Metso has signed a contract with Northland Resources for a five-year mill lining service and inspection program for the Kaunisvaara project in northern Sweden. The contract complements previous project orders by Northland Resources, announced by Metso earlier this year. The value of the order is EUR19 million. The Metso Life-Cycle Services (LCS) program at Kaunisvaara includes both the supply and installation of mill liners and technical and maintenance support for the SAG mill on the Tapuli process line. Metso’s on-site resources will also conduct liner inspections to maximise mill availability. The contract period will commence when installation of the Tapuli process line is completed at the end of 2012.
“We’re pleased to have concluded this contract as it maximizes the availability of our grinding line,” says Shane Williams, Vice President, Projects, Northland Resources. “As this is a cost-per-tonne contract, we’ll be able to forecast expenditure over extended periods of time. It will be a very useful asset in view of the total investment involved.”

“We embrace the opportunity to partner with Northland in a five-year LCS commitment,” says João Ney Colagrossi, President of Services business line, Metso. “The speed at which operations at Kaunisvaara are progressing is impressive and we are looking forward to a rewarding working relationship with Northland Resources.”

The scope of service for the LCS program at Kaunisvaara consists of Metso Poly-Met mill liners, liner handlers and essential tools, technical assistance including maintenance and shutdown planning, as well as monthly audits and annual inspection services for the Tapuli grinding mill.

Northland Resources is a development-stage mining company with a portfolio of iron ore projects in Northern Sweden and Finland. The company’s Kaunisvaara project will exploit magnetite iron ore deposits, feeding a single, multi-line processing facility in Sweden. The process yields high-grade, high-quality magnetite iron concentrate.