Nov 3 2010
Northland Resources S.A. (TSX:NAU)(FRANKFURT:NBS)(OSLO:NAUR) has announced that the Geological Survey of Sweden, the central government agency responsible for questions relating to soil, bedrock and groundwater in Sweden and also the parent authority to the Swedish Mining Inspectorate, has appointed Northland's iron ore deposits: Tapuli, Sahavaara, and Pellivuoma as being of "national interest" for mineral production, according to Chapter 3 in the Swedish Environmental Code.
The SGU regards the deposits as well-documented and holding resources that have a good potential for mining. The deposits could also be an important source of raw materials both for Sweden and Europe.
Northland has already received mining concessions for both Tapuli and Sahavaara, and a comprehensive environmental permit for the Tapuli mine and the Kaunisvaara mill. An application for the environmental permit for the Sahavaara mine will be filed shortly. An application for an exploitation concession for the Pellivuoma deposit is planned to be filed with the Mining Inspectorate during 2011.
The designation of the deposits as being of "national interest" strengthens Northland's upcoming applications for environmental permits and exploitation concessions. In the application processes, various national interests shall be balanced against others. The "national interest" for mineral production is now on the same priority level as the "national interest" such as there is for nature conservation, Natura 2000, and reindeer herding.