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The MIKON flagship program in the Fram Centre is using both social and environmental sciences to examine how High North industrial development will affect the natural world, regional societies like the Sami and economic activity.

On the backdrop of political chill, trade between Finland and Russia is falling sharply. Also tourism between the countries is in a downswing.

Russia’s far northern Nenets Autonomous Okrug boosts debts to cope with a quickly growing deficit.

But all plans for expansion at the Severny-Gluboky mine are put on hold, company Kola GMK informs.

The company is closing down its biggest mine in the Kola Peninsula following plummeting raw material prices. Consequences will be dramatic for Zapolyarny, the industrial town located along the border to Norway.

Bankruptcy looms for iron-ore miner Sydvaranger in Kirkenes as subcontractor stops deliveries of spare parts.

Russia needs to produce more fish, the country’s new Food Security Doctrine states. At the same time, production in fishery region Murmansk plummets. 

Norwegian fertilizer giant Yara halts development of its Sokli phosphorus mining project in Finnish Lapland on the border to Russia.

Despite a challenging climate, experts see good opportunities for expanding Arctic agriculture. There are great advantages to being far away from the central production units in the South.

Scandals surrounding the aquaculture industry in Murmansk get new twist as tons of rottening salmon is found dumped outside a local farm.

As it celebrates its 100-years anniversary, the Murmansk Sea Port struggles with its lowest goods turnover in more than 10 years.

The Chinese manufacturing company Poly Technologies will take part in construction of a railroad from the White Sea to the Urals through Komi.

The world’s northernmost mining company lays off up to 150 at its Lunckefjell coalmine in Svea.

The Faroese economy benefits greatly from its monopoly of the Russian salmon market. The islands’ biggest marine produce company, Bakkafrost, has seen its stock surge about 100 percent over the past year, including re-invested dividends.

Major phosphorous producer Apatit boosts its capacity with up to 25 percent as it opens new mine in the Kola Peninsula.