Where:
Kiruna
Kind:
Brownfield area, underground mine
Status:
Processing concession, environmental permit received May 2024
Known assets:
93 million tonnes of copper-bearing rock
Minerals:
Cu-Fe (Copper-Iron)
Since the 1990s, global demand for copper has doubled, indicating renewed interest in Viscaria’s assets. Previous exploration data suggested that the Viscaria deposit held 3 million tons of copper-bearing rock. Recent exploration drillings indicate that Viscaria contains 93 million tons of copper-bearing rock and is projected to initially produce approximately 30,000 tons of copper per year. Domestic demand for locally produced copper in Europe is expected to rise. With the reopening of the Viscaria Mine, it has the potential to become one of the largest copper producers in Northern Europe.
expected yearly copper production
copper-bearing rock (according to estimates)
core drilling completed
In Sweden, all mining activities are regulated by permitting processes, from exploration permits to environmental permits and land allocation. In May 2024, the Land and Environment Court at Umeå District Court announced that Viscaria had been granted an environmental permit for operations in and around the Viscaria Mine. Pending the finalisation of the court decision, the company has also been granted permission to proceed with certain practical preparatory work in the Viscaria area. In the permits portal on our website, we describe the work involved in the environmental permit application. There, all public documents related to the environmental permit application are available to read or download.
From processing concession to mining operations. Here's the timeline for the reopening of the Viscaria Mine.
Nearly 1 km below the surface. That’s how far the boreholes reach in the Viscaria Mine. And this is just the beginning.
Viscaria’s mining deposit is divided into three zones and extends 4 kilometers horizontally. Vertically, the ore bodies are mapped down to a depth of 800 meters. Many of the mine tunnels preserved from previous underground mining can be repaired and reused if the mine is reopened. Additionally, the mine’s infrastructure will be expanded to reach all parts of the deposit. Under Viscaria’s management, mining is planned to occur both in open pits and underground.
Viscaria’s mining deposits are divided into three zones and extends 4 kilometres horizontally. Vertically, the ore bodies are mapped down to a depth of 800 metres. Many of the mine tunnels preserved from previous underground mining can be repaired and reused when the mine is reopened. Additionally, the mine’s infrastructure will be expanded to reach all parts of the deposit. Under Viscaria’s management, mining is planned to occur both in open pits and underground.
Vattenfall will install a 130 kV substation to supply Viscaria with electric power at a capacity of 70 MW. From the substation, the voltage will be transformed to a power grid that supplies the mine, processing plant, and other infrastructure down to the voltage levels needed for production.
During the construction phase, the industrial area is designed with storage areas, parking lots, contractor offices, and waste management facilities that are specifically tailored for efficient construction logistics. As the Viscaria mine progresses into the operational phase, the infrastructure will be adapted to meet the production needs.
Enrichment sand is a by-product from the enrichment process that will be handled in ponds. The sand is pumped to a new sand storage facility where the water is drained and pumped further to the clarification reservoir. The ponds are constructed as draining upstream dams, which is the most stable construction method available.
The water that has been in contact with the enrichment sand ultimately ends up in the clarification reservoir. From here, it is either pumped back into the enrichment plant or to the water treatment plant. A smaller amount continues for overflow to the adjacent water recipient Pahtajoki and Luossajärvi. All water going to the recipient will be treated first. The water treatment plant will have a capacity of 1000 m3 per hour.
The primary end product from Viscaria’s mining operations is copper concentrate. In its finished form, it is transported to smelters where it is melted and then refined and transformed into blister copper. Blister copper can then be formed into components that are crucial in society, such as wires, cables, electronic components, and pipes for distributing drinking water. Properties such as excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, combined with strong resistance to corrosion, make copper concentrate an indispensable product for manufacturing components used in electronics, construction, and automotive industries.
