Norrbottens Bergteknik has been commissioned to carry out RC drilling in the previously closed Viscaria mine outside Kiruna. It is a project that can provide good long-term effects.
The mining company Copperstone is investing heavily in restarting the Viscaria copper mine located five kilometres outside Kiruna. It is about 25 years since the copper mine was last in operation, then under the auspices of Outokumpu Oy.
Large deposit with high grade
Exploratory drilling shows that the deposit is much larger than previously thought.
Previously, the mining company had information that there were 59 million tonnes of copper-bearing rock with a copper content of 1.2% in Viscaria. At a press conference in September, the company announced that there are indications that the deposit is much larger:
- This is a fantastic deposit, we have a high copper content and we still have our ore veins open both at depth and width so we still do not know how big the Viscaria deposit is. We have said that we can produce about 30,000 tonnes of finished copper ore per year", says Jörgen Olsson, Chairman of the Board of the mining company Copperstone.
Starting with kax samples
Norrbottens Bergteknik's assignment is RC drilling, a new method carried out with the help of a partner starting in February.
– We will drill a number of vertical holes, approximately 10-30 of them, going 200-250 metres deep. Rock samples will be taken every metre to find out more precisely how the copper lenses run in the area, says Stefan Ejderlöf, site manager, and continues:
– I believe in this very much. It is an interesting and positive project that Copperstone is running. When mining in the open pit can start in a couple of years when all permits are completed, it is a great advantage that we are involved now, at this early stage.
If the mine opens, Copperstone expects that up to 250 new jobs could be created.
Image source: Copperstone
