Sweden will officially lift its uranium mining ban on January 1, 2026, marking a major policy reversal aimed at strengthening energy security and supporting its low-carbon transition strategy. The decision, driven by the center-right coalition government that came to power in 2022, is rooted in Sweden’s renewed commitment to nuclear power, which currently provides about 20% of the country’s electricity.
Until now, uranium mined as a by-product was treated as waste, a policy the government said undermined energy independence at a time of rising global competition for nuclear fuel. With the ban lifted, companies will be able to apply for uranium exploration and mining permits under rules aligned with other mineral projects.
Sweden’s uranium resources include the vast Viken deposit, considered one of the largest undeveloped uranium resources in the world, alongside other historically explored occurrences. The alum shale formations at Viken contain not only uranium but also vanadium, molybdenum, nickel, zinc, copper, potash, and phosphate, creating the potential for large-scale polymetallic mining.
Open-pit and hybrid mining methods are being evaluated, with environmental safeguards such as dry-stack tailings and progressive reclamation central to future operations. Still, challenges remain, particularly the metallurgical complexity of processing fine-grained shale deposits. Advances in modern geophysics and processing, however, have improved prospects compared to earlier attempts.
Officials and industry analysts say the move positions Sweden to play a key role in European energy security. Currently reliant on imports, Sweden’s uranium development could reduce dependence on suppliers such as Kazakhstan, Canada, and Australia while bolstering EU efforts under the Critical Raw Materials Act to secure strategic resources.
The economic benefits could include regional job creation, skills development, and the establishment of value-added processing industries. Yet public acceptance, strict environmental oversight, and a lengthy regulatory process mean commercial production is still several years away.
The policy shift reflects a broader global nuclear renaissance, with more than 60 new reactors under construction worldwide. Sweden’s uranium mining revival signals both a commitment to net-zero goals and a recognition of the strategic importance of critical minerals in today’s geopolitical landscape.
