[SMM Chromium Flash] Outokumpu Signs Long-Term Ground Support Deal for Kemi, Europe's Sole Working Chrome Mine

Published: Sep 17, 2026 20:07

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Global mining infrastructure products provider Jennmar has entered into a long-term partnership with stainless steel producer Outokumpu Corporation to supply ground control products for the Kemi mine in Finland, the country's largest underground mine and Europe's only operational chrome mine. Jennmar has established a dedicated Jennmar Finland entity to streamline commercial transactions for Outokumpu and the mine's management teams.

Under the multi-year agreement, Jennmar will supply a full range of ground support equipment tailored to Kemi's underground conditions, including roof bolts, cable bolts, mesh, steel accessories and pumpable resins. The company said it will draw on its global supply chain and technical expertise to support safety, stability and production efficiency at the operation, and will work with Kemi's mine management and underground technical teams on a structured change-management process aimed at optimising mining operations. Jennmar Europe president Mike Petkovich described Kemi as one of the largest and most impressive mining operations in Europe.

The Kemi mine has an ore processing capacity of 2.7 million t/y and supplies the chrome feeding Outokumpu's ferrochrome and stainless steel production at Tornio in northern Finland, making it a rare example of a fully integrated mine-to-stainless chromium value chain operating within Europe. Outokumpu operates production sites across Finland, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United States and Mexico. The agreement underscores continued investment in the operational reliability of Europe's only domestic chrome ore source at a time when the region's ferrochrome producers face sustained competition from lower-cost imported material.

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