20.02.2026
Towards a Shared Direction – The First Stakeholder Meeting Brought Villagers, Local Organisations and Endomines to the Same Table
Endomines aims to build close and transparent cooperation with its local stakeholders. We want to share information about our operations and plans, hear perspectives and feedback, and find solutions that support the shared goals of the Ilomantsi region. To advance this, a cooperation group was established, and its first meeting was held in Ilomantsi on 18 February 2026.
Representatives from local village associations, hunting and fishing clubs, civic and environmental organisations, the Municipality of Ilomantsi, authorities and landowners took part in the meeting. Also present were organisations supporting regional development, business, tourism and education. Altogether, around forty participants attended.
“Through good collaboration we can ensure that the voice of the local community is heard and that our operations develop responsibly,” said Hanne Mäkelä, Director of Sustainability, when opening the meeting.
At the beginning of the session, each participant briefly introduced themselves and their hopes for the cooperation. The discussion quickly revealed that while perspectives vary, the common denominator is clear: the nature of Ilomantsi, its waters and the region’s vitality.
Clean Waters Top of Mind
Almost all participants raised questions about mine water and the future of local water bodies. Concerns centred on how mining operations may affect nearby lakes, whether hunting and fishing can continue safely, and what Endomines’ current and future water management solutions look like.
One participant expressed their wish this way:
“I hope that even 500 years from now, the waters and forests of Ilomantsi will remain healthy and vibrant.”
Mäkelä emphasised that this is also a fundamental goal for Endomines:
“Our aim is that the waters discharged from our operations are as clean as the natural waters surrounding our mining area. This is the starting point of our work.”
Ethically Produced Minerals as a Competitive Edge
Representatives of local hunting clubs highlighted a challenge of their own: not all areas have been safe for hunting, which affects the functioning and continuity of the clubs. Landowners, in turn, sought clarity on how hunting, berry picking and other outdoor activities can be reconciled with exploration activities.
The discussion took an interesting turn when participants questioned whether gold needs to be mined at all. While gold indeed functions as an investment asset, it is also an important and hard‑to‑replace material in modern technology. Gold is used in, for example, mobile phones, data centres, medical technology, electric vehicles and 5G equipment due to its excellent electrical conductivity and resistance to corrosion. Additionally, the Southern Gold Line is expected to produce tungsten in the future – a critical raw material defined by the EU.
A representative of a nature conservation organisation pointed out:
“Environmentally responsible, ethical and sustainable mining is certainly also a competitive advantage for Endomines. I believe there are consumers who want to buy ethical gold.”
Collaboration Means Both–And Thinking
In addition to open discussion, Endomines presented an overview of its current projects. Mäkelä introduced the company’s sustainability programme, Technical Director Jani Rautio provided an update on exploration, and Sampo Hirvonen outlined the Southern Gold Line project, the EIA process and its schedule, as well as the project’s economic impacts.
“Over the next five years, investments of EUR 200–300 million are planned for Ilomantsi. The number of jobs could rise from the current roughly one hundred to as many as 400–600, which would also significantly increase the municipality’s tax revenue,” Hirvonen said.
Mayor Marjut Ahokas also viewed mining as an important part of the municipality’s future balance:
“It’s not either–or, but both–and. The municipality needs services and tax revenue, and these come from a diverse economic structure.”
Understanding grows through dialogue
At the end of the meeting, Mäkelä stressed that this was only the first step in a long-term process:
“We want to openly share what we are doing and planning, and to receive your insights and development suggestions. We will not be able to answer every question today – but we will identify the themes we need to work on together.”
The next meeting was scheduled to take place before summer. The intention is to focus in more detail on water management and the current plans for a potential visitor centre along the Southern Gold Line.
