Norway's Fensfeltet Rare-Earth Project Faces Biodiversity Clash

A major rare-earth deposit at Fensfeltet, near Ulefoss southwest of Oslo, has rekindled tensions between strategic mineral security and biodiversity protection.
The site holds an estimated 8.8 million tonnes of rare earths—elements used in high-strength magnets for electric vehicles, electronics and defence systems—and comes as the EU seeks to cut reliance on one dominant supplier by extracting at least 10% of its needs domestically by 2030.
Developers at Rare Earths Norway propose an "invisible mine" using underground extraction, in-mine crushing and reinjection of large portions of tailings to reduce surface impact, with mineral handling at a nearby processing park. That above-ground park, reached by an underground conveyor, sits under scrutiny: environmental surveys found 78 species on Norway’s red list in the proposed area, including saproxylic beetles, wych elm and common ash, dozens of fungi species and sensitive mosses. The county governor formally opposed the location, and concerns were raised about disposing waste rock within a protected water system.
Plans have been delayed toward the early 2030s while alternate sites are assessed. Local leaders stress jobs and demographic revival, calling the project a “lesser of two evils,” while NGOs urge a cautious, lower-impact timetable. The debate underscores the trade-offs between securing critical supply chains and safeguarding fragile ecosystems.