The High Cost of Going Green: Sámi Land at Stake in Sweden’s Mining Boom

As Europe races to secure rare-earth minerals for its green transition, northern Sweden has emerged as a key player. Rich deposits of essential metals lie beneath the frozen landscapes of Lapland, where the town of Kiruna sits atop what may become Europe’s largest mining hub. But this promise of prosperity poses a direct threat to the Sámi people, whose reindeer herding traditions and ancestral lands are being squeezed by expanding industrial activity.

Nine of Sweden’s twelve major mines already lie on Sámi territory, and more are planned. The state-owned mining company LKAB’s recent discovery of vast rare-earth reserves near Kiruna has intensified pressure on Indigenous lands, despite decades of legal battles and protests from Sámi communities. As roads, tunnels, and railways carve through grazing paths, herders fear the fragmentation of their lands may soon make traditional practices impossible.

This conflict highlights a deeper contradiction: the push for sustainability is coming at the cost of Indigenous rights. While Europe touts a greener future, critics argue it risks replicating a colonial past, where land is taken and local voices are sidelined in the name of progress. For the Sámi, the green transition is not just about energy, it’s about survival.