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Swedish court grants 30-year permit to Gotland Cement Works

The court in Sweden granted permission to Heidelberg Materials Cement on Wednesday for it to continue mining the limestone at its quarry located on the island Gotland. This secures the future of this plant, which supplies 75% of all the cement produced in the country.

A court in 2021 rejected an extension of the quarrying on the Slite site. This led to warnings about cement rationing, and the loss of jobs across the construction industry.

Slite's future was still in doubt, but the government reversed the court decision. The company received a four-year concession for 2022.

The firm has been granted a 30-year license to quarry by the court's ruling of Wednesday.

The permit will ensure a reliable supply of cement for the Swedish construction industry for many years, Karin Comstedt Webb said in a press release.

Heidelberg Materials is planning one of Europe's largest carbon capture and storage facility at Slite. It says that this will reduce Sweden's CO2 emissions by 4% once it becomes operational in 2030.

According to the Global Cement and Concrete Association, the cement industry accounts for approximately 7% of CO2 emissions worldwide.

The Civil Contingencies Agency of Sweden designated the Gotland nuclear plant as a national concern in 2022 due to its importance in Sweden's overall security. (Reporting and editing by Niklas pollard; reporting by Simon Johnson)

(source: Reuters)