KIRUNA

2015

documentary photography

Kiruna is Sweden's northernmost city, lying just above the Arctic Circle. It was founded around 1900 with a single aim: to exploit the largest mineral resources in the country. The 18,000-person community is surrounded by two iron ore mountains, Kiirunavaara and Luossavaara, both containing high-quality magnetite. Initially, the ore was mined using surface techniques — but over the past few years, underground mining has been taking place at a depth of 1,365 meters.
The orebody extends beneath the city's foundations, which means that Kiruna's blessing is also its curse. Every night, a subtle tremor rattles the city as the mine gradually shifts toward its limits. Cracks form in the landscape, threatening to collapse the city into the ground. To ensure the continued mining of valuable minerals, it was decided that large parts of Kiruna — including its infrastructure and residents — would be relocated. It is a nearly unmanageable task that raises many doubts.

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