Following a series of seismic events at the Garpenberg mine in Hedemora, Boliden announced that large parts of the mine will remain closed throughout 2026. The company expects to lose 70 percent of planned production and incur a 400 million kronor loss in the first quarter.
On March 14, a powerful quake struck the Garpenberg mine in Hedemora municipality, causing a collapse. Four people were hospitalized, and subsequent quakes led to unusually high seismic activity. Boliden announced on March 26 that parts of the mine are so damaged that production cannot resume there through the rest of 2026. Mining in one of the mine's three ore bodies will be halted entirely this year, accounting for 70 percent of the production plan, according to communications chief Klas Nilsson. “It is 70 percent that has fallen away from our production plan, so it is a significant reduction. Production at Garpenberg this year will be affected,” he told SVT Nyheter. The stoppage has cost 400 million kronor in the first quarter. “It is a noticeable figure but the important thing is that we keep our eyes on the long-term goal. There is a lot of ore left in the ground,” Nilsson added. Some production can resume in other parts during the second quarter after inspections and renovations. Boliden's stock plunged sharply on the Stockholm Stock Exchange on March 26, marking its worst day since 2001 with 33 billion kronor in market value lost. The mine, Sweden's oldest still in operation since the 13th century, employs about 500 people and extracts ore containing zinc, copper, lead, gold, and silver. In 2025, it produced 3.6 million tons of ore.
