MINING SECTOR 2021
INTERVIEW
H.E. JAN LUNDIN, SWEDISH AMBASSADOR TO SERBIA
Mining Can Be
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY With great natural resources, Serbia has the potential to grow a strong and sustainable mining industry. Sweden and the EU remain open to collaboration with Serbia in ensuring that, together, we enable better prerequisites for good new mining projects.
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wedish technological knowhow and a firm policy in addressing global climate emissions can serve as a valuable example to Serbia in developing a sustainable mining industry, says H.E. Jan Lundin, Swedish Ambassador to Serbia. Given that Sweden is the EU’s leading nation for mining and minerals, we spoke with Ambassador Lundin about the pros and cons of having a developed mining industry. Confirming that Sweden is indeed Europe’s leading mining nation, accounting for 91% of iron production throughout the continent, Ambassador Lundin adds: “we are also one of the largest suppliers of lead, zinc, copper, silver and gold within our continent. Therefore, with regard 18
to pros, I can say that the mining and mineral industry has been of great importance to Sweden’s prosperity for almost a thousand years”. This industry has been contributing around three per cent to Sweden’s GDP annually over the last several years, which translates to billions of euros annually. The industry also provides over 15,000 jobs in the country, while the goal is to triple mining production in the second half of this decade, creating close to 50,000 new jobs in the process. Other benefits include a high level of technological and innovative progress, resulting in efficient, sustainable and environmentally friendly mining processes. “Speaking of the cons, growing global demand for metals and minerals
