NORDIC SUPPLIERS
operators, from which active cooperation between Business Finland and the Vaasa network is a good example. Our common goal is to gain a significant foothold in Europe for batteries manufactured from Finnish raw materials in Finland”, says Vesa Koivisto, Head of Industry of Business Finland.
EPCM and construction of mines
Often overlooked in reviews of Nordic suppliers of mining equipment and services are the construction and engineering groups that are based in the region and get involved in mine construction and development works as well as those providing EPC and EPCM services both close to home and elsewhere. Major construction groups like Veidekke and NCC have gotten involved in major mining infrastructure contracts over the years. Recently Agnico Eagle Finland Oy has awarded Pöyry with the EPCM contract for the expansion of the Kittilä gold mine in northern Finland. The assignment includes services for the gold mine expansion project that will be carried out between 2018 and 2021.
Kittilä is the largest gold mine in Europe and Agnico Eagle Finland has announced an expansion investment of approximately € 160 million there. A 1,044 m deep shaft will be sunk and, at the same time, the plant’ s processing capacity will be raised from the current 1.6 Mt / y to 2 Mt / y. The project will be phased in over four years and is expected to result in a 50,000 to 70,000 oz annual increase in gold production at reduced operating costs, beginning in 2021.
“ The shaft will make it possible to utilise the deeper parts of the gold deposit in an economically sensible way, and it will improve our energy efficiency, as well as decrease our emissions. The efficiency advantage of the shaft combined with the raised production rate will improve the competitiveness of the Kittilä mine. We selected Pöyry as our strategic partner to the largest ever expansion project in Kittilä mine based on our successful long term relationship in various demanding projects at the mine,” says Agnico Eagle Finland’ s Managing Director, Jani Lösönen.
“ We are pleased to continue as trusted partner for Agnico Eagle in this remarkable expansion project. During the investment implementation we, together with Agnico Eagle Finland, will pay extra attention to health & safety, environmental, employees and other social responsibility related aspects. This assignment further strengthens our position as EPCM service provider in the Mining & Metals sector,” says Kalle Rasinmäki, President of Pöyry’ s Industry business in Finland.
Pöyry is also undertaking the detail engineering, project and site services assignment for the expansion project of Outokumpu’ s Kemi mine. In this € 250 million investment, the mine will be deepened from the current 500 m level to
1,000 m to ensure continued ore supply for the future. This will enable Outokumpu to maintain the current level of chromite production of about 2.7 Mt / y in the coming decades.
The assignment includes all basic and detailed engineering services for process, mechanical, layout, civil, structural, process electrification, ICT, automation, instrumentation, HVAC, ventilation and building electrification design disciplines as well as rock mechanics and rock engineering. Procurement support, project management and control services, site supervision and commissioning support are also included in the scope. The project is being carried out between 2017 and 2020.
“ Operational safety, cost-effectiveness and environmentally sound operations are characteristics of the Kemi mine. Good safety performance, together with clean and properly organised working environments, both underground and on the surface, make an excellent setting for effective production, modern technological applications and the use of advanced working methods. The environmental impact of the operations in Kemi are minimised thanks to the insolubility of oxidic chromite ore, the chemical-free concentration method based on gravity, and the sealed process water circulation covering the entire mine and concentration process,” says Jyrki Salmi, Head of Kemi mine.
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