Norway

2024 Report

Full data release with tables here.

Norway’s geologic diversity of terranes offers a wide variety of mineral resources for exploration and development, including calcium carbonate, flake graphite, nickel, olivine, silicon, titanium minerals, and others. In 2024, Norway was known as a leading producer in the world of olivine (available information was inadequate to make reliable estimates of output) and was estimated to be the third-ranked silicon metal producer (excluding United States production), accounting for an estimated 2.5% of world production; the fourth-ranked ferrosilicon producer (excluding United States production), accounting for an estimated 3.5% of world production; and the fifth-ranked ilmenite producer, accounting for an estimated 4.6% of world production. Other mineral commodities produced included, among others, aluminum, cobalt, graphite, and mercury. The country was also the fourth-ranked exporter of natural gas, supplying approximately 3% of the global consumption. Norwegian petroleum production supplied approximately 2% of the global consumption (Production table; Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, 2023, p. 34; Geological Survey of Norway, 2025; Norwegian Petroleum, 2025; Ewing, 2026; Schnebele, 2026; Sheaffer, 2026). 

Minerals in the National Economy 

In 2024, Norway’s real gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 2.1%, and the nominal GDP was \$483.73 billion. The petroleum sector was the major industry for the Norwegian economy in terms of its share of value added, state revenue, export value, and investment. Crude petroleum and natural gas, two of Norway’s most important export commodities, accounted for 61% of the total value of the country’s exports in 2024. In 2024, there were 4,557 employees in the mining and quarrying sector (not including those employed in the extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas), which represented 0.16% of the country’s total employment, compared with 4,539 employees in 2023. In the extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas sector, there were 27,186 employees, which represented 0.96% of the total employment, compared with 26,302 employees in 2023 (Government.no, 2021; Norwegian Petroleum, 2025; Statistics Norway, 2025; World Bank, The, 2025a, b). 

Total sales of mineral raw materials, not including sales from the extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas, decreased by 1.9% to \$1.34 billion¹ (NOK14.4 billion). Sales of construction raw materials (excluding natural stone), which accounted for 51.0% of the total sales of mineral raw materials in terms of value, amounted to 81 million metric tons (Mt), which was approximately the same tonnage as in 2023, and in terms of value decreased by 1.1% to \$683.2 million (NOK7.3 billion). Sales of metallic ores, which accounted for 24% of the total sales of mineral raw materials in terms of value, decreased in tonnage by 8.6% to 2.7 Mt and in value by 1.2% to \$315.4 million (NOK3.4 billion). Sales of industrial minerals, which accounted for 17% of the total sales of mineral raw materials in terms of value, amounted to 8.1 Mt, which was approximately the same tonnage as in 2023, and in terms of value decreased by 6.7% to \$221.9 million (NOK2.4 billion). Sales of natural stone, which accounted for 8% of the total sales of mineral raw materials in terms of value, increased in tonnage by 38.9% to 1.32 Mt, whereas in value decreased by 5.9% to \$102.2 million (NOK1.1 billion). Sales of energy minerals (in Norway synonymous with coal production), which were less than 1% of the total sales of mineral raw materials in terms of value, increased in tonnage by 40.5% to 117,000 metric tons (t), and in value by 84.5% to \$17.0 million (NOK183.0 million). In terms of value, 90% of the companies accounted for 21.5% of the total \$1.34 billion (NOK14.4 billion) in sales, and 1% of the companies accounted for 40.0% of the sales (Norwegian Directorate of Mining, 2025, p. 4, 11, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 31). 

Government Policies and Programs 

Act No. 101 of June 19, 2009 (The Minerals Act), which entered into force on January 1, 2010, regulates the exploration and extraction of mineral resources and the acquisition of mining rights. Act No. 7 of March 22, 2019 (The Seabed Minerals Act), which entered into force on July 1, 2019, regulates the exploration and extraction of mineral deposits on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) (a relatively shallow area of seabed that extends from the coast of Norway). In 2020, the Government started a process to open parts of the NCS for mineral activities. On January 9, 2024, the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget) endorsed the Government's proposal to allow NCS exploration for the possible extraction of seabed minerals, making Norway the first country in the world to move forward with commercial-scale seabed mineral mining activities. The Directorate of Mining, which is under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, is responsible for administering the extraction of mineral resources. The Norwegian Mineral Industry (Norsk Bergindustri) was the trade association for the Norwegian mineral industry (Government.no, 2019, 2025a, b; Lifeinnorway.net, 2023; Norwegian Offshore Directorate, 2023a, b; Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, 2025; Norwegian Mineral Industry, 2025a, b). 

On June 21, 2023, the Government, represented by the Minister of Trade and Industry, presented the new Mineral Strategy, which would contribute to more circular business models, faster realization of new mineral projects, clearer emphasis on climate and the environment, and stronger international partnerships (Government.no, 2023). 

Production 

Data on mineral production are in the Production table (formerly table 1). 

Structure of the Mineral Industry 

Norway’s mineral industry was composed of Government and privately owned operations. Most of the companies were small businesses. In 2024, in Norway, only two companies were extracting metallic ore: Rana Gruber AS and Titania AS. Three companies had operating licenses for metallic ore mining projects: Nordic Mining ASA’s Engebo rutile (a high-grade titanium feedstock) and garnet project, Nussir ASA’s copper mine project, and Sydvaranger Mining AS’s reopening of Sydvaranger iron mine project; however, only Engebo project was put into production in 2024 (Norwegian Directorate of Mining, 2025, p. 19). The Facilities table (formerly table 2) is a list of major mineral industry facilities. 

Mineral Trade 

Norway was not a member of the European Union, but it was a member of the European Free Trade Association and participated in the euro area single market through the European Economic Area Agreement. In 2024, Norway’s exports were valued at \$168.1 billion and its imports at \$98.7 billion. The price-adjusted value of Norway’s exports of nonfuel mineral commodities decreased by 3.2% to approximately \$721.6 million (NOK7.8 billion), compared with the value in 2023 and accounted for 53.9% of the country’s total sales of nonfuel mineral commodities. Of this export value, exports of industrial minerals and metallic mineral ores (excluding construction raw materials and natural stone), which were reported together owing to two metallic ore producers’ data confidentiality, accounted for a total of \$416.0 million (NOK4.5 billion) or 58%; exports of construction raw materials, \$228.8 million (NOK2.5 billion) or 32%; exports of natural stone, \$60.3 million (NOK649 million) or 8%; and exports of energy minerals (coal), \$16.4 million (NOK176 million) or 2%. In terms of value, Norway exported 96% of the coal sold, 77% of the industrial minerals and metallic mineral ores sold (excluding construction raw materials and natural stone), 59% of the natural stone sold, and 33% of the construction raw materials sold. Of the industrial minerals, almost all production of graphite, nepheline syenite, and olivine was exported, whereas limestone and quartz were sold mainly on the domestic market (Norwegian Directorate of Mining, 2025, p. 16, 25, 27, 29; Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2025; Trademap.org, 2025a, b). 

Commodity Review 

Metals 

Aluminum.—In Norway, Norsk Hydro ASA was the main producer of aluminum. In 2024, Norsk Hydro produced 1,052,000 t of primary aluminum at its smelters located at Ardal, Hoyanger, Husnes, Karmoy, and Sunndal, compared to 1,045,000 t in 2023. The company’s activities consisted of primary aluminum production, recycling, and casting (Norsk Hydro ASA, 2025, p. 249, 278). 

Iron Ore.—In 2024, Rana Gruber AS was the sole iron-ore-producing company in Norway. In the spring of 2019, Sydvaranger Mining AS (Sydvaranger), another iron-ore-mining company, received a mining permit to reopen the mine at Bjornevatn, which had been closed in November 2015. In January 2021, Tacora Resources Inc. of Canada acquired Sydvaranger. In May 2024, GRANGEX AB of Sweden completed the acquisition of Sydvaranger via a newly established 100% owned subsidiary company, GRANGEX Sydvaranger AS. The company planned to produce iron ore concentrate with more than 70% iron content. In 2024, the mine at Bjornevatn was fully permitted, but it was under a care-and-maintenance program (GRANGEX AB, 2025, p. 46; Norwegian Directorate of Mining, 2025, p. 19; Sydvaranger Industriomrade, 2025a, b; Tacora Resources Inc., 2025).  

Titanium.—On December 23, 2024, Nordic Mining ASA of Norway, through its wholly owned subsidiary Engebo Rutile and Garnet AS, produced the first mineral concentrate from the Engebo deposit located at Sunnfjord in Vestland County. The Engebo Rutile and Garnet Mine was the first new metal mining project in Norway for many decades. The mine was in the ramp-up phase and was expected to produce approximately 35,000 metric tons per year (t/yr) of natural rutile (the premium titanium mineral). The mine’s estimated lifetime was 39 years (Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, 2023, p. 36; Nordic Mining ASA, 2024, p. 4, 10; 2025a; 2025b, p. 2; 2025c). 

Industrial Minerals 

Garnet.—On December 23, 2024, Nordic Mining ASA of Norway, through its wholly owned subsidiary Engebo Rutile and Garnet AS, produced the first mineral concentrate from the Engebo deposit located at Sunnfjord in Vestland County. The Engebo Rutile and Garnet Mine would produce up to 200,000 t/yr of garnet after a ramp-up period of 7 years. The company expected to complete its first commercial shipment of garnet in the second quarter of 2025 and would be the sole producer of garnet in Europe (Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, 2023, p. 36; Nordic Mining ASA, 2024, p. 4, 10; 2025a; 2025b, p. 2; 2025c). 

Graphite.—In 2024, the production of graphite (crystalline flake) decreased by 17.6% to 5,339 t compared with that in 2023. The decrease was a result of, among other reasons, a delay in securing a replacement drill rig, which failed in September, and suspended production in November owing to a lack of available ore at the Skaland processing plant. The plant processed 20,376 t of ore at a grade of 28%. Skaland Graphite AS (Skaland), owned by Mineral Commodities Ltd. of Australia, operated the Traelen graphite mine and the Skaland processing plant. In December 2024, Mineral Commodities announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, MRC Graphite Norway Pty Ltd., entered into a binding agreement with Norge Mineraler Holding AS, a subsidiary of Norge Mining Ltd., for the sale of 100% of its shares in Skaland. The Traelen graphite mine was one of the world’s highest-grade operating flake graphite mines. Skaland was the leading flake graphite producer in Europe and the fourth-ranked producer outside of China. The company accounted for approximately 2% of the world’s annual natural flake graphite production. Norway was the only European country that produced graphite used in batteries (Mineral Commodities Ltd., 2025a, p. 3, 4; 2025b, p. 7; 2025c, p. 7; 2025d; Skaland Graphite AS, 2025). 

Outlook 

Increasing international demand for metals and minerals has resulted in increased interest in the mineral resources of Norway. The Government’s goal for its mineral sector is to become a globally competitive sector that secures raw material supply and supports regional development. Therefore, the Government continues to work on providing an optimal regulatory and business environment for the mining and mineral-processing sectors. In 2024, it was voted to open Norway’s offshore waters for exploration to move forward with commercial-scale seabed mineral mining activities; however, it is not yet confirmed when the first tenders for deep-sea mining will be launched. In 2025, the Engebo project to extract garnet and titanium-rich eclogite is expected to start commercial production. In the short-term future, the Sydvaranger iron ore mine is expected to start operations. Mine construction activities at the Nussir copper mine in Kvalsund are ongoing and are also expected to start production in the short-term future. Crude petroleum and natural gas production will continue to be of great importance to the Norwegian economy (Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, 2025). 

Production table

(Metric tons, gross weight, unless otherwise specified)

References Cited 

• Ewing, M.S., 2026, Titanium mineral concentrates: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 198–199. 

• Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, 2025, Norway: Rome, Italy, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, August 27. (Accessed September 19, 2025, at https://www.fao.org/faolex/country-profiles/general-profile/en/?iso3=NO…;

• Geological Survey of Norway, 2025, Geologisk mangfold [Geological diversity]: Trondheim, Norway, The Geological Survey of Norway. (Accessed November 17, 2025, at https://www.ngu.no/geologiske-ressurser/geologisk-mangfold.) [In Norwegian.] 

• Government.no, 2019, Havbunnsmineralloven trer i kraft [The Seabed Minerals Act enters into force]: Oslo, Norway, Government.no. (Accessed September 19, 2025, at https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumentarkiv/regjeringen-solberg/aktuelt….) [In Norwegian.] 

• Government.no, 2021, Norway’s oil history in 5 minutes: Oslo, Norway, Government.no, October 12. (Accessed September 19, 2025, at https://www.regjeringen.no/en/topics/energy/oil-and-gas/norways-oil-his….) 

• Government.no, 2023, Norway will develop the world’s most sustainable mineral industry: Oslo, Norway, Government.no, July 6. (Accessed September 19, 2025, at https://www.regjeringen.no/en/whats-new/-norway-will-develop-the-worlds….) 

• Government.no, 2025a, The Directorate of Mining: Oslo, Norway, Government.no. (Accessed September 19, 2025, at https://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/nfd/organisation/etater-og-virksomhet….) 

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• GRANGEX AB, 2025, Årsredovisning 2024 [Annual report 2024]: Stockholm, Sweden, GRANGEX AB, April 28, 91 p. (Accessed December 3, 2025, via https://www.grangex.se/en/investors/grangex-reports/.) [In Swedish.] 

• Lifeinnorway.net, 2023, The Norwegian Continental Shelf explained: [Norway], Lifeinnorway.net, April 22. (Accessed September 19, 2025, at https://www.lifeinnorway.net/norwegian-continental-shelf/.) 

• Mineral Commodities Ltd., 2025a, Quarterly activities report – December 2024: Belmont, Western Australia, Australia, Mineral Commodities Ltd., 7 p. (Accessed December 3, 2025, via https://www.mineralcommodities.com/investors-media/quarterly-reports/.) 

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• Mineral Commodities Ltd., 2025d, Skaland graphite operation: Belmont, Western Australia, Australia, Mineral Commodities Ltd. (Accessed September 19, 2025, at https://www.mineralcommodities.com/operations-projects/graphite/norway/.) 

• Nordic Mining ASA, 2024, Opening of Engebø Rutile and Garnet Mine: Oslo, Norway, Nordic Mining ASA, 22 p. (Accessed December 3, 2025, at https://d2zbxcnktjvvs5.cloudfront.net/1725388162/isf-270827-greenpeg-cl….) 

• Nordic Mining ASA, 2025a, Engebo rutile and garnet: Oslo, Norway, Nordic Mining ASA. (Accessed December 3, 2025, at https://nordicmining.com/engebo-rutile-and-garnet/.) 

• Nordic Mining ASA, 2025b, Interim report per 31 December 2024: Oslo, Norway, Nordic Mining ASA, 12 p. (Accessed December 3, 2025, at https://nordicmining.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/nom-interim-report-….) 

• Nordic Mining ASA, 2025c, Milestone reached—Engebø officially open for mineral operation: Oslo, Norway, Nordic Mining ASA. (Accessed December 3, 2025, at https://nordicmining.com/milestone-reached-engebo-officially-open-for-m….) 

• Norsk Hydro ASA, 2025, Integrated annual report 2024: Oslo, Norway, Norsk Hydro ASA, 282 p. (Accessed September 28, 2025, at https://www.hydro.com/globalassets/06-investors/reports-and-presentatio….) 

• Norwegian Directorate of Mining, 2025, Harde fakta om mineralnæringen 2024 [Facts about the mineral industry 2024]: Trondheim, Norway, Norwegian Directorate of Mining, 50 p. (Accessed September 22, 2025, via https://dirmin.no/hardefakta.) [In Norwegian.] 

• Norwegian Mineral Industry, 2025a, About us: Oslo, Norway, Norwegian Mineral Industry. (Accessed September 19, 2025, at https://www.norskbergindustri.no/om-oss/about-us/.) 

• Norwegian Mineral Industry, 2025b, Bergindustrien og det moderne samfunn [The mining industry and modern society]: Oslo, Norway, Norwegian Mineral Industry. (Accessed September 19, 2025, at https://www.norskbergindustri.no/Bergindustrie_og_det_moderne_samfunn/.) [In Norwegian.] 

• Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2025, Delegations: Oslo, Norway, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://www.norway.no/.) 

• Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, 2023, Norwegian mineral strategy: Oslo, Norway, Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, 66 p. (Accessed September 6, 2025, at https://www.regjeringen.no/contentassets/1614eb7b10cd4a7cb58fa6245159a5….) 

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• Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, 2025, Interest in exploration on the Norwegian continental shelf remains high: Stavanger, Norway, Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, September 4. (Accessed December 3, 2025, at https://www.sodir.no/en/whats-new/news/general-news/2025/interest-in-ex….) 

• Schnebele, E.K., 2026, Silicon: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 170–171. 

• Sheaffer, K.N., 2026, Mercury: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 126–127. 

• Skaland Graphite AS, 2025, About us: Skaland, Norway, Skaland Graphite AS. (Accessed September 18, 2025, at https://graphite.no/#!/about.) 

• Statistics Norway, 2025, 12314—Employees, jobs, earnings, and earnings index, by industry (SIC2007), contents and quarter: Oslo, Norway, Statistics Norway. (Accessed September 12, 2025, at https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/12314/tableViewLayout1/.) 

• Sydvaranger Industriomrade, 2025a, History: Kirkenes, Norway, Sydvaranger Industriomrade. (Accessed September 18, 2025, at https://sydvaranger.grangex.com/en/history/.) 

• Sydvaranger Industriomrade, 2025b, Sydvaranger: Kirkenes, Norway, Sydvaranger Industriomrade. (Accessed September 18, 2025, at https://sydvaranger.grangex.com/en/.) 

• Tacora Resources Inc., 2025, Our projects: Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Tacora Resources Inc. (Accessed September 18, 2025, at https://tacoraresources.com/projects-revised/.) 

• Trademap.org, 2025a, List of importing markets for the product exported by Norway in 2024: Trademap.org. (Accessed September 21, 2025, at https://www.trademap.org/Country_SelProductCountry_TS.aspx?nvpm=1%7c579…;

• Trademap.org, 2025b, List of supplying markets for the product imported by Norway in 2024: Trademap.org. (Accessed September 21, 2025, at https://www.trademap.org/Country_SelProductCountry.aspx?nvpm=1%7c579%7c…;

• World Bank, The, 2025a, GDP (current US$)—Norway: Washington, DC, The World Bank. (Accessed September 12, 2025, at https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?end=2024&locations=…;

• World Bank, The, 2025b, GDP growth (annual %)—Norway: Washington, DC, The World Bank. (Accessed September 12, 2025, at https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?end=2024&locations=…;