Sweden is the leading miner and the major gold, silver, copper, lead and iron ore producer in the European Union.

Sweden has more than 1000 years of mining tradition, with a long history of development to the present day.

Sweden's Mining History

• 1288 – Bishop Peter of Vasteras acquired Falun mine “kopparberget”- the great copper mountain

• 1300’s – Bergslagan iron mines -“Swedish steel”

• 1347 – King Magnus issued charter to Falun mine, the oldest stock company in the world

• 1600’s – Sala silver mine -“Swedish Silver”

• 1880 – Zinkgruvan Zn Bergslagen

• 1900 – Kiruna - Malmberget iron mines, LKAB

• 1918 – Skellefte area 12monz - gold, copper , zinc, Bolden

• 1988 – Bjorkdal deposit discovered – Largest gold mine in Europe still in operation

• 2003 – Dragon Mining Australia receives approval to be first company to open 100% foreign-owned mine (Svartliden-Au) since Zinkgruvan in 1880.

Why Explore in Sweden?

Sweden is an excellent place to explore for and develop precious metal mines, including:

Attractive Fiscal Policy

• In 1992, a major revision of Swedish mining law abolished statutory State holdings in mining projects, opening the door to foreign investment, hence modern company exploration is restricted;

• Taxation incentives for project development from local and regional governments to promote employment;

• Low corporate tax rate at 28%;

• Recent approval of foreign owned mine (Dragon Mining at Svartliden, NAN at Storliden);

• Low licenses costs and good security of tenure;

• No mineral tax and less than 0.15% landowner royalties;

• Excellent access and infrastructure – roads, rail, power, villages, telecommunications;

• Per ounce production costs are low (i.e. Svartliden $158/ounce) due to good infrastructure;

• Very low political risk with few impediments to the exploration and development process;

• Stable political and economic environment

Favorable Social Setting

• Community is actively involved in exploration;

• Highly skilled workforce;

• Mining friendly.

Excellent Technical Merits

• Attractive targets of a range of styles;

• Large tracts of prospective ground unexplored by Australian/North American standards;

• Excellent technical datasets provided at low cost by SGU, including 200m line spaced magnetics;

• Considerable amount of current activity from both major and junior companies, but significant open ground still available. Those active include Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Phelps Dodge, Inmet, NAN, South Atlantic Ventures and Minmet;

• Good exploration contracting groups allow overheads to be as low as possible;

• No companies other than majors doing strong generative work to place deposits in a regional metallogenic context.