Winter has arrived in Kiruna, but there is no slowing down at the Viscaria site. Quite the opposite. The cold has created ideal conditions for several of the activities now underway in parallel, as the project enters a new intensive phase that brings us step by step closer to the future production target of approximately 120,000 tonnes of copper concentrate.
Frozen ground – perfect conditions for excavation
Excavation is in full swing at the clarification reservoir. Here, the team is working to remove peat, which is significantly easier to handle when frozen. This allows the machinery to operate more efficiently, even on the coldest days.
“We have resumed the excavation and are progressing at a good pace. In the summer, our main purpose was to extract moraine for the rail yard fill, but now we are dealing with 95% peat, and in such cases winter conditions are actually mostly favourable for us,” explains Jens Järvinen, Project Manager for Dams.
“The frozen ground makes the work more stable, although large amounts of snow can of course create extra effort – but that is something we are used to here in the north. At the moment we are running around 200 dumper loads per day,” Jens continues.
Even when conditions are good, safety remains the top priority. As the filling work begins, it is particularly important to pay attention to how the ground changes further down.
“There can still be standing water deeper in the excavations, which may affect load-bearing capacity. That is why the most important thing right now is that we work safely and avoid taking unnecessary risks,” Jens says.
An important stage – rail yard groundwork soon completed
In parallel, the finishing work for the new rail yard is progressing – one of the most important components for enabling future transport of copper concentrate to global markets. Once the rail yard is connected to the Malmbanan railway and deliveries begin, five trains per week will depart from Viscaria, each carrying 30 wagons. The high value of copper means that a single train corresponds to the value of ten iron ore trains.
Transporting via the fully electrified Malmbanan is also a key part of Viscaria’s ambition to be among the five percent of mines worldwide with the lowest CO₂ emissions – an efficient, value-driven logistics solution that simultaneously minimises the climate footprint.
“Being close to completing the groundwork means we can now fully focus on finalising the tender documents and preparing for procurement.”
One of the most crucial steps has been establishing a functioning connection to the Swedish Transport Administration’s infrastructure. This has required both time and close dialogue, but the results are becoming clear as the rail yard takes shape.
“Collaboration with the Transport Administration has been key. Thanks to good dialogue and strong teamwork within Viscaria, we have reached the point where we are today.”
“Together with completing the groundwork for our own rail yard, this means we are well on our way towards the connection to the Malmbanan this summer.”
Looking ahead – track installation by summer
With the groundwork almost complete, the next phase is taking shape. Over the coming months, planning, procurement and preparations will intensify so that the tracks can be laid in the summer.
“We are now entering a very exciting period. The goal is to have a contractor in place by February so that production can begin in the summer,” concludes Mats.
Despite the cold, snow and darkness, the site is full of energy. Machines are running, teams are collaborating and every day the project moves one step closer to the next major milestone – from excavation and track preparation to the future flow of trains carrying copper concentrate that will leave the site every week. The Viscaria area is alive, even in winter.