Europe’s largest deposit of uncommon earth metals is positioned within the Kiruna space

2023-01-12 05:30:45

LKAB has recognized important deposits of uncommon earth parts within the Kiruna space, metals that are important for, amongst different functions, the manufacture of electrical automobiles and wind generators. Following profitable exploration, the corporate in the present day experiences mineral sources of uncommon earth metals exceeding a million tonnes of uncommon earth oxides and the most important recognized deposit of its sort in Europe.

“That is excellent news, not just for LKAB, the area and the Swedish folks, but in addition for Europe and the local weather. That is the most important recognized deposit of uncommon earth parts in our a part of the world, and it may turn out to be a big constructing block for producing the important uncooked supplies which might be completely essential to allow the inexperienced transition. We face a provide drawback. With out mines, there may be no electrical automobiles,” says Jan Moström, President and Group CEO, LKAB.

No uncommon earth parts are at present mined in Europe, on the identical time, demand is anticipated to extend dramatically because of electrification, which can result in a world undersupply, and this at a time of accelerating geopolitical tensions. Based on the European Fee’s evaluation, the demand for uncommon earth parts for electrical automobiles and wind generators, amongst others, is anticipated to extend greater than fivefold by 2030. In the present day, Europe can also be depending on imports of those minerals, the place China utterly dominates the market, an element which will increase the vulnerability of European business.

“Electrification, the EU’s self-sufficiency and independence from Russia and China will start within the mine. We have to strengthen industrial worth chains in Europe and create actual alternatives for the electrification of our societies. Politics should give the business the situations to modify to inexperienced and fossil-free manufacturing. Right here, the Swedish mining business have loads to supply. The necessity for minerals to hold out the transition is nice, says Minister for Power, Enterprise and Trade, Ebba Busch.”

An extended street to a mine

On the identical time, the street to doable mining of the deposit is lengthy, the place step one is an software for an exploitation concession for the Per Geijer deposit so as to have the ability to examine it additional at depth and examine the situations for mining. The plan is to have the ability to submit an software for an exploitation concession in 2023.

LKAB has already began to organize a drift, a number of kilometres lengthy, at a depth of roughly 700 metres within the current Kiruna mine in the direction of the brand new deposit so as to have the ability to examine it at depth and intimately.

We’ve not seen the total extent of the deposit.

“We’re already investing closely to maneuver ahead, and we count on that it’ll take a number of years to research the deposit and the situations for profitably and sustainably mining it. We’re humbled by the challenges surrounding land use and impacts that exist to develop this right into a mine and that may should be analysed to see keep away from, decrease and compensate for it. Solely then can we proceed with an environmental assessment software and apply for a allow,” says Jan Moström.

“If we have a look at how different allow processes have labored inside our business, will probably be at the least 10-15 years earlier than we will really start mining and ship uncooked supplies to the market. After which we’re speaking about Kiruna, the place LKAB has been mining ore for greater than 130 years. Right here, the European Fee’s concentrate on this concern, to safe entry to important supplies, and the Important Uncooked Supplies Act the Fee is now engaged on, is decisive. We should change the allow processes to make sure elevated mining of such a uncooked materials in Europe. Entry is in the present day an important threat issue for each the competitiveness of European business and the local weather transition,” says Jan Moström.

Per Geijer – potential to turn out to be Europe’s most essential mine for important uncooked supplies

Promising outcomes from LKAB’s ongoing exploration in Kiruna and Gällivare had been offered final spring. The deposit Per Geijer is in shut proximity to current operations in Kiruna. Extra intensive research present a rise from 400 million tonnes of mineral sources with excessive iron content material to over 500 million tonnes, and that the Per Geijer deposit comprises as much as seven occasions the grade of phosphorus because the orebodies that LKAB mines in Kiruna in the present day. Phosphorus is considered one of three vitamins in mineral fertilisers mandatory for meals manufacturing and is on the EU’s record of important minerals.

In the present day, for the primary time, LKAB experiences a Mineral Useful resource and additional intensive research in Per Geijer of belongings amounting to a couple of million tonnes of uncommon earth metals within the type of Uncommon Earth Oxides, that are used to supply Uncommon Earth Components (REE). This may be adequate to satisfy a big a part of the EU’s future demand for manufacturing the everlasting magnets which might be wanted for electrical motors in, amongst different issues, electrical automobiles and windpower generators.

The outcomes are offered in accordance with the reporting customary PERC 2021, which is the prevailing worldwide customary for LKAB.

The uncommon earth parts in Per Geijer happen along with phosphorus within the mineral apatite, in what is especially an iron ore deposit and which can subsequently be produced as by-products. It additionally creates utterly completely different alternatives for doable aggressive mining.

“LKAB is already planning a round industrial park in Luleå with new expertise for the extraction and processing of phosphorus, uncommon earth parts and fluorine based mostly on in the present day’s current mining manufacturing. There, as an alternative of landfilling the fabric, it may be used to create new, sustainable merchandise. A manufacturing begin is deliberate for 2027,” says Leif Boström, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Space Particular Merchandise, LKAB.

For additional data, please contact:
Anders Lindberg, Group Media Relations Supervisor, LKAB
tel: 072 717 83 55, e-mail: anders.lindberg@lkab.com

Hyperlink to press convention, which may be seen afterwards: https://vimeo.com/event/2755389

Hyperlink to press equipment with photos and extra information: www.lkab.com/press-EU23

Please see the hooked up Mineral Useful resource Assertion for the Per Geijer deposit.

Info about Mineral Sources and Mineral Reserves

Deposits through which exploration has proven prevalence and content material, however for which an in depth technical and financial evaluation has not but been made, could also be categorised as Mineral Sources. When such an evaluation has been made the deposit may be reclassified as a Mineral Reserve, whether it is deemed worthwhile to mine.

Mineral Sources and Mineral Reserves are the premise of a mining firm’s operations, and their willpower requires profitable and steady exploration. LKAB experiences its mineral sources and mineral reserves in accordance with the PERC 2021 reporting customary.

LKAB and demanding uncooked supplies

LKAB produces 80 p.c of Europe’s iron ore and, backed by a technique for producing sponge iron utilizing hydrogen expertise, is main the transformation of the iron and metal business. For the reason that Eighties LKAB has additionally been energetic within the industrial minerals sector through its Particular Merchandise division, which produces and processes greater than 30 minerals.

Since the1960s LKAB has diminished its carbon dioxide emissions per tonne completed product by 84 p.c and invests closely in analysis and improvement to additional develop sustainable mining from a world-leading place. Precedence areas for additional strengthening our sustainability efficiency are strategies for creating added organic worth, institution of round enterprise fashions and continued efforts and measures in the direction of elevated local weather effectivity.

Phosphorus is considered one of three three important vitamins added to mineral fertilisers utilized in agriculture. Roughly half of all world agricultural manufacturing depends on this. Europe is 90% depending on imports of phosphorus and Russia has accounted for a big share of phosphorus manufacturing.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine the provision and costs of mineral fertiliser have turn out to be a significant drawback, which can lead to excessive meals costs globally and meals shortages in poor international locations. Phosphorus is included on the EU’s record of important uncooked supplies. All of those uncooked supplies are very important for Europe’s business and economic system, we’re import-dependent on them and there’s a nice threat for disruptions in provide associated, for instance, to geopolitical threat components.
Uncommon earth parts are additionally included on the record of important uncooked supplies, none of that are mined in Europe. China dominates each mining and processing, whereas Europe is basically depending on uncommon earth parts for manufacturing the everlasting magnets that are mandatory for electrical automobiles and windpower generators which might be important for the inexperienced transition.

The EU is in the present day nearly import-dependent with regards to everlasting magnets with uncommon earth parts, greater than 90 p.c of that are produced in China. As of 2035, gross sales of petrol and diesel automobiles will likely be prohibited. An electrical automobile requires six occasions extra minerals {that a} standard vehicle. With Per Geijer, LKAB has nice potential to contribute to rising the diploma of European Union self-sufficiency and sustaining Europe’s aggressive benefit inside the automobile business.

The highly effective everlasting magnets utilized in electrical automobiles include the uncommon earth parts neodymium and praseodymium; from 0.5 to a few kilos per automobile, relying on the dimensions of the motor and everlasting magnet.

Extraction and processing of phosphorus, uncommon earth parts and fluorine are a part of LKAB’s ReeMAP mission. Right here, LKAB is creating expertise for extracting phosphorus and uncommon earth parts as by-products from in the present day’s iron ore manufacturing and is planning a round industrial park in Luleå. At this processing stage LKAB plans to supply a focus that should subsequently be separated.
To satisfy the necessity each for extraction of uncooked supplies and to extend Europe’s processing capability LKAB has, as principal owner, recently entered into collaboration with Norwegian REEtec. They’ve developed an modern and sustainable expertise for separation of uncommon earth parts that may compete with China’s dominating manufacturing of those supplies.

Contact: Anders Lindberg, Group Media Relations Supervisor at LKAB, Tel: 46 (0)980 783 55. E-mail:anders.lindberg@lkab.com

LKAB is a world mining and minerals group that gives sustainable iron ore, minerals and particular merchandise. We’re dedicated to creating carbon-free processes and merchandise by 2045, main the transformation of the iron and metal business. Since 1890 we’ve got developed by means of distinctive improvements and technological options and are pushed ahead by greater than 4,500 workers in 12 international locations. In 2021, the LKAB group had gross sales of about SEK 49 billion. www.lkab.com

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