Nussir Archives - International 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.

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

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.

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

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