Sweden: The new main haulage level of LKAB’s Malmberget mine will be officially opened on June 14. A prerequisite for continued mining in Malmberget is the construction of a new transport system at the 1,250-m level. Roads, crushers, skip shafts and automation are just some of the links in a chain of production that will carry ore from the mine to LKAB’s processing plants at the surface.Facts about M1250:
- Investment: SEK4.5 billion
- Construction time: nine years
- Employed in construction: 350 people at most
- Drift length, total: 40 km
- Facilities: Rock bins, crushers, skip hoist, conveyor belt, infrastructure
- Capacity: 3,000 t/h crude ore
- Ventilation: 90,000 m3/min of air
- Pump system: 9.5 m3/min of water.
The Malmberget mine consists of about 20 orebodies of varying sizes, about ten of which are currently being mined. The orebodies lie at different depths; therefore, the lowest levels are being sunk at intervals in different parts of the mine. Currently, mining is via three main haulage levels at depths of 600, 815 and 1,000 m from zero point. These came into operation in 1969, 1989 and 2000, respectively.
LKAB’s board voted in February 2008 to build a new main haulage level for the Malmberget iron ore mine. Sections of the new main level at 1,250 m were operational in autumn 2010. Mining is thereby secured until at least 2020.