The Nome project addresses a critical geopolitical and environmental paradox: the necessity of rare earth element (REE) mining—an inherently disruptive industrial activity—to achieve global environmental progress through renewable energy technologies, while simultaneously reversing the typical negative impacts associated with extraction. Our solution is the Green Mineral Network, a human-based, landscape-based, and nature-based proposal that transforms the mine from an isolated economic site into a transparent, multi-nodal hub for research, knowledge, and holistic regional development.

+ Winner Europan Norway

This integrated approach, which seeks to take only what is needed while demonstrably giving back more, is designed to make the mine a positive force for good, strengthening the local economy, increasing European self-sufficiency in critical materials, and positioning the Nome region as a global flagship for green industrialization.






Central to this strategy is the conversion of Nome, Lunde, and Ulefoss into a cohesive high-tech R&D ecosystem that attracts highly skilled professionals and young talent, focusing intensely on sustainable extraction, processing technologies, and circular economy practices. Educational initiatives, including the revival of local businesses and infrastructure (like waterways and the brick factory), coupled with the establishment of a High Tech Museum in Ulefoss dedicated to renewable energy and safe nuclear power, will ensure community engagement and establish the region as a leading knowledge center.






This network links three essential flows—industrial routes (REE, circular economy), recreational routes (hiking, swimming, human scale), and ecological flows (animal movement, habitat)—creating a dynamic, adaptable framework designed to bridge the techno- and eco-sphere.







Operationalizing this vision requires implementing a radical new circular economy model where the concept of "waste" is eliminated. In contrast to conventional REE mines, which utilize only about 1% of excavated material, the Green Mineral Network targets the utilization of an unprecedented 66% of material for high-value secondary products, ranging from thorium for next-generation nuclear energy to coarse rock for civil construction.






This material management is anchored by the Mining Halo, a large, adaptive ring dike constructed from the initial coarse rock excavation, which provides structural foundation, temporary tailing storage, and clustered operational efficiency for industrial buildings that can easily expand or minify. Fine tailings, typically a major storage challenge, are destined for manufacturing geopolymers (a low-carbon cement alternative) and materials for ceramics and bricks, with a significant portion mixed with geopolymers for backfilling operations in Ulefoss to minimize underground impact.







Furthermore, the project features a dedicated Thorium pilot plant, strategically located along the public recreational route, serving as an educational showcase for hyper-efficient, safe molten-salt reactor technology, reinforcing Europe's leadership in low-impact energy solutions. The entire infrastructure is built to be resilient and flexible, characterized by an adaptive design that anticipates growth and degrowth over its 50–100 year lifespan, ensuring that all created assets are convertible for recreational and touristic purposes long after mining activity concludes, guaranteeing a lasting regional legacy.






The most transformative aspect of the project is its commitment to Landforming and Ecological Restoration, viewing mining not as an end but as a means to build entirely new landscapes and boost biodiversity. This is demonstrated through the design of Purification Polders - an extensive network of engineered dikes constructed using geotubes filled with fine tailings. These polders utilize natural phytoremediators like reeds and willows to biologically cleanse the vast amounts of water required for mining, creating new, large-scale wetland habitats. These man-made landscapes are strategically designed to attract and support native wildlife, including beavers (which further regulate the water flow and environment), wetland birds, and moose, thereby generating a measurable ecological net gain.








Simultaneously, the Ulefoss waterfront is fundamentally reimagined: new land is reclaimed using coarse and fine mining materials to create a scenic waterfront and cultural hub, while the formation of a protected ecological archipelago ensures safe, inaccessible havens for young fish and wetland birds. Coupled with the revitalization of the historic industrial harbor into a center for nautical robotics and the creation of public pathways that make the new REE-port and cultural amenities experienceable, the Nome Green Mineral Network delivers a complete, integrated framework—merging industrial necessity with pioneering environmental stewardship and community prosperity—that serves as a transparent model for global resource extraction in the 21st century.