Anglo American’s Sakatti copper and polymetallic project, situated in Finnish Lapland, has received the distinguished designation of a ‘Strategic Project’ by the European Commission under the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). This landmark recognition underscores Sakatti’s pivotal role in bolstering the EU’s security of supply for critical raw materials and ensures an expedited permitting process and streamlined development timelines for the project.
Alison Atkinson, Anglo American’s Projects & Development Director, expressed pride in the achievement, remarking, “We are delighted to be awarded Strategic Project status for Sakatti – an important milestone for this exceptional mineral deposit with a high concentration of future-enabling metals, including a primary product of copper. This aligns seamlessly with Finland’s and the EU’s critical raw materials priorities.”
The Sakatti project is poised to make a significant contribution to the EU’s ambitions of reducing reliance on external sources for critical minerals. Currently, the EU produces approximately 4% of its critical minerals but aims to increase this to 10%. Sakatti is projected to deliver an annual production of approximately 100,000 tonnes of copper equivalent metal starting in the early 2030s, addressing the growing demand for metals essential to decarbonisation, advanced technologies, and sustainable energy systems.
The Sakatti deposit was discovered in 2009, a milestone in Anglo American’s two-decade presence in Finland. Located 15 kilometres north of Sodankylä, the project is set to become one of Anglo American’s innovative FutureSmart mines—underground operations characterised by cutting-edge automation, low carbon emissions, and minimal environmental impact.
Finland’s rich natural resources, advanced processing capabilities, and robust investment in the critical minerals value chain position the country as a cornerstone in Europe’s sustainable raw materials strategy. With Sakatti’s development, Anglo American aims to further cement Finland’s role as a reliable supplier of responsibly sourced materials vital to the green energy transition and a low-carbon future.
