Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11878 – BOLIDEN / ZINKGRUVAN / SOMINCOR / NAN) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2025-03-19
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: Portugal, Sweden, economic concentration, merger control, mineral prospecting, mining of ore, mining operation, non-ferrous metal, ore processing, supply








C_202501724EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/1724


19.3.2025






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11878 – BOLIDEN / ZINKGRUVAN / SOMINCOR / NAN)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2025/1724)


1.   
On 5 March 2025, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).
This notification concerns the following undertakings:






—


Boliden Mineral AB (‘Boliden’, Sweden), controlled by Boliden AB (Sweden),










—


Zinkgruvan Mining AB (‘Zinkgruvan’, Sweden), controlled by Ludin Mining Corporation (Sweden),










—


Somincor-Sociedade Mineira de Neves-Corvo S.A (‘Somincor’, Portugal), controlled by Ludin Mining Corporation (Sweden),










—


North Atlantic Natural Resources AB (‘NAN’, Sweden), controlled by Ludin Mining Corporation (Sweden).




Boliden will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of Zinkgruvan, Somincor and NAN.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:






—


Boliden is active in exploration, mining, smelting and refining of certain non-ferrous metals as well as the supply of metal concentrates, metals and certain by-products.










—


Zinkgruvan owns the Zinkgruvan mine located in South-Central Sweden, which includes a processing plant for the production of non-ferrous metal concentrates (i.e., copper, zinc and lead concentrates).










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Somincor owns the Neves-Corvo mine concession, a mineral deposit located in the Alentejo district of southern Portugal, which includes two processing plants for the production of non-ferrous metal concentrates (i.e., copper, zinc and lead concentrates).










—


NAN previously operated the Storliden mine in Sweden, whose operations ceased in 2008.






3.   
On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.
Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified treatment for certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.


4.   
The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed concentration to the Commission.
Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:
M.11878 – BOLIDEN / ZINKGRUVAN / SOMINCOR / NAN
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email or by post. Please use the contact details below:
Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu

Postal address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË







(1)  
            OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2)  
            OJ C 160, 5.5.2023, p. 1.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/1724/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)