Mining in Sweden
Mining has long been a key element of Sweden's economy, with operations dating back to the 1400s. In 2005, Sweden ranked tenth in world iron ore production, all of it coming from the north where Northland's key projects are. Although small in area in relation to other leading mining countries, Sweden's 23 million tonnes of iron ore in 2005 equaled about 2% of world output. It is a leading supplier of iron ore to Europe, and it is also a significant producer of copper, lead and zinc.
