Nickel deposit Lappvattnet-Mjövattnet near Skellefteå designated national interest

The Sveriges geologiska undersökning (SGU) has designated the Lappvattnet-Mjövattnet nickel occurrence as a national interest (riksintresse).

• Designation and scope: SGU decided on 1 December 2025 to designate the Lappvattnet-Mjövattnet area (~288 hectares) in Skellefteå kommun, Västerbottens län as a riksintresse for its known nickel occurrences; the area also shows elevated copper levels and partially overlaps with riksintressen for rennäring (reindeer herding) and aviation.
• Background and criteria: The deposit was first identified in the 1970s, has been investigated intermittently by various companies using multiple methods, and SGU (via the unit Mineralinformation och gruvnäring) states the site meets all criteria for riksintresse; SGU notes nickel is not currently mined in Sweden and production in the EU is low, giving the area strategic importance for electrification and preparedness.