Description of the company
Pyhäsalmi Mine is an underground mine located in Pyhäjärvi, Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland, and owned by First Quantum Minerals Ltd. Mining operations began in 1962. Extraction of ore and the production of copper and zinc concentrates at Europe’s deepest base metal mine ended in August 2022.
After the cessation of underground mining, pyrite concentrate production continued using material recovered from the tailings storage facility. Production concluded on 28 December 2025. Customer deliveries from stockpiles and mine closure and reclamation activities will continue for several years.
For more information, visit www.pyhasalmimine.fi.
Results according to the TSM Finland Standard
| C | B | A | AA | AAA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Outreach | |||||
| Biodiversity Management | |||||
| Tailings management | |||||
| Water management | |||||
| Climate change management | |||||
| Mine closure | |||||
| Occupational health and safety | |||||
| Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) | NA |
Crisis management
| Crisis management preparedness | Internal review | Training and exercises | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crisis Management Planning – Corporate | |||
| Crisis Management Planning – Site |
Social Responsibility Report
Company in figures
- Production volume: Pyrite concentrate 444 119 t (50,8% S)
- Total mining: Blasted rock for road maintenance etc. 2 500 t in total.
- Reported one reserves: 0 t
- Reported mineral reserves: 3,3 Mt (copper 0,47%, zinc 0,29 %, sulfur 40,34 %, gold 0,4 g/t, silver 0 g/t)
- Year of commencement: 1958 (finding the ore deposit), 1962 (production)
- Expected remaining life of the mine: 0
- Mining area: 412 ha (of which owned by company 100 %)
- Number of own employees (31.12.): 56
- The main localities of the employees: Pyhäjärvi 85 %, Kärsämäki 4 %, Nivala 4 %, Oulu 4 %
- Number of permanent contractors (31.12.): 28
- Operating profit EBITDA: -3,6 million euros (Pyhäsalmi Mine Oy, Inmet Finland Oy and CLC Holdings Oy), of which -1,99 million euros Pyhäsalmi Mine Oy
- Paid capital gains tax: 0,05 million euros (Pyhäsalmi Mine Oy, Inmet Finland Oy and CLC Holdings Oy), of which 0 euros Pyhäsalmi Mine Oy
Information about prospecting
Exploration started at the area in 1957 by Outokumpu Oy. In 2004 – 2019 the explorations was executed by Pyhäsalmi Mine Oy. Since 2020, there has not been exploration.
- Number and area of reservation areas: -
- Number and area of exploration permit areas: -
- Number and area of exploration permit application: -
- Exploration permits under appeal: -
- Exploration drilling: -
Environment
| Yes | No | |
|---|---|---|
| Location in a nature reserve* | ||
| Environmental Management System ** | ||
| Environmental impact assessment required (in accordance with the EIA Act) * | ||
| Measurements for dust | ||
| Measurements for noise | ||
| Measurements for vibration | ||
| Environmental risk assessment carried out | ||
| Deviations from environmental permits *** | ||
| Closure plan for the mine | ||
| Plan for the controlled shutdown of the mine in unexpected situations |
- ** ISO 14001, not certified
- *** 1 deviation, related to water
- Environmental permit granted: kyllä
- Year of permit: 2022
- Link of permit: https://ytietopalvelu.lvv.fi/fi-FI/asia/1540161
- Guarantee in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act: 21 106 300 €
- Financial guarantee in accordance with the mining act in the mining permit area: 989 000 €
- Financial guarantee in accordance with the mining act in mineral exploration permit area: -
Key Figures
- Amount of mining waste: 211 252 t (100 % tailings)
- Utilixation of extractive waste: 5 % of tailings were used to backfill
- Fuel Consumption: 4,37 GWh (Mobile equipment on the mine site, including principal contractors' equipment)
- Other energy consumption: Electricity consumption was 22.4 GWh, of which 2,4 GWh was generated by a solar power plant located on the reclaimed tailings storage facility. The remaining electricity was sourced according to Finland's 2025 residual electricity mix: fossil fuels and peat 48.92%, nuclear power 31.28%, and renewable energy sources 19.80%. Heat consumption was 9.2 GWh, of which 47.9% was supplied through heat recovery from mine water, 48.9% from renewable energy sources, and 3.1% from fossil fuels.
- Energy consumption target: 60,3 kWh/t, toteuma 41,7 kWh/t
- CO2 emissions from the mine: 1783 tonnes CO2, 0.0027 tonnes CO2 per tonne of feed
- Water consumption: 2,8 Mm3 (of which 51 % freshwater from lake)
- Discharge of water outside the mining area: 2,28 Mm3
- Number of dams in the mining area: 3 pcs (classification 1)
- Endangered species are present in the operational area: ei
- Use of environmentally hazardous chemicals: -
- Biodiversity actions: Annual fee (€6000), which is used to manage the fishery and crab population in the catchment area of Lake Pyhäjärvi. Biodiversity has been taken into account in the landscaping plan for the planned moraine intake extraction area.
Personnel and security
| Yes | No | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| Own rescue unit |
- * ISO45001, not certified
Key Figures
- Average training days: 2 d/employee
- Sickness absences (excluding contractors): 5,41 %
- Accident frequency: 3 incidents / million working hours (incidents leading to loss of at least 1 work shift, own personnel), contractors 0 incidents.
- Shift systems in use: 1-shiftsystem, 2-shiftsystem, 3-shiftsystem, 8 hours workday system, flexible working hours, weekday system (Mo-Fr), 4:6 system (4 workdays, 6 day off).
- Share of women in the labour force: 23,2 %
Impact on the use and livelihoods of nearby areas
Impact on local livelihoods:
Economical impact of mining is significant for the town Pyhäjärvi. The mine has had a remarkable impact on the area’s economic activity and its continuity and development. With the closure of the mine, part of the basis on which the companies have built their business will also disappear. The municipality, residents of the surrounding area, landowners, local entrepreneurs and the partnership of Lake Pyhäjärvi are taken into account in the stakeholder work.
Impact on nearby recreational use:
On the southwest side of the mine there is an old moraine intake area, from which Pyhäsalmi Mine used moraine to cover one of the tailings bond at the turn of the millennium. A fitness track goes around the area. Pyhäsalmi Mine built a bird observation tower in the area in 2023.
To the west of the mine, on the shore of Lake Pyhäjärvi, there is a boat dock and a beach renovated by Pyhäsalmi Mine Oy. The area is in free use.
Impact on landscape value:
Landscape values have been taken into account in the company’s operations and closure plan. Lanscaping have been carried out during the operation, e.g. the decommissioned pond A has been covered and landscaped right after its use was ended.
A landscaping plan has been drawn up for the incoming moraine intake area in the cooperation with stakeholders. Seedlings were planted in the protection zone of the incoming moraine intake area in 2023. Vegetation control in young stands and supplementary planting were executed in 2024.
Interaction with stakeholders
Stakeholder cooperation:
- Regular meetings with representatives of the City of Pyhäjärvi and close cooperation in the Callio project, led by Kvanttikiinteistöt Oy, a company owned by the City of Pyhäjärvi, to promote the post-mining reuse and redevelopment of the mine site.
- The community advisory panel met once in 2025. The panel consists of the key stakeholders and was founded in 2021 by Pyhäsalmi Mine. The goal of the panel is to increase interaction and exchange of information between different stakeholders. In the panel, we discuss e.g. matters related to the production, mine closure and post closure projects. The panel consists of representatives of the mine, town Pyhäjärvi, Pyhäjärvi Development, Ruotanen Village Association, Pyhäjärvi Entrepreneurs’ Association, Pyhäjärvi fishing area and Partnership of Lake Pyhäjärvi and Pyhäjoki Watershed Association. The composition of the panel is not limited to those groups. The panel meets at least once a year.
- Pyhäsalmi Mine Oy cooperates with the local village association and has contributed to enabling the operation of the village house.
- Pyhäsalmi Mine Oy organizes an open stakeholder meeting at least four times a year to communicate about the current issues and to hear the stakeholders.
- Pyhäsalmi Mine Oy in cooperation with the Ruotanen Village Association maintain a permanent exhibition of the mining at the Village house. The exhibition has gathered photos and objects related to the mining from over the decades.
- Current topics are communicated on the Pyhäsalmi Mine’s website: https://www.pyhasalmimine.fi/en/
- Pyhäsalmi Mine’s annual information leaflet is distributed to local residents and other key stakeholders.
- Pyhäsalmi Mine Oy has procedures for processing stakeholder feedback. The feedback system has been communicated at stakeholder events, where feedback is also actively inquired. All feedback, including that received at stakeholder meetings, is recorded in the system and processed appropriately.
Research and cooperation projects:
- Cooperation with the town Pyhäjärvi continued under the Callio concept. Callio’s purpose is to exploit the underground mine and mining area infrastructure after the cessation of mining operations in the form of promoted projects, e.g. energy storage, solar power, data center and underground research and testing activities. The following projects were underway in 2025:
- Pumped-storage hydropower project: SENS (Sustainable Energy Solutions Sweden Holding) and Callio signed a cooperation agreement. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland extended the validity of the EUR 26.3 million grant awarded to the pumped-storage hydropower project.
- Undergorund Rescue project: the goal is to develop an underground occupational safety training, development and innovation environment
- FutureMINE-project: the goal is to find out what the future of innovations in mining technology is and their testing needs and requirements. Project period 1.1.2023 – 31.12.2025.
- Solar park project located on the closed tailings pond A. Construction in 2024, commission in 2025.
- Testing of electric mining vehicles.
- In 2018-2023, Pyhäsalmi Mine Oy participated in the HybArkt and TypArkt projects, which investigated passive hybrid treatment solutions for the extraction of nitrogen and heavy metals from arctic runoff waters. The University of Oulu continues to monitor the pilot construction located in the Pyhäsalmi Mine area until 2027.