Building Europe’s future raw materials ecosystem
Sokli More than a Mine Veturi R&D programme is transforming the Sokli mineral deposit in Finnish Lapland into a leading R&D and demonstration platform for critical raw materials. More than a mine is a 75-million-euro R&D programme supported by Business Finland.
Through international cooperation of best-in-class companies, we seek to build the technologies, partnerships, and value chains Europe needs to secure its strategic autonomy. Our goal is to develop a globally competitive cluster and drive sustainable best practices for the entire mining value chain.
Collaborative ecosystem is key success factor
- A Business Finland supported initiative with an estimated total project cost of EUR 75 million.
- Extensive expert ecosystem of industry, start-ups, SME’s, universities, and research institutions.
- Open invitation for partners to co-create sustainable solutions and expertise within a dynamic innovation hub.
“The future mine is more than a mine – it’s a hub of clean energy, innovation, and circular value.”
Sokli: the backbone of Europe’s most essential industries
Strategic autonomy for Europe
Sokli will supply the phosphate, rare earth elements, and niobium that are critical to Europe's food production, clean energy, and low-carbon mobility. From a single, secure source inside the EU.
A once-in-a-generation resource base
The Sokli deposit holds enough phosphate for 6 million EV batteries and Rare Earth Elements for 1 500 wind turbines per year, a scale unmatched in Europe.
A catalyst for sustainable prosperity
By building clean, resilient, and fully European value chains, Sokli strengthens regional economies, creates high-skilled jobs in Lapland, and sets new standards for responsible mining.
Value beyond the mine
The More than a mine project will pilot next-generation mining and processing technologies and extend the value chain into high-demand areas like EV battery chemicals and permanent magnets for wind turbines.
The programme is built around six interconnected work packages. This is how we're turning a mineral deposit into a complete industrial ecosystem.
- Battery value chain expansion
Creates a domestic Sokli-to-LFP pathway strengthening Finland’s battery value chain, de-risking investments, and delivering battery-grade purity through accelerated processing R&D.
- Permanent magnet value chain creation
Develops MREC-ready REE routes, connects key deposits and partners, and delivers the core R&D needed to support REE magnet facility investments to Finland.
- Side-stream utilisation
Reduces waste, creates new products and revenue streams, meets high sustainability standards through products like vermiculite-based water chemicals and iron-based materials.
- R&D&I knowledge and infrastructure upgrade
Upgrades and expands Finland’s mineral-processing R&D infrastructure to enable lab-to-pilot scaling, reduces technical and cost barriers, and maps national gaps as partners grow their capabilities.
- Superior sustainability & water management
Sokli will drive climate-neutral, low-impact mining by advancing electrification, water management, process-water recycling, and modern tailings solutions, helping Finland meet the EU’s environmental targets. The results of “More than a Mine” can be replicated across Finland and Europe, setting a new standard for sustainable mining.
- Mineral sector renewal
More than a Mine is a multi-mineral, low-carbon, digitally enabled operation that sets a new standard for efficient, responsible mining, towards the first carbon-neutral mine with ESG leadership and strong downstream links.
More than a Mine Roadmap
More than a Mine program includes activities led by Sokli and activities led by the ecosystem partners. By 2030, the program has resulted in a leading global hub for critical raw materials extraction, processing and use.
Join us
More than a Mine is built on partnership. If you want to partner in developing cutting-edge technologies and securing Europe’s raw material future, contact us.
- Pasi Heino
Acting CEO, Sokli Oy
pasi.heino@mineralsgroup.fi
+358 50 553 5032
- Teo Lehto
Development Manager, More than a Mine project
teo.lehto@mineralsgroup.fi
+358 40 578 8184
- Jani Adolfsson-Tallqvist
Business Development Manager
jani.adolfsson@mineralsgroup.fi
+358 40 821 7156
