A Swedish environment court gave the go-ahead on Monday for state-owned mining group LKAB to build a fossil-free sponge iron plant at its Malmberget site in Gallivare. The demonstration factory will be an integral part of the plans of “green steel” venture Hybrit, which is owned by LKAB, steelmaker SSAB and state-owned utility Vattenfall. The venture aims to replace coking coal, traditionally needed for ore-based steel making, with hydrogen and electricity.