Nordkalk's Application for a New Quarry on Gotland Approved

The Swedish High Court for the Environment has approved Nordkalk's application to open a new limestone quarry in Bunge on Gotland, Sweden. The application was ruled out earlier by the Environmental Court. Nordkalk appealed to the High Court for the Environment, which gave its ruling on 9 October 2009.

Nordkalk AB's Managing Director Anders Mattsson is happy with the decision:

- The decision is good news not only to Nordkalk but to all who believe in the future of limestone industry on Gotland. We are convinced that it is possible to combine responsible quarrying with nature values, according to the demands of the environmental legislation.

As a result of the quarrying permit Nordkalk will invest 500 million SEK in Gotland, and quarrying can continue for 25 to 40 years. The present quarry is expected to be able to continue until the end of 2012, and if everything goes according to plan, the new quarry can be opened before this. The limestone from Gotland is an irreplaceable raw material for the Nordic steel industry.

The permit contains preconditions, and the matter is back in the Environmental Court for ruling on these conditions.

Further information:
Anders Mattsson, Managing Director, Nordkalk AB, +358 40 8461 428
Bertel Karlstedt, President & CEO, Nordkalk Corporation, +358 40 553 3859

Nordkalk is the leading producer of high quality limestone-based products in Northern Europe. The products are used mainly in the paper, steel and building materials industries as well as in environmental care and agriculture. The product brand is Nordkalk. The company's net sales for 2008 totalled EUR 344.9 million and profit before taxes and minority interests amounted to EUR 25.5 million. Nordkalk employs some 1,200 people and has operations at more than 30 locations e.g. in Finland, Sweden, Poland, Estonia and Russia. Nordkalk is owned by the Finnish companies Rettig Group Ltd and Ahlström Capital Oy and a group of mainly institutional investors.