New discovieries of critical raw materials during SGU mapping in northeastern Småland
In 2023, SGU launched a mapping project in northeastern Småland and southestern Östergötland counties. Chemical analyses confirm previously known critical raw material occurrences, including rare earth elements, copper, phosphate, and uranium, and in some cases highlight new, previously unknown occurrences. The collected information is continuously made available through SGU’s products for bedrock data.
The mapping project aims to map and sample the bedrock in the area, with special focus on critical and strategic raw materials, and to gain understanding of how and when these deposits were formed. The project is divided into three subareas; Skrikerum, Västervik, and Åtvidaberg.
Subproject Skrikerum started in 2023 and fieldworks were concluded during 2024. Results are now processed, interpreted and summarized in an SGU-report, which preliminary will be published in Autumn 2025. Overall, geological information was documented at 83 outcrops, 35 samples were collected for geochemical analysis, and 78 samples were collected for petrophysical analysis. Magnetometry measurements were made over a total of 24 km of ground profiles.
– Several of the historical mines in the area are shown to contain elevated or anomalous concentrations of critical and strategic raw materials, including chromium, nickel, rare earth elements, copper and cobalt, states Alexander Lewerentz, senior geologist and project manager.
Subproject Västervik started in Spring 2024. Initially, most of the historical mines in the area were sampled for geochemical analysis. Bedrock mapping was conducted between June and September, during which a total of 839 outcrops were visited and documented for geological information. A total of 74 samples were collected for geochemical analysis, 77 samples for petrophysical analysis, and five samples for radiometric dating. Geophysical measurements were conducted at 50 locations (magnetic susceptibility and gamma spectrometry).
– Sampling and geochemical analysis confirms the known rare earth element occurrences near Olserum, but also reveals a previously unknown occurrence at Öbälen, ca 40 km south of Olsreum, with 14.5% REE+Y. In addition, high, elevated or anomalous concentrations of, among others, phosphate, thorium, copper, titanium, manganese, uranium, zirconium, vanadium, and chromium were found in material from the samples mineral occurrences, continues Alexander Lewerentz.
Subproject Åtvidaberg is still under preparation and fieldwork will commence here at earliest in 2025. Like the other subprojects, the aim here is to map and sample known mineral occurrences and the surrounding bedrock with special focus on critical and strategic raw materials.
Read more about the mapping project in northeastern Småland and southestern Östergötland
Last reviewed 2025-01-10