At the moment, the pre-feasibility study explores the project option of an underground mine, which would be executed with cut and fill and blasthole stopping methods. The central factors to be assessed in the study are the options for the mine entrance and mining, ore concentration alternatives, and finding the most suitable locations for the mine infrastructure and tailings storage area.

Anglo American is also conducting an environmental impact assessment and social impact assessment (EIA and SIA). The assessments are carried out in accordance with Finnish requirements and the performance standards of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The assessment is participatory and aims to take the views and opinions of stakeholders into consideration as comprehensively as possible. The assessment examines the social and environmental impact and acceptance for the project.

Anglo American recognizes that the Sakatti ore deposit is located under the sensitive area of the Viiankiaapa mire. The mire is protected under the Mire Conservation Program and it also belongs to the Natura 2000 network. Our aim is to plan the project so that negative impacts to biodiversity are avoided, minimized and alleviated. The possible negative impacts to biodiversity would be compensated in accordance with Finnish requirements and global best practices.

The ore deposit of the Sakatti project, found by Anglo American during the early phase of ore prospecting, is located 150 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. The deposit contains significant amounts of copper, nickel, platinum, palladium and gold, and it is one of the most significant sulfide-rich Ni-CU-PGE ore deposits in Finland and Europe in over a generation.