Natura derogation process related to the Sakatti Project progresses with requests for additional information
16 October, 2026
Today, 16 October 2026, the Ministry of the Environment requested that the Regional Council of Lapland supplement the Natura derogation application related to the phased regional land-use plan proposal for the Sakatti Project.
The Ministry of the Environment has submitted a request for additional information to the Regional Council of Lapland, related to the Natura derogation procedure for the Sakatti Project. The request concerns the plan for compensatory measures to offset adverse impacts on the natural values of the Viiankiaapa Natura 2000 site, as well as information regarding the project's importance from the perspective of imperative reasons of overriding public interest (IROPI).
The supplementary information must address the shortcomings identified in the statements issued by the Finnish Licensing and Supervisory Authority and Metsähallitus, as well as the request for additional information from the European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment.
“We will carefully review the request for additional information and provide the necessary information to supplement the Natura derogation application. We will continue our constructive dialogue with authorities and decision-makers in the same way as we have done throughout the process so far,” says Pertti Lamberg, CEO of Anglo American’s Finnish subsidiary.
The request for additional information forms part of the official processing of the Natura derogation application. The Ministry of the Environment has set a deadline of 31 January 2027 for submitting the supplementary information.
For further information:
Pertti Lamberg, Country CEO – Finland, Anglo American's Finnish subsidiary
Tel. +358 40 128 3988, email: [email protected]
Joanna Kuntonen-van ’t Riet, Corporate Affairs and Communication, Anglo American's Finnish subsidiary
Tel. +358 40 160 2960, email: [email protected]
Background information on the Sakatti Project
The Sakatti Project involves plans for an underground multi-metal mine north of Sodankylä. The metals to be produced by the mine, particularly copper and nickel, are essential for the energy transition, the electrification of society, and for strengthening Europe's and Finland's mineral self-sufficiency.
In 2025, the project was granted Strategic Project status under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) by the European Commission. The project is currently undergoing the Natura derogation procedure, which assesses the project's impacts on the Natura 2000 site, the proposed measures to compensate for impacts on nature, and the project's significance from the perspective of imperative reasons of overriding public interest.