Green light for crucial Swedish quarry

Heidelberg Materials granted four-year quarry permit at Slite cement plant on island of Gotland

THE Swedish Land and Environmental Court has granted Cementa, a subsidiary of Heidelberg Materials, a four-year permit to continue quarrying operations in Slite on the Swedish island of Gotland.

Following completion of the appeal period, the court’s ruling of 13 December 2022 became final on 5 January. The permit can be used immediately.

Heidelberg Materials welcomed the decision, saying the permit is crucial for securing Sweden’s security of cement supply for the next four years, until a long-term quarry permit is in place.

The cement plant in Slite is of major importance for the Swedish construction industry as up to three-quarters of the cement used for concrete production in Sweden are currently produced at this plant.

The Slite cement plant is also the location of Heidelberg Materials’ Slite CCS project, one of Sweden’s largest climate transition initiatives. The breakthrough project supports Sweden’s ambitious carbon emission reduction goals.

The CCS installation is scheduled to commence operations in 2030 and will be scaled to capture up to 1.8 million tonnes of CO2 annually, equating to some 3% of the country’s total emissions. Preparations for the project have already started.