This has happened:
The government has granted a processing concession for the Swedish-registered mining company Jokkmokk Iron Mines, which is owned by the British company Beowulf Mining.
This is a step closer to mining after nine years in various instances where government agencies have made different assessments when interests are opposed to each other.
What does the government's message mean?
An approved processing concession that the company has now received and in addition a number of requirements that must be met to meet the Sami villages in the area does not mean that it will be a mine.
Now a probably long environmental process awaits the mining company.
The green light from the government for processing concessions is thus not the same as mining, but gives the mining company the opportunity to go further and investigate whether it is economically and environmentally possible to open it.
What happens next?
Now the company must make an environmental and impact assessment (EIA) and this is a fairly large process that can cost up to SEK 100 million to do.
It takes time and often involves an exchange of letters with authorities who can submit comments.
This is the basis for the decision that will then be made by the Land and Environmental Court.
The company must also demonstrate a final profitability study.
Can it lead to no mine?
It is only when the company has received an environmental permit that can be years away that the next step is to take - the financing.
A mine costs a number of billions and this is about finding financiers so that it will be possible to start a mine.