Keliber Oy is a Finnish mining company.
Keliber has been a subsidiary of the South African mining company Sibanye-Stillwater since 2022, which owns 80% of the shares. The remaining shares are owned by the state-owned Finnish Minerals Group.
History
Keliber was founded in 1989 as a limited company. The Norwegian Nordic Mining ASA bought 68% of Keliber in 2008.
In 2017, the company raised €5 million from domestic investors through a share issue.[2]
Keliber officially began lithium mining on 12 February 2026.[3]
Operations
Lithium mining
The European Commission granted the Keliber lithium project "strategic project" status under the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act.[4] Keliber owns several lithium deposits across Central Ostrobothnia, in Western Finland on the Gulf of Bothnia.[4]
The Keliber lithium mining is expected to be the first lithium mining and processing operation in Europe, producing battery-grade lithium hydroxide.[4][3] Keilber estimates an annual production of 15,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide monohydrate for at least 18 years.[4] Their quarry is located at Syväjärvi, and then the mined resources are moved to a concentrator in Päiväneva, and lastly moved to Kokkola chemical plant where it is refined into lithium hydroxide for sale to battery manufacturers.[3]
Keliber plans to open six other mining areas in the Kaustinen, Kokkola and Kronoby areas.[3]
References
- Company search Keliber Oy (0752546-7) Kauppalehti, 2024^
- Keliberin osakeanti keräsi rahoitusta 5 miljoonaa euroa – Osuuskunta PPO merkitsi annista puolet Keliber, 12 July 2018^
- Finland opens Europe's first lithium mine Yle, Yle, 12 February 2026^
- Keliber lithium project Keliber, Sibanye-Stillwater, 27 March 2026^