A shutdown leaves only the smaller Gruve No. 7, which is expected to produce 130,000-150,000 mt of coal per year. Around 150 of its 250 staff are at risk of losing their jobs, Store Norske said in a statement. Located around 700 km north of the European mainland, Svalbard is governed under a 1920 treaty giving Norway sovereignty, but allowing all nations signing it to do business there and to exploit its natural resources. About 1,700 of the around 2,700 people living in Svalbard are Norwegians, according to the country’s statistics bureau. Russia has its own coal mining operation and the largest foreign enclave with about 500 inhabitants. The importance of tourism and scientific research has grown in recent years, but the mining business with its employees and their families has been the cornerstone of Norway’s presence in Svalbard.

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