Norway’s underground copper mine developer Nussir ASA has named northern Norwegian company Leonhard Nilsen & Sønner AS (LNS) as the key contractor for mine development and underground mining at the Nussir mine in Repparfjord, in Hammerfest municipality, Finnmark.
A joint press release from Nussir and LNS states that the contract negotiations are expected to be completed soon, and that LNS was selected over several large and international contractors. LNS ongoing project related to mining in the region include iron ore handling at Narvik for LKAB, quartzite mining for Elkem Tana AS in Austertana and underground limestone mining for Franzefoss Miljøkalk AS.
The contract between Nussir and LNS is for ten years, but with the possibility of extension. The contract value is estimated at some NOK4 billion or almost $450 million and includes development and equipping of a 130,000 m+ tunnel. It is also the largest mining contract awarded in Norwegian history. The mine will be one of the first fully electrified mines in the world, the company claims the first without CO2 emissions at all, meaning that it will have one of the world’s largest battery electric underground mining fleets. Nussir has previously told IM that it has had negotiations with the leading OEMs with all-electric offerings including Epiroc and Sandvik.
“We are very pleased with the choice of LNS for this significant contract. LNS has solid experience and capacity for such an assignment, with experience from the local area and mining. Important for the choice was also common language and culture, and understanding of the surroundings. We look forward to LNS establishing itself in Kvalsund and contributing to creating ripple effects from mining operations, through local employment and the use of regional subcontractors on the assignment. For the Nussir project, this is an important milestone,” said Nussir CEO Øystein Rushfeldt.
“This is a significant contract for LNS and we are very proud that Nussir chose LNS as contractor. The contract is particularly exciting as the operation will be fully electric. This is the future, and we are happy to be a part of it. We have a lot of expertise and experience with mining projects in northern Norway, Svalbard and Greenland, and this project fits very well into our portfolio. This is the fifth major mining project in Finnmark that LNS has been, and is, involved in. LNS wants to employ and use personnel from the local area as much as possible. We also have a conscious policy of buying as many goods and services as possible locally, “says Frode Nilsen, CEO of LNS.