Norwegian mining company Nussir ASA is pursuing a copper mine on Sámi Indigenous land in northern Norway. If constructed, the mine would destroy reindeer grazing areas and disrupt Sámi traditional way of life. Additionally, Nussir’s plans to dump an estimated 2 million tonnes of mine waste into the Repparfjord each year threaten to decimate fishing grounds Sámi sea fishermen depend on by smothering habitat critical to salmon, cod, and other marine life.
Repparfjord is a protected salmon fjord that has only just recently begun to recover, economically and ecologically, from the mine waste that was dumped during a short bout of copper mining in the 1970s. Nussir’s project will be 20 times larger than the previous operation, meaning an even more devastating impact.
The representative body of the Sámi People, the Sámi Parliament of Norway, and the directly impacted Sámi rights holders, including the impacted reindeer herders, has steadfastly opposed the project, refusing to grant free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) during the government-led consultation process. Arguing that the copper mine at Repparfjord is essential for the country’s ‘green shift’, the Norwegian government still granted Nussir its final operating permits in 2019.
However, despite having a license to mine, the project has not advanced. Nussir has been unable to finance the copper mine, demonstrating the risk companies face when Indigenous Peoples’ rights are not respected. An example of the setbacks Nussir has faced was the 2021 announcement by Aurubis AG, Europe’s largest copper producer, that it was terminating its offtake agreement with Nussir over sustainability issues.
Sámi Parliament President, Silje Karine Muotka, reflects,“It isn’t a question of economics, it’s a values question, a moral question about what we want to leave future generations. In Norway we talk about the ‘green shift’ which says that environmental aspects should be taken into consideration and that we must move toward more environmentally friendly industries. I do recognize that we need materials for new technologies – so we should look for better projects that don’t harm the environment and destroy our culture.”