Metallfattiga

Metallfattiga describes materials with a low content of metallic elements. In geology and mining, it refers to ores or mineralizations whose metal concentration is low relative to the ore grade required for economical extraction, or relative to the average crustal abundance. What counts as metallfattig varies by metal, mining technology, and market prices; a deposit that is economical to mine today may be considered metallfattig in another context.

The economic implication is that metallfattiga ores yield less metal per tonne of ore and require more energy-intensive processing to concentrate the metal, raising costs and often influencing decisions about mining methods, processing, and mine life. Modern techniques such as flotation, hydrometallurgy, and selective mining can improve recovery but cannot always overcome high processing costs associated with low grades. The cutoff grade—an estimate of the minimum metal content needed to justify extraction—defines when an ore is classified as metallfattig.

Concentrations are measured in units such as percent by weight or grams per tonne (g/t), or parts per million (ppm) for trace elements. In soils and environmental contexts, metallfattiga sites have low ambient metal concentrations, which can influence plant uptake and ecological risk assessments.

The term is commonly used in Swedish-speaking mining literature and among professionals discussing ore quality, mining feasibility, and resource estimation. It is contrasted with metallrika, meaning metal-rich, or high-grade ore.