Nickel deposits of Finland
Encyclopedia
The Finnish nickel
deposits were found in the Petsamo
area near the Barents Sea
. Until the Paris Peace Treaties, 1947
, this was the northernmost part of Finland
. In 1934 it was estimated that the deposits contained over five million tons of nickel. In 1935, Canadian
and French
corporations began mining operations there.
The nickel deposits were a lesser known reason for Allied
and German
interest in the area during World War II
, as potentially of great importance for production of arms and munitions. Both the planned Franco-British support of Finland in the Winter War
, and German occupation of Denmark
and Norway
(Operation Weserübung
) were partly motivated by control of the nickel mines.
During the period between the Winter War and the German invasion
of the Soviet Union
in 1941, there were disputes between Finland and the Soviet Union over mining rights in Petsamo. Finland refused to allow the Soviet Union to mine nickel in Petsamo. This was one of the causes of hostility between the Soviet Union and Finland, which led to the Continuation War
. As part of the German invasion, troops from Norway occupied the Petsamo region in 1941, securing the nickel supply.
The Continuation War ended in September 1944, with Finland's capitulation. Finland ceded Petsamo to the Soviet Union. All subsequent nickel production there has been under Soviet or Russia
n authority.
For the geology
of Finnish nickel deposits see,
All of these deposits were mined by Outokumpu
.
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
deposits were found in the Petsamo
Pechengsky District
Pechengsky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the five in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It is located to the northwest of the Kola Peninsula on the coast of the Barents Sea and borders with Finland in the south and southwest and with Norway in the west, northwest, and north...
area near the Barents Sea
Barents Sea
The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents...
. Until the Paris Peace Treaties, 1947
Paris Peace Treaties, 1947
The Paris Peace Conference resulted in the Paris Peace Treaties signed on February 10, 1947. The victorious wartime Allied powers negotiated the details of treaties with Italy, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Finland .The...
, this was the northernmost part of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. In 1934 it was estimated that the deposits contained over five million tons of nickel. In 1935, Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
corporations began mining operations there.
The nickel deposits were a lesser known reason for Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
and German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
interest in the area during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, as potentially of great importance for production of arms and munitions. Both the planned Franco-British support of Finland in the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
, and German occupation of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
(Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
) were partly motivated by control of the nickel mines.
During the period between the Winter War and the German invasion
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1941, there were disputes between Finland and the Soviet Union over mining rights in Petsamo. Finland refused to allow the Soviet Union to mine nickel in Petsamo. This was one of the causes of hostility between the Soviet Union and Finland, which led to the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
. As part of the German invasion, troops from Norway occupied the Petsamo region in 1941, securing the nickel supply.
The Continuation War ended in September 1944, with Finland's capitulation. Finland ceded Petsamo to the Soviet Union. All subsequent nickel production there has been under Soviet or Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n authority.
For the geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
of Finnish nickel deposits see,
- Genesis of nickel oresOre genesisThe various theories of ore genesis explain how the various types of mineral deposits form within the Earth's crust. Ore genesis theories are very dependent on the mineral or commodity....
- Ultramafic intrusions
Deposits mined later
In more recent years, several small nickel deposits have been mined in other parts of Finland.- The Stormi mine in VammalaVammalaVammala is a former town and municipality of southwestern Finland, chartered in 1907.On 1 January 2009 Vammala was consolidated with the municipalities of Mouhijärvi and Äetsä, to form a new city named Sastamala.-Geography:...
was mined from 1960 to 1969. - The Kotalahti mine in Leppävirta was mined from 1954 to 1987.
- The Enonkoski mine in EnonkoskiEnonkoskiEnonkoski is a municipality of Finland. It is located about north of Savonlinna in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Southern Savonia region.-History:...
was mined from 1984 to 1994.
All of these deposits were mined by Outokumpu
Outokumpu
Outokumpu is a group of companies headquartered in Espoo, Finland, aimed at stainless steel. The company has approx. 8 000 employees in about 30 different countries worldwide...
.
- The Hitura mine in NivalaNivalaNivala is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Northern Ostrobothnia region. The town has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water...
was operational in 2009. - The TalvivaaraTalvivaara Mining CompanyTalvivaara Mining Company plc is a Finnish-based nickel mining business operating in Finland. Listed on the London and Helsinki Stock Exchanges, the company is a constituent of the FTSE 250 and OMXH25 indices.-History:...
mine in SotkamoSotkamoSotkamo is a municipality of Finland, located in the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .Vuokatti, west of Sotkamo, is a popular skiing resort...
was to commence operations in late 2008.