Terrafame, a state-owned mining company in Finland, has been permitted by the Finnish government to extract uranium as a by-product from its mine in Sotkamo, northeastern Finland. This decision marks a significant step in Finland's plan to extract fossil fuels. Terrafame already produces nickel, cobalt, and zinc at its mine in Sotkamo. The company's plan to extract uranium was expected to begin in 2021, but due to recent pandemic problems and eco-protests, the project timeline was extended. The company intends to extract around 200 tonnes of uranium annually by 2026. The Finnish state owns 67.1% of Terrafame's shares, while commodity trader Trafigura owns 31.1%. Terrafame aims to recover uranium from the waste dumps at its Sotkamo mines, where it is present as a by-product of zinc and nickel production. The waste dumps also contain sulfates of nickel and cobalt, as well as other minerals. Terrafame CEO Joni Lukkaroinen believes the project will help create a Finnish uranium producer and play an essential role in Europe's energy balance. Nuclear energy does not lead to carbon dioxide emissions, making it an essential component of the "green agenda." Unlike renewable energy sources, nuclear fuel has the necessary generation stability. However, the average content of natural uranium in the ore does not exceed 0.7%, and the feedstock must be enriched for use as nuclear fuel. The only option for enrichment is the British URENCO, which owns several enrichment plants in Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US. For the Terrafame project, URENCO's capacities will be used, meaning that the control of the vital uranium enrichment process will remain in a UK company's hands. Terrafame is already one of the largest nickel producers in Europe, producing around 28,600 tons of nickel and 54,400 tons of zinc last year. The new project has the potential to make Terrafame an independent uranium manufacturer and contribute to the Finnish economy, with estimated net sales increasing by around €25 million per year from €378 million in 2021. However, environmental organizations have raised concerns about the possible consequences for the environment. In 2020, the Finnish government authorized uranium mining, but ecologists asked the court to assess the potential environmental impact, pointing out Terrafame's past problems. Talvivaara, the company that previously operated the mine, had a major accident and eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2014. The Finnish government took over the mine and restructured it as Terrafame in 2015, with a new management team focusing on improving safety and environmental standards. Before the Sotkamo uranium extraction plant can be put into operation, the National Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority must ensure that Terrafame's operations comply with the principles of the Atomic Energy Law. While projects for uranium extraction from dumps in Finland have been discussed for years, the level of uranium production in Finland is far from that of other suppliers, such as Uzbekistan or Niger, not to mention larger ones. However, with the help of the "green agenda," the project has the potential to attract sufficient investment and start to work.