Tag Archives: Norway

Metso Outotec energy-efficient comminution tech heading to Engebø rutile and garnet project

Comminution of minerals, Energy minerals, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nordic Mining ASA has awarded Metso Outotec with an order for the delivery of an energy-efficient comminution technology package for its Engebø rutile and garnet greenfield project in Norway, the OEM says.

Metso Outotec’s scope of delivery includes key comminution and classification equipment, comprising a C-type jaw crusher, Premier™ Rod mill, Vertimill™, and 12 UltraFine Series™ screens, as well as pre-production pilot-scale confirmatory test work.

Ivar S Fossum, CEO at Nordic Mining ASA, said: “This is another important milestone for the Engebø project. We are very pleased to partner with Metso Outotec as the technology and service provider for this vital process equipment.”

Christoph Hoetzel, Senior Vice President, Grinding at Metso Outotec, added: “The combination of Metso Outotec’s Planet Positive equipment is exceptional in this project. By utilising our Premier Rod mill and Vertimill for primary and secondary grinding, as well as our UltraFine Screens for classification, this solution not only provides excellent energy efficiency but also superior sharpness of product particle size distribution. This will maximise the liberation and minimise losses in fines.”

Roar Vasbø, Vice President, Sales and Services, Nordics at Metso Outotec, said Engebø is the first greenfield industrial mineral production site developed in Norway in almost 40 years.

Nordic Mining is expected to produce high-quality rutile and garnet products from an annual run of mine of 1.5 Mt ore at Engebø. The average production and sales volumes of rutile and garnet will be approximately 35,000 t/y and 180,000 t/y, respectively, for the first 10 years of operation, according to the company.

Nussir to present zero-emission mining plan at The Electric Mine

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nussir ASA and its ambition to develop the world’s first zero-emission copper mine in Kvalsund, Norway, will end up becoming a case study the whole mining sector learns from.

While some pioneering mining projects are aiming for all-electric operations through the use of battery-electric equipment, Nussir argues its copper project would be the first truly all-electric zero emissions mine in the world as all machines and processes will be powered by renewable energy.

With a brand new (as of January 31, 2022) all-electric feasibility study from SRK in hand, the company is able to outline a project that would involve the development of an underground mine extracting ore from the Nussir and Ulveryggen orebodies. These two have reserves of 162,000 t of contained copper, according to a recent report from the consultants. Total resources, including the inferred resource category, stand at about 80 Mt of ore, according to the company.

SRK is not the only company helping Nussir achieve its vision. It has signed up Leonard Nilsen og Sonner AS (LNS) to carry out potentially the largest mining contract in Norwegian history with 130 km of tunnelling over 10 years; as well as worked with leading OEMs on all-electric mobile equipment; Woodgrove on flotation, instrumentation, automation, flowsheet, PID and process design; Metso Outotec on milling; SGS on flotation, grinding and settling test work; Sintef on rock mechanics; and SRK on the mine plan itself, scheduling and capital and operating expenditure calculations.

Øystein Rushfeldt, CEO of Nussir

The company has also managed to obtain all necessary permits to start construction of the mine, which is located on the site of a former operating open-pit that ceased operations in 1979; and, importantly, signed a Cooperation Agreement with the Hammerfest Municipality as a way of indicating broad support from local political parties.

With the publication of feasibility study and news of further contracts and financing due in the first half of this year, the news flow and attention is due to ramp up in 2022.

Attendees of The Electric Mine 2022, in Stockholm, Sweden, on February 17-18, can hear all about this from Øystein Rushfeldt, CEO of Nussir, in his presentation ‘Nussir: The path to zero-emission mining’.

For more information about The Electric Mine 2022, please click here: www.theelectricmine.com

Metso Outotec to supply equipment for Boliden’s Green Zinc Odda project

Base metals, Metallurgy, Mining equipment, Mining project news, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec says it has been awarded a contract for the delivery of key technology to the Boliden Odda zinc smelter expansion in western Norway.

Approximately 90% of the €150 million ($170 million) contract has been booked in the company’s Metals Q4/2021 orders received and the rest in Minerals Q4/2021 orders received.

With the expansion, Boliden Odda is planning to increase its annual production capacity of zinc metal from 200,000 t to 350,000 t. Several by-products will also be produced.

The project is called “Green Zinc Odda”, and its energy consumption is based on fossil-free energy.

Metso Outotec’s scope of delivery includes roasting and off-gas cleaning solutions and a sulphuric acid plant, with the OEM also supplying hydrometallurgical equipment and technology for calcine leaching, solid liquid separation, solution purification, as well as process and plant engineering and site services. The deliveries are set to take place in 2022-2024.

Jari Ålgars, President, Metals business area at Metso Outotec, said: “The Green Zinc Odda project paves the way for more sustainable zinc production and is yet another important milestone in the many years of collaboration between Boliden and Metso Outotec.”

Wilhelmson and NorSea back Loke Marine Minerals seabed mining pursuit

Marine mining, Mineral exploration, Mining finance, , , , , , , , , , ,

Wilhelmsen and NorSea have together acquired an 18% stake in Norway-based deep-sea mining company Loke Marine Minerals.

This will see the two companies invest and subscribe for, in aggregate, NOK85 million ($9.6 million) in an ongoing NOK115 million private placement of equity in Loke.

Loke was established in 2019 by experienced off-shore energy leaders and entrepreneurs to become a leading provider of minerals for the green energy transition. The company has leveraged its exploration and production and subsea technology experience to, it says, develop breakthrough proprietary designs of production equipment and performed studies relating to exploration, production, environmental and economic aspects of the industry, all with the aim to secure top acreage licences on the basis of extracting seabed minerals with the lowest possible environmental impact.

John Stangeland, Group CEO of NorSea, said the company, recognising the accelerating energy transition, was actively looking at new projects and business areas, outside of the oil and gas industry, where NorSea’s port infrastructure and proven service and supply know-how can continue to be a key driver of success.

“The development of the seabed mineral industry in Norway is far from certain, but partnering with a frontrunner like Loke, which has such focus on developing new technologies and systems to safely and sustainably extract minerals from Norwegian waters, puts us in an interesting position,” he said.

Marine minerals have been identified by the World Bank, World Economic Forum and International Energy Agency as one of the potential solutions to meet the increasing demand for the metals currently used in electric vehicle batteries, clean energy technologies and consumer electronics, according to NorSea.

Found in rock concentrations on the seabed and metallic layers that form on the sides of seamounts, Norway is using its oil and gas industry expertise and experiences to outline the potential of seabed minerals for value creation and domestic employment, the company said.

Rich with in-demand metals such as copper, zinc, cobalt, scandium, and additional rare earth elements, the minerals on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) alone are estimated, by an independent study conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, to be worth a total of $100 billion.

Commenting on the deal, Jan Eyvin Wang, Executive Vice President of Wilhelmsen’s New Energy segment, said: “We are focused on supporting the energy transition in the right way with the right partners throughout the ocean space. Bringing our global footprint and expertise into play in a new potential marine market, Loke Marine Minerals will now be able to benefit from our core maritime competencies, long-standing relationships, digital capabilities, and experience developing offshore wind and hydrogen services and decarbonised solutions.”

Currently developing patent-pending technology, Loke’s ESG-focused, minimal impact technical solutions aim to position it at the front for the highly anticipated licence application process for mineral mining on the NCS.

Walter Sognnes, CEO of Loke Marine Minerals, said: “We are very excited and pleased to get these first class and top choice companies to join on the owner side of Loke. We see great benefits for the exciting phase the company now is entering from what they are bringing to the table, with regards to knowledge, experience and culture. Their complementary business areas are an ideal match with our ambition of becoming an international leading marine minerals company.”

Alongside NorSea and Wilhelmsen, TechnipFMC is also a co-investor in Loke, with an ownership of 18%. Providing services and systems to the energy industry, Technip FMC’s subsea leadership in innovation, technology and robotics complement the integrated logistics, project management and marine know-how of NorSea and Wilhelmsen, the companies said.

Jonathan Landes, President, Subsea at TechnipFMC, said: “We are pleased to partner with Loke in the development of this important resource. Our culture of collaboration, integration and innovation, along with our expertise in subsea robotics and extensive history on the NCS can help meet the rising demand for new technologies and resources that are driving the energy transition.”

Norway is one of the only countries to have formalised marine mineral legislation with the Seabed Mineral Act in in 2019. Following a detailed public consultation earlier this year, the Norwegian Government is now preparing an in-depth environmental impact assessment, ahead of its final decision on licensing approval for exploration and production. The decision is expected in the June quarter of 2023.

Nussir gets $8 million backing for development of zero-emission mine

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral project development, Mining finance, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , ,

The EGM of Nussir ASA has approved a private placement of more than $8 million from northern Norwegian industrial investors to go towards the development of an industrial area, the access tunnel to the copper deposit at the Nussir mine in Repparfjord, Finnmark, and to strengthen the organisation.

This is an historic milestone for Nussir, both in raising capital to start initial construction work and for having 100% local participation that will result in a large increase in northern Norwegian ownership in Nussir ASA, the company said.

The placement will also support ENOVA evaluation to grant up to $16 million for the full electrification of the mine, as the first zero-emission mine in the world.

ENOVA is owned by Norway’s Ministry of Climate and Environment and contributes to reduced greenhouse gas emissions, development of energy and climate technology and a strengthened security of supply.

“It is great news for Nussir that we have been able to attract industrial investors and community builders from Hammerfest, Alta, Kirkenes and Risøyhamn as new shareholders,” Nussir CEO, Øystein Rushfeldt (pictured right with Alexander Krogh, CFO, left), said.

“Local investors are now lining up to join in the realisation of the mining project by providing valuable knowledge and capital. Now we have achieved significantly greater capacity and look forward to the establishment of a new company in Hammerfest municipality creating material ripple employment effects in the region. We also hope that this is the right time to reach a positive agreement with the reindeer herders in the area.”

Nussir is a copper mining project located in Repparfjord in Hammerfest municipality. The company recently announced a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a German smelter for the sale of future copper production, and a long-term MoU with LNS for underground mining operations.

The company aims to become the world’s first fully electrified mine with zero CO2 emissions. The project will employ 200-300 in the production phase.