Anglo American Sakatti Mining Oy (AASM), Anglo American’s local subsidiary operating in Sodankylä, Finland. The Sakatti deposit is located in Finnish Lapland 15 km north of the municipality centre of Sodankylä. The deposit is a unique, poly-metallic deposit that contains seven payable metals, including copper, nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium, gold, and silver. The estimated annual ore extraction volume is approximately 1.25–2.2 million tonnes. The planned mine targets the production of two concentrates, a high-grade copper and a high-grade nickel concentrate.
The Sakatti deposit is situated on the western edge of the Viiankiaapa Natura 2000 area and peatland protection area, deep beneath Viiankiaapa. The factory area will be located in Kuusivaara. A new access road is needed for the mining area. The mine will be connected to the national grid with a new 25 km long 110 kV power line on the west side of Kitinen. The concentrate will be transported by road to the port of Kemi or Oulu.
The project planning is subject to the Environmental Impact Assessment Procedure Act (EIA Act, 252/2017). The Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA Report) presents information about the project, its alternatives, and an assessment of the likely significant environmental impacts. The justified conclusion from the contact authority regarding the Sakatti polymetallic deposit mining project in Sodankylä is available here: Sakatin monimetalliesiintymän kaivoshanke, Sodankylä. The updated Natura assessment for the project was completed in February 2025.
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| Community Relationships | Environment | Safety |
Anglo American has been conducting mineral exploration in Finland since 2004. The exploration permit areas are mainly located north of the Sodankylä village center and fall within the territories of two reindeer herding cooperatives (Sattasniemi and Oraniemi). The exploration areas are being investigated for nickel, copper, and platinum group elements (Ni-Cu-PGE).
The most common exploration methods include bedrock mapping, diamond drilling, geological grab and soil sampling, geophysical surveys, and Base of Till Sampling (BOT).
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| Location in a nature reserve* | ||
| Voluntary environmental management system ** | ||
| Environmental risk assessment carried out |
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| Staff initiative system | ||
| Performance appraisals concerning the entire personnel | ||
| Staff training plan | ||
| Equality plan | ||
| Employee representation in company administration | ||
| Occupational health and safety management system* | ||
| Occupational safety card for everyone working in the area |
Exploration activities have been carried out in the areas of reindeer herding cooperatives Oraniemi and Sattasniemi. Intensive and open discussion is held with the local reindeer herders to integrate reindeer herding and exploration activities. In all of a season’s operations reindeer herding and the land use from the viewpoint of reindeer herding is taken into account.
As a part of important baseline studies related to reindeer herding in the Sakatti project area, GPS-collars have been provided to Sattasniemi and Oraniemi reindeer owners’ association for monitoring of the reindeer movements and herding habits. The gained data has been used in the Sakatti mining project’s EIA and regional planning processes, along with other design work. A separate investigation into reindeer husbandry has been produced as a part of the EIA process, which can be read at: LAPPI_Liite_20_Porotalousselvitys.pdf (ymparisto.fi)
According to the assessment of the company its operations have no negative impacts on other livelihoods. Continuous stakeholder discussion and variety of co-operative work is done with the key stakeholders of the project, e.g. with the municipality of Sodankylä, local residents, reindeer herding cooperatives, landowners and environmental organizations.
In the social impact assessment (SIA) of Sakatti project the social impacts to all the stakeholder groups have been identified and addressed. SIA is available at: Sakatin monimetalliesiintymän kaivoshanke – Sosiaalisten vaikutusten arviointi (ymparisto.fi)
According to the company’s Environmental and Social Impact assessments, the impacts on the recreational use of the area are limited, since the exploration activities are mainly carried out during winter.
In Viiankiaapa where the possible mining activities would happen underground, the effects on the utilization of the area for forestry and agriculture or for the recreational use of the nature conservation area, are minimal. During operations the utilization of the area in the immediate proximity to the industrial site will be limited, such as recreational use and forestry. The impacts of the planned mining project on the recreational use of the nearby area have been inspected more closely in the EIA and SIA reports.
According to the company’s assessment, its operations have minimal impact on the landscape value of the surrounding area. The impacts are mainly the red-painted wooden stakes used to mark the drill holes, which are visible at close range in the terrain. The assessment of the mining project’s impacts on landscape values has been detailed in the EIA of the Sakatti project and can be found on the company’s website. Read more: https://www.ymparisto.fi/sites/default/files/documents/LAPPI_Liite_7_Sakatti_maisema_ja_kulttuuriymparistoselvitys.pdf
Local landowners, reindeer herders, residents, and other key stakeholders are informed about planned mineral exploration activities and other fieldwork before the work begins. In addition to written notifications, local events are organized where, for example, the exploration areas and planned activities with their schedules are presented in more detail. These events provide the public with an opportunity to participate in discussions, ask questions, and receive answers from experts. The company organizes these events in a hybrid format, allowing broader participation from the audience.
Stakeholder engagement:
REDU Edu, Responsibility Training for the Mining Industry -online course, 2 ECTS. Available: https://www.varmanatoihin.fi/vastuullisuuskoulutus
