The Finnish company Terraframe has launched uranium mining activities at its industrial site in Sotkamo, located in central Finland, marking the country’s debut in uranium production. Before starting uranium recovery, the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) carried out a thorough commissioning inspection at the uranium recovery plant. The inspection confirmed that the plant meets safety standards and can begin operations. Terraframe anticipates that the plant will achieve full operational capacity by 2026, with an estimated annual uranium output of approximately 200 tons.
In 2020, the Finnish Government granted Terraframe a uranium recovery permit under the Nuclear Energy Act. This permit authorizes the company to extract uranium from the ore at the Sotkamo mine.
Finland’s uranium resources are estimated to be around 1,200 tons as of the end of 2023. Prior to Terraframe’s initiative, only two other European Union countries were involved in uranium production: Czechia and Hungary, producing 36 tons and 3 tons respectively in 2023.