9. The municipal No to mining. The case con- cerning the reopening of the Biedjovaggi gold mine in Guovdageainnu municipality, Norway Tone Magnussen and Brigt Dale Abstract In 2012, the municipal council of the predominantly Saami community of Guovdageainnu (Kautokeino) rejected a proposal to reopen the Bie- djovaggi gold mine. Through an analysis of interviews, conversations, media and relevant grey literature and official documents, this chapter investigates how the decision by the Guovdageainnu municipal council to reject the application was based on a firm conviction that a sustaina- ble future for the predominantly Sami community was closely tied to the survival of the reindeer herding industry. In this context, the term ‘sustainable’ refers to a large extent to the ontological security that herding provides for the Sami people, as a major carrier of cultural iden- tity and a sense of belonging in this particular landscape. Thus, the po- tential benefits that may be generated by a mine were considered by a majority of Municipal Council members not to be sufficient to risk the potential consequences these activities could have for the reindeer and the herders. The political decisions by individual actors and public sen- timents on the matter were also informed by a broader, culturally em- bedded rationale reflecting a deep concern about connections to place, space(s) and practices considered vital for Saami identity. Keywords Landscape value, indigenous issues, reindeer herding, mining, ontolog- ical security