Did you know that in Swedish Lapland lies the largest and most modern underground iron ore mine in the world?

What makes Kiruna exceptional?

• Extreme parameters: The deposit is 4 km long, 80–120 meters thick, and extends to a depth of more than 2 km. The main transport level today is located at a depth of up to 1,500 meters.

• Mining: 85,000 tons of iron ore—pure magnetite—are extracted daily, which after processing into pellets equals the amount of iron needed for 6.5 Eiffel Towers. Every day, two fully loaded 750-meter-long trains depart for the port of Narvik. This deposit accounts for 80% of Europe’s total production. The iron content in the ore reaches up to 61%.

• A geodetic challenge of the century: Due to ground subsidence caused by mining, the entire city center of Kiruna is being relocated! This is an unprecedented project where precise measurements and deformation monitoring determine the safety of thousands of people.

• Modern and eco-friendly mining: Phone and mobile signal even in the deepest tunnels, modern dining facilities, a restaurant, and coffee for miners at a depth of 1,300 meters. At a depth of 600 meters, there is also a museum of both modern and historical mining, accessible by a tour bus.

• Autonomy and AI: The mine uses fully electric trains and autonomous systems for blasting and ore transport, controlled by artificial intelligence.

• Towards Zero Emission: The goal of LKAB is to achieve completely emission-free mining by 2030 through electrification and hydrogen technologies.

• Circular economy: Waste heat from the mine is planned to be used for heating the new city.

Kiruna is not just about iron. It is proof that even heavy industry can be “smart” and environmentally responsible when equipped with cutting-edge technology and precise data.

Interesting fact: In May 2020, during nighttime hours, the mine was hit by an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.1 on the Richter scale. Fortunately, the collapses did not result in any loss of life.

We would like to thank LKAB and Bergteamet s.r.o. for the opportunity to see everything in person. We are proud that graduates of our program have found employment in the mining surveying profession even in such locations.

The photographic documentation of the mine presented here comes from publicly available sources due to their security policy.