The Fen Complex is a mineral deposit at Ulefoss in Nome municipality in Telemark. The complex is four to five square kilometers in size, and approximately five kilometers in diameter. The geology in the area is based on a limestone volcano (Fenvulkanen) that was active 580 million years ago.
The Fen Complex is known to contain a number of interesting and unusual rocks and minerals, and has previously been the site of mining (iron and niobium). The Fen Complex may contain Europe's largest deposit of rare earths (REE).
The Fen Compelx is located just outside Ulefoss, in the municipality of Nome in Telemark.
The Fen complex has close proximity to relevant infrastructure such as roads, railways, airports and industry and ports. Among other things, Herøya industrial park is approximately 30 km away. It takes approximately 2.5 hours by car to Oslo, while the Sørlandsbanen from Lunde station has connections to Oslo and Stavanger.
On the surface, the Fen Complex has an extent of between four and five square kilometers (approximately five kilometers in diameter). The geology in the area stems from a limestone volcano (Fenvulkanen) that was active 580 million years ago, and the mineral deposit therefore extends in a cylindrical shape down into the ground. Test drilling has been done to 1,000 metres, which shows that the mineral deposits continue further down.
The area contains many rare rock types and minerals, but in the last decade rare earths in particular have been in the spotlight. The Fen Complex can be Europe's largest deposit of these metals, which are important raw materials for hi-tec, green technology and defense technology.
China is the world's largest supplier of rare earths today and Europe is completely dependent on imports.
The Fen Complex is also known to hold large quantities of the radioactive element thorium, as well as iron and niobium to name a few.
A number of companies currently holds mineral rights to various parts of the Fen Complex. Who they are and how many stakeholders there are varies somewhat over time. The two companies that, as of 2023, have progressed further in the process are REE Minerals AS and Rare Earths Norway AS. These Norwegian-owned companies currently have extraction rights to the state's minerals in their areas.
This map from the Direktoratet for mineralforvaltning shows who has rights in the Fen Comples today.
Extraction rights give them the right to apply for an operating license at a later date. The directorate's requirements for obtaining Mining rights:
"In order to obtain an extraction right, the applicant must be able to prove that he has a viable deposit of the state's minerals. Viable means e.g. whether the deposit is large enough to be interesting for a future operation, whether it is possible to develop it and whether there are markets for possible products. An extraction right can be granted if the applicant proves that the deposit can become viable within a reasonable time".
In an economic and geopolitical perspective, it is the deposit of rare earths that have the most traction today.The Fen Complex may have Europe's largest deposit of these mineral resources, but it has not been finally determined that the deposit is economically viable. Investigations and surveys are ongoing.
The Fen complex also has geological deposits of a number of other interesting minerals and metals. Some of these will come out as by-products from the extraction of rare earths, such as the radioactive substance thorium.
In 2019, Geological Advisor Sven Dahlgren had the Fen Compelex classified as an investigation area for rare earths. In the following report it is estimated that the Fen Complex contains Europe's largest deposit of REE.
It is believed that this Norwegian deposit is significantly larger than the Swedish Per Geijer-deposit owned by LKAB.
There are currently no plans for a thorium mine in the Fen Complex, but if extraction of rare earthsis started up, thorium will become one of the by-products.
Rare earth elements, REE, is a collective term for the elements scandium and yttrium in group 3 of the periodic table, as well as the 15 lanthanoids. Several of the minerals are considered critical and strategic raw materials. In particular, rare earths play an important role in the green transition, but they are widely used in many types of high-tech industry and in defense materials.
For example, rare earths are used in smartphones, PCs, electric cars, wind turbines and solar cells.
There are currently few producers of rare earths in the world, and China dominates the world market for extraction and separation. Many countries therefore fear disruptions in the supply chain. Both EU, USA and Norway work to reduce dependence on China, and reduce the vulnerability of the supply chain.
Rare earths are used in hi-tech, defense technology and green technology.
For example, rare earths are included in the production of electric motors, electric cars, wind turbines and solar cells, as well as mobile phones, digital cameras, hard drives, flat screens, TV sets, night vision goggles and stealth equipment.
The digital and the green transition are examples of major societal changes that are expected to increase the demand for rare earths.
Countries define different types of raw materials as critical, based on the countries' industrial and economic needs. Rare earths are nevertheless considered to be critical raw materials by all industrialized countries of the world.
Rare earths are considered critical because of the risks of supply chain disruptions. China is the dominant supplier on the world market. For example, the EU is 100 per cent dependent on the import of rare earths.
Norway and the EU aim to electrify the transport and industrial sectors, and to reduce CO2-emissions significantly by 2030. This green transition will increase the need for minerals, and particular growth is expected in demand for a group of metals found in the Fen Complex:
To carry out the green transition, large quantities of electric motors with powerful magnets are needed. Among other things, these magnets are made using the rare earths neodymium and praseodym.
The Fen Complex is believed to have Europe's largest deposit of rare earths, where the magnetic metals neodymium and praseodym are included.
Researchers have pointed out a great energy potential if thorium can be used in nuclear power. In such a perspective, there may be more energy in the thorium in Fen than in all known deposits of oil and gas on the North Sea.
But questions have been raised as to whether the deposit of thorium in Fen is economically viable, and there is currently no commercial use of thorium in nuclear power plants.
No, thorium and rare earths are two different raw materials, with completely different geological properties. Thorium is also not a critical or strategic raw material.
It is common to find thorium in the rock types where rare earths are found.
The Fen complex is still at an early stage of development and much is unknown. But if there is mining, with a processing plant and associated industry, jobs will be created.
The possibilities for a large and exciting industrial adventure are certainly present in the Fen Complex, but it may also happen that current investigations in the area do not result in new activity.
It is impossible to give a concrete answer to both when and if commercial mining operations can be started.
A mining company must obtain a license to start mining, and this requires a series of surveys, approvals, permits, scientific research and political processes and decisions.
First and foremost, the company must document that it has a deposit that is economically viable.
Furthermore, it is the local politicians in the municipality who decide whether it should be opened for mining, by regulating the necessary areas and creating a set of frameworks for how the business should take place.
Only when the municipality has dealt with the regulation case in accordance with the Planning and Building Act can the state process a license application and grant an operating permit.
This is an extensive process, which you can read more about here.
The extraction of minerals and processing of the ore will involve natural interventions. Such an operation will also require the management of large amounts of waste and tailings, which must either be sold as products, backfilled into the mine, or disposed of in a safe manner.
The Fen Complex is at a relatively early stage of development. Therefore, we do not have detailed knowledge about what kind of solutions may become relevant, but we know that mining at The Fen Complex will take place underground, in a closed mine.
It is Nome municipality, through the Planning and Building Act, that allocates land and determines the use of the areas required. The Planning and Building Act requires involvement and consultation of the residents in Nome.
In the spring of 2023, Minister of Trade and Industry Jan Christian Vestre (Labour Party) launched the government's mineral strategy, in which The Fen Complex and Nome municipality are mentioned several times. This is due to The Fen Complex large deposit of rare earth elements (REE). The strategy asserts the government's commitment to develop the most sustainable mineral industry globally, with a specific emphasis on critical and strategic raw materials Work is also underway on a new mineral law in Norway. Norway's mineral strategy
On March 16, 2023, the European Commission presented the Critical Raw Material Act (CRMA). In the CRMA, rare earth elements are classified as critical and strategic raw materials for Europe. The goal is a safe and sustainable supply of critical raw materials. The CRMA is also a response to the EU's 'Green Deal' - European Green Deal - which is intended to help countries achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. By 2030, emissions should be reduced by at least 55 percent. These are objectives to which Norway has also committed.
Yes, both the group of elements known as rare earth elements (REE) and niobium are considered critically important by the EU, the Nordic Council, and Norway. The group of rare earth elements stands out in this context, as they are ranked as the most critical in all industrialized countries around the world.
Critical raw materials are raw materials that:
Rare earths and niobium are also considered strategic raw materials. The concept of strategic raw materials now covers critical minerals that are strategically important for green transition, digitalisation, as well as space and defense materials.
The municipal council has resolved to oversee the mining and extraction process. The municipality will facilitate collaboration between stakeholders, the local population, and authorities for effective solutions. It also holds a managerial role in allocating areas for mining and related industries, adhering to the strict transparency, consultation, and resident involvement requirements of the Planning and Building Act. Kommunestyrets strategi-vedtak «Fensfeltet for utvikling i hele Nome» kan du lese i sin helhet her.
State-owned minerals are what were previously called 'mutbare mineraler' (concessionable minerals'). The term refers to minerals that belong to the state, even though they are located on private property State-owned minerals are defined as metals with a specific gravity of 5 grams/cm³ or higher:
The rare earth elements in the Fens Complex have a specific gravity of over 5 g/cm³ and therefore fall under the definition of state-owned minerals, but not all of them. The Fens Complex contains other minerals that are currently classified as landowner's minerals as well. Such as the phosphate mineral apatite.See NOU 2022: 8)
Fensfelet.no is owned by Nome municipality and Midt-Telemark og Nome utvikling AS (MTNU). The purpose of the website is to provide good and objective information about the Fen Complex to anyone who is interested.
