 2025, Finland’s 41 active mines produced a total of 118.2 million tonnes of extracted material, of which 43.8 million tonnes were ore. Currently, there are nine metal mines operating in the country. In addition, there are several mining projects in permitting or development phase that are expected to be commissioned in the coming years.
Geological Survey of Finland:
Exploration support and further services
A key actor in this environment is the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), a research institution that supports decision-making in industry, academia, and wider society to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, carbon-neutral world. As one of the leading experts in the application of geosciences in Europe, GTK brings added value to customer projects in mining and exploration by providing unbiased research and geodata. To the mining industry, it also offers:
- Mineral potential evaluation and ore prospecting services;
- Potential for exploitation of primary and secondary raw materials;
- Geophysics services;
- Beneficiation studies from laboratory to industrial scale;
- Management of mining sites, mining waste and environmental matters.
One of GTK’s initiatives is Finland’s National Exploration Program, which aims to strengthen the country’s mineral potential and support the sustainable supply of critical raw materials. The program focuses on identifying new mineral-rich areas, improving geological knowledge, and attracting exploration investments. It was developed under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and aims to secure the long-term availability of metals for the green transition.
In addition to this program, GTK supports early-stage exploration in a variety of ways. It carries out regional-scale research, mapping mineral systems and assessing ore formation processes to identify geological environments that are favorable for the occurrence of exploitable minerals. Beyond mineral characterization, it conducts geophysical studies, implements measurements, interprets the results, and conducts quality control using a wide range of methods.
GTK carries out regional-scale research, while private companies focus on more targeted exploration by utilizing the geoscientific data and expertise produced by GTK to guide ore prospecting activities.
Geo.fi: Home to all geological data
GTK has been assessing mineral potential in Finland for over 100 years, with a solid foundation of continuously updated digital material. Its central platform for up-to-date and high-quality geological data offers access to map services and geological interpretations, spatial datasets, reports and documents. The free-of-charge interface services provide direct online access to GTK’s spatial datasets. Users can search, download, view, or integrate data into their own applications.
- The Mineral Deposits and Exploration (MDaE) map service allows visual inspection and integration of Finland’s mineral deposits, mines, mining cadastre, geological and geophysical maps, observation and measurement data, geological interpretations.
- The Hakku online service is the gateway to all material published by GTK; it includes Finnish spatial data, documents, and metadata from the 19ᵗʰ century to the present day and is continuously expanded. Most of the products can be browsed and downloaded free of charge. Paid products can be ordered through the Hakku service online store.
Finland’s National Drill Core Archive
To promote the cost-efficient identification of areas with high mineral potential, the GTK also has an extensive drill core archive. A globally unique resource, the archive contains around 4 million meters of drill cores (over 13 million ft) that provide valuable insights into Finnish bedrock. The archive also contains thin sections, till geochemical samples, and rock samples. Some of the drill core samples have already been converted into a digital format through hyperspectral scanning, enhancing the quality and accuracy of drill core imaging.
Information on the drilling sites and the locations from which the drill cores in the archive were collected can be found on the Mineral Deposits and Exploration map service, or at the National Drill Core Archive online database. Through the map service, it is possible to simultaneously study several data layers, useful for guiding exploration activities.
The drill cores from the archive are available for on-site investigation. The archive also offers the following services:
- Sampling and sawing services under controlled conditions;
- High-resolution photography and petrophysical measurements;
- Geochemical analysis options with external laboratories;
- Expert and research services related to local and target geology.
Project spotlight: Keliber and Kemi
Sibanye-Stillwater’s Keliber lithium mine put Finland and Europe on the lithium producer lists for the first time. The entire process chain from the mining of the ore to the production of battery-grade lithium hydroxide will be managed by Keliber. The Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) has cooperated with Keliber since the exploration phase, providing exploration and water management services, as well as playing an important role in testing the project’s lithium ores and concentration processes.
Outokumpu’s Kemi chromium mine launched an extensive data-driven circular economy ecosystem that aims to be the first European model for utilizing mine side streams as raw material for new products and solutions. GTK is part of this ecosystem as a scientific partner. In addition, Kemi aims to become the world’s first carbon-neutral mine.
Case study:
GTK’s collaboration with Boliden at the Kevitsa mine
Boliden and the GTK have developed a long-term partnership to create environmentally sustainable, accurate, and cost-effective mineral exploration methods in Finland. During the years Boliden has been operating in Finland, it has relied on GTK’s expertise, datasets, and research methods to support exploration activities and operational development.
GTK discovered the Kevitsa multi-metal deposit in Sodankylä in the late 1980s. After the mine was established by First Quantum Minerals, ownership transferred to Boliden in 2016, marking the beginning of close cooperation between the companies. Kevitsa primarily produces copper and nickel, while concentrates also contain cobalt, platinum, palladium, and gold. In 2022, the mine produced approximately 133 000 tonnes of nickel concentrate and 100 000 tonnes of copper concentrate. Demand for these base metals continues to grow due to urbanization, renewable energy, and electric transportation.
GTK provides open datasets, drill core archives, and geophysical methods that help companies identify promising mineral deposits. Boliden has collaborated with GTK on structural geology surveys, seismic reflection studies, and electrical methods to better understand ore-forming structures. According to Boliden, GTK’s expertise, flexibility, and wide range of in-house services have strengthened Boliden’s exploration capabilities, improved team expertise, and supported operational transparency.
The partnership extends beyond exploration into mineral processing, dam performance assessments, and geophysical research. Ongoing collaboration projects continue to provide innovation, knowledge sharing, and added value for Boliden’s future operations.
Service spotlight: GTK Mintec
For the mining industry, GTK also provides beneficiation studies from laboratory to industrial scale, and management of mining sites, mining waster, and environmental matters. One of its projects, GTK Mintec, is a unique service provider combining mineral research laboratories with an industrial-scale pilot plant. The facility also includes a test area for studying the long-term behavior of tailings and extractive waste.
The GTK Mintec mineral processing pilot plant and research environment offer research and testing services throughout the value chain: from ore deposits to the closing of mines and the reuse of materials. GTK Mintec studies and tests the beneficiation of minerals and mineral-based materials, as well as the recyclability of different types of side streams.
A leading research and innovation environment for the mining and minerals sector, it supports the transition toward more responsible and efficient mining practices. In addition, the recently upgraded facilities enable the processing of a wide range of different minerals and metals, increasing flexibility and supporting diverse industrial needs.
The unique setting is being developed with a new industrial-scale pilot plant. It will enable more comprehensive development of continuous beneficiation processes, supporting responsible mining practices, and enhancing resource efficiency.
On the future of mining and exploration in Finland
The future of the mining and mineral exploration industry in Finland is strongly influenced by the green transition, electrification, and the growing demand for critical minerals.
Compared with major mining countries such as Canada and Australia, Finland has to date seen relatively limited detailed, target-specific exploration, despite its diverse geological history enabling the formation of a wide variety of mineral deposit types. However, recent significant corporate transactions related to mineral exploration support the view that there is still considerable potential for new discoveries within Finland’s bedrock. In this context, the transparent permitting system, supported by Tukes, combined with Finland’s robust infrastructure and high-quality geoscientific data and services provided by the GTK will be among the key factors for attracting future exploration investments.
For more information: Visit gtk.fi/en or tukes.fi/en
