2 June, 2026

Finland vs Sweden: Mineral Exploration Permitting

In May 2026, Mathias Forss, Founder and President of GeoPool, gave a presentation at an information meeting organised by GTK (Geological Survey of Finland) and Tukes (Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency) in Rovaniemi, Finland. The talk compared the mineral exploration permitting processes in Finland and Sweden. 

In Sweden, permit costs are lower and decisions are generally faster, but possible constraints and restrictions may emerge later in the process. This can make scheduling and day-to-day exploration work more difficult.

By contrast, in Finland, permit fees are higher, with 90% of the fees going to landowners. However, key obstacles and restrictions are typically defined earlier in the process, which supports predictability and practical fieldwork scheduling.

You can watch a separately recorded version of the presentation below.