Finland to Launch Europe's Only Uranium Recovery Facility

The unique project is touted as a move to make Finland one of the world’s uranium producers, as well as to strengthen the EU’s energy independence and self-sufficiency at a time when it is suffering a self-inflicted energy crisis due to Ukraine war.

Terrafame, a Finnish mining and chemicals company headquartered in Sotkamo town, has announced plans to start recovering natural uranium as a by-product of mined zinc and nickel by the summer of 2024, which will make it the only such facility in Europe.

The production process will employ the low concentrations of natural uranium found in locally mined ore. 

Terrafame already has a ready-built uranium recovery plant and is now preparing it for operational use. 

The facility was largely built by the previous owner of the mine, Talvivaara Mining Company, which planned to mine uranium, but it was declared bankrupt in 2014. In total, the launch will require investment of approximately 20Mln euros ($21Mln). 

After the start-up phase, the recovery plant is projected to reach full capacity by 2026, producing approximately 200 tons per year, and employing about 40 people.

The uranium recovered by Terrafame will be sent abroad for further processing, after which it will be used to produce nuclear energy. Terrafame sees the implementation of this project as a move to make Finland one of world’s uranium producers, as well as to boost the EU’s energy independence and self-sufficiency.