LKAB reduces production volumes in Kiruna
Production conditions in the Kiruna mine mean that LKAB is implementing changes to ensure long‑term operations and delivery capacity. One of the pellet plants will be temporarily shut down from mid-April, with production expected to remain halted until November. This will result in a reduction in deliveries of approximately two million tonnes.
“Changing local rock mechanical conditions mean that we need to adjust the mining sequence. As a result, we will temporarily reduce production in the mine, which in turn will decrease volumes to the pellet plants during this period. Through these measures, we are taking responsibility to ensure safe and stable operations going forward, and we expect to return to production volumes in line with the previous year as early as 2027,” says Peter Richardson, SVP for Business Area Iron Ore at LKAB.
The lower volumes mean that one pellet plant (KK3) will be temporarily shut down. Delivery disruptions to the Middle East have influenced the choice of plant, as the majority of the products delivered to customers in the region are processed in KK3. The reduction in deliveries of finished products in 2026 is estimated at approximately two million tonnes.
“We do not expect this to affect any of our existing customers outside the Strait of Hormuz. We have customers who, since the outbreak of the war, have been unable to receive deliveries and today there is uncertainty regarding when deliveries may resume. From that perspective, too, this is the right time to implement this,” says Peter Richardson.
“We will use this period for planning and preventive maintenance of the plant. Layoffs are not being considered at this time. Instead, we will work with temporary reassignments within the company, in close dialogue with the unions and affected employees,” says Magnus Backe, Area Manager at LKAB in Kiruna.
To compensate for the reduced production volumes in Kiruna, LKAB is reviewing the possibility of using other parts of the mine.
“We are evaluating different alternatives. Our focus now is to ensure stable mining operations and secure long-term delivery capacity. We are well positioned to manage the situation in the short term and identify ways to increase production going forward,” says Peter Richardson.
For more information, please contact:
Mikko Viitala, Group Media Relations Manager, LKAB
phone: +46 10 144 81 63, e-mail: mikko.viitala@lkab.com
Media on-call service:
phone: +46 771 76 00 10, e-mail: press@lkab.com
LKAB is an international mining and minerals group that offers iron ore and mineral products. We are committed to developing carbon-free processes by 2045, leading the transformation of the iron and steel industry. We mine over 80 percent of all iron ore in the EU and since 1890 we have developed through unique innovations and technological solutions. In 2025, the group had more than 5,000 employees in 12 countries, and sales of about SEK 33 billion. lkab.com
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