WIPO magazine issue -1 - 2024 World Intellectual Property organization.
Review of mining authority on exploration and mining industry in Finland in 2016
1.
2. 31.3.2017 2
Review of mining
authority on exploration
and mining industry in
Finland in 2016
Terho Liikamaa
Head of Unit, Mining Authority
9.5.2017, Rovaniemi
3. 31.3.2017 Terho Liikamaa 3
Operating environment of mining in Finland 2016
EXPLORATION
• Fraser Institute Annual – Survey of Mining Companies 2016;
– Investment Attractiveness Index – Finland 5th globally – Finland 1st in Europe;
– Finland has ranked consistently in the top 10 in the last five surveys.
• Drilling grew by 37% in 2016 to 178 km/year.
• 2016 saw 41 companies submit exploration reports to Tukes. Companies forecast strong
growth in 2017.
MINING ACTIVITY
• Total mining investments for 2016 was 242 million euros. The increase was 54%.
• 20 companies submitted excavation reports
• The total excavation of mines grew by 31% to 117 million tons.
• The three biggest mines were Kevitsa, Siilinjärvi and Talvivaara.
• No new mines are under construction and expansions also are minor.
PERMIT PROCESSING
• THE PERMIT BACKLOG FOR EXPLORATION IS INCREASING. THE MINING AUTHORITY WILL
RECRUIT MORE PEOPLE FOR THE PERMIT HANDLING PROCESS.
17. 9.5.2017 17
Employees in the mining unit of Tukes
ROVANIEMI (9), HELSINKI (2)
ADMINISTRATION
• Terho Liikamaa, Head of Unit, M.S., process engineering
• Tuula Sääskilahti, Lawyer
• Jussi Hytönen, Technical expert, map service (M.S.) (in Helsinki)
Mining permits (2)
• Ossi Leinonen, PhD, mine technique, geology
• Maria Kivi, M.S, geology (in Helsinki)
Exploration permits (4)
• Ilkka Keskitalo, Master of Natural Resources
• Heikki Puhakka, Engineer of HPAC, energy
• Maija Viikinen, M.S, Biophysics
• Esa Tuominen, (permit processor, geologist)
Gold panning permit (1)
• Pasi Molkoselkä, Master of Natural Resources
• Katja Palo, Engineer of land survey
18. 21
Processing times of permit (an estimate to the new
application)
Permit (Mining Act) Days
Reservation notification 20
Exploration permit in forest land 120
Exploration permit in nature protection area 365
Exploration permit in Sami Homeland 730
Mining permit (EIA is not demanded) 90
Mining permit (EIA is demanded) 180
Gold panning permit in Sami Homeland 365
19. Investment Attractiveness Index 5
Policy Perception Index 4
Best Practices Mineral Potential Index 12
Geological database 15
Legal system 7
Taxation Regime 5
Uncertaintly Concerning Protected Areas 67
Uncertainty Concerning Environmental Regulations 49
Fraser Institute Annual – Survey of Mining Companies 2016 –
FINLAND number one in Europe
Canadian provinces performed better than their international counterparts for approving exploratory
permits, but a number of states in the U.S. and Australia, as well as Finland and Sweden tended
to offer more transparency in the permitting process, and explorers in these jurisdictions had
more confidence than those in Canada that they would receive their necessary permits. “Time
is money, and if permit approval times are unnecessarily long or lack transparency,
confidence plummets, overall costs increase and investors will take their money
elsewhere,” said Taylor Jackson, a senior policy analyst with the Fraser Institute and co-author of
the two studies with Green.