On 24 September Scandinavian Ocean Minerals was granted a permit by the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU), the authority for matters concerning bedrock, soil and groundwater in Sweden, to expand its surveys of mineral deposits in the Bothnian Bay.
Scandinavian Ocean Minerals was founded in 2020 and wants to contribute to industry’s need for the green transition by harvesting mineral-rich manganese nodules from the seabed. Last year the company was granted exploration permits for two areas in the Bothnian Bay. The decision by SGU on 24 September means the company is permitted to carry out surveys in two further areas in the Bothnian Bay, 75 kilometres east of Skelleftea.
“This is a milestone that gives us the opportunity to collect the data required to move forward in our ambition to help industry with the green transition,” says Peter Lindberg, CEO of Scandinavian Ocean Minerals.
The mineral-rich manganese nodules will play an important role for Sweden and the EU in reducing import dependence on innovation-critical minerals and metals. Estimates indicate that there are around 20 million tonnes of manganese nodules on the seabed in the Bothnian Bay.
In October Scandinavian Ocean Minerals will spend two weeks on a previously planned expedition in the Bothnian Bay for sampling carried out in collaboration with Sweco. In parallel with the company’s own surveys, researchers at Stockholm University are conducting an independent research project to build more knowledge about the living environment in the Bothnian Bay.
“The climate challenge, electrification, the security policy situation and the green revolution in industry all create high demand for the minerals we can offer. Our technology is moreover developed to harvest nodules in an environmentally friendly way, which is a precondition for being able to recover the manganese nodules,” says Peter Lindberg, CEO of Scandinavian Ocean Minerals.
