Mining Company Nussir Resumes Tunnel Work in Northern Norway
Nussir Director Øystein Rushfeldt has invited the Fiettár reindeer grazing district to a dialogue meeting about the mining in Repparfjorden. (Archive photo: Trine Jonassen)
The mining company Nussir has resumed work in the copper mine in Hammerfest, Northern Norway, after pausing it on June 16th.
Just days after the mining company Nussir (owned by the Canadian company Blue Moon Metals) set off its first blast in the copper mine in Repparfjorden in Hammerfest municipality in Northern Norway, the work was put on hold on June 16th.
The Fiettár reindeer grazing district and Young Friends of the Earth Norway (NU) questioned Nussir's permits. As a result of Nussir's desire to share information about the conditions, the tunnel work was paused.
The Director of the mining company Nussir, Øystein Rushfeldt, says to High North News that all formalities have been clarified, information has been disseminated, and the company will resume its tunnel work.
Dialogue meeting
The mining company initiated its work earlier than planned on June 12th.
NRK reports that Rushfeldt has invited the Fiettár reindeer grazing district to a dialogue meeting about the mining operations.
He also refers to a previous proposal to establish a working group that could promote proposals for projects to contribute to further positive development for the reindeer husbandry.
Marks the start of the next chapter.
"The group could be led by a professional reindeer herder who is trusted in the district and funded by Nussir," Rushfeldt writes in a press release.
Next chapter
Blue Moon Metals plans to extend the entrance to the mine by about 2,500 meters, at which point they will construct a platform for further underground exploration.
From there, the exploration will last out this year, and the technical inputs made will form the basis for final investment decisions to be made in 2026.
Christian Kargl-Simard, CEO of Blue Moon, says in a press release:
“This key milestone marks the start of the next chapter in the exciting Nussir story and brings us one step closer to putting this important critical metals mine into operation supplying Europe’s copper needs.”
NU protests against the mine and Tuesday night protesters once again entered the construction site of the Nussir mine, according to NRK. The police are present in the area. On Monday, three protesters were removed by the police. There is a traffic ban in the area.
