Picture: GTK
Sweco supports GTK Mintec in the development of a new pilot plant in Outokumpu
Dec 2, 2025
Sweco acts as an Owner’s Engineer in GTK Mintec’s pilot plant project. A new pilot plant will be built in Outokumpu, which will increase and diversify research capacity and modernise research facilities. All of the plant’s operations are expected to be completed by the end of 2028.
GTK Mintec is a mineral processing and circular economy research unit of the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) with a mineral pilot plant and research environment located in Outokumpu. GTK Mintec offers research and testing services to mining companies for the entire value chain, from ore deposits to mine closures and the reuse of materials.
The pilot plant will study and test the concentrate of minerals and mineral-based materials as well as the recyclability of various side streams.
The new pilot plant will increase capacity and improve the research possibilities of process waters, for example. In the modern facilities, research materials can be handled more safely than before, and at the same time, the factory’s research equipment will be increased, for example, in the crushing plant, grinding and, in hydrometallurgical research.
In its role as Owners Engineer, Sweco acts as the Geological Survey of Finland’s technical advisor and supervisor at all stages of the project and ensures that the project is completed as agreed. The role includes project management tasks, technical commentary on the design, preparation and tendering of procurement documents related to the implementation of the pilot plant, and EPS plant delivery supervision.
“The research methods at the Outokumpu plant will be diversified and capacity will increase significantly. In addition to the larger production line, the pilot plant will have a new, smaller production line, which will enable smaller, early-stage research runs,” says Jouko Nieminen, Director of Development at GTK Mintec.
GTK Mintec is part of the Outokumpu Sustainable Mining Hub, the North Karelia scientific community and the Circular Raw Materials Hub research infrastructure in Otaniemi, Espoo.
“It is great to be involved in this unique project to ensure that this important project, which is significant on the Finnish scale and globally, is carried out in accordance with the owner’s goals,” says Veijo Laitinen, Project Manager at Sweco.
The developer of the pilot plant is Senate Properties, which is responsible for government premises. Metso is responsible for the extended basic design, layout design, and electrical and automation design of the pilot plant’s research lines together with experts from GTK and Sweco. Construction will start in autumn 2026 after the planning phase. The pilot plant and all its operations are estimated to be completed at the end of 2028.