The world’s deepest mining marathon is set to take place on 25 October 2025 at Boliden’s (STO:BOL) Garpenberg zinc mine in Sweden, as a showcase to highlight mine technology and safety.
This marathon will have 60 participants running 1,120m below sea level in the mine which is 1,302m beneath the surface. For reference, this is four times the depth of the Eiffel Tower.
Participants will endure temperatures of up to 30 degrees celsius, in total silence and will be running in complete darkness.
The deepest event, aiming to raise more than £1 million for charity, is designed to break two world records while also putting a spotlight on safety, innovation, and the transformation of the modern mining industry.
International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) Chief Executive Rohitesh Dhawan says this event shows how far mining has come.
“Underground conditions are often challenging, yet with the kind of safety and sustainability leadership that Boliden exemplifies, mines can support 60 runners attempting a full marathon deeper than any human in history,” Dhawan says.
Learning and development company BecomingX is partnering with ICMM and Boliden to deliver the event.
Bear Grylls, co-founder of BecomingX, says the world’s deepest marathon embodies the company’s message to do extraordinary things.
“This will be a true test of mental and physical resilience,” Grylls says.
“Running a marathon is tough, but doing it 1,120 metres below sea level, in total silence and darkness, will push participants to their limits. This is about more than breaking records – it’s about proving what’s possible when we dare to push beyond our perceived boundaries and into the unknown.”
Boliden CEO Mikael Staffas says as one of the safest and most technologically advanced mines in the world, Garpenberg is the “perfect setting” to show that mining can be cutting-edge and purpose driven.
The marathon will bring together CEOs, industry executives, and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds – many of whom will be running their first marathon.
Garpenberg is one of the world’s most modern mines and is also Sweden’s oldest mining area still in operation. In 2024, around 3.455 million tonnes of ore was processed to form metal concentrates, containing zinc, lead, silver, copper, and gold.
The mine has 70 rescue chambers with enough air to keep 500 people alive for at least eight hours. There are also an ambulance, trailers with rescue equipment and two firefighting vehicles with a capacity of 400 litres of firefighting foam underground.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: World's Deepest Marathon & Boliden
