Tag Archives: Thyssen Schachtbau

Amaroq Minerals drafts in Thyssen Schachtbau, Tamarack Mining Services for Greenland work

Mineral project development, Mining project news, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , , ,

Amaroq Minerals Ltd, a mine development company with a substantial land package of gold assets and strategic mineral licences in southern Greenland, has signed a contract mining agreement with Thyssen Schachtbau GmbH and a procurement and supply chain support agreement with Tamarack Mining Services.

The initial two-year contract mining agreement with Thyssen Schachtbau, a Germany-based specialised mining contractor, covers the rehabilitation of the existing portals, ramps, ventilation and electricity supply of the targeted mining area, followed by the initial development and stoping of the high-grade Mountain Block.

Tamarack, a Canada-based Group Purchasing Organisation exclusively serving the global mining industry, has started mobilising activities, with procurement of all key long lead items completed. Delivery of the first containers to the Nalunaq site took place on September 13, 2023, while rehabilitation activities at Nalunaq will start during the first week of October 2023.

Eldur Olafsson, CEO of Amaroq, said: “Securing these contracts with experienced and reliable partners is a critical step forward in the restart of the Nalunaq mine. A key factor in our selection criteria for both parties was their expertise in working with projects in remote locations, as well as their focus on safety and efficiency. With these agreements now in place, we are ready to move to the next phase of the project’s development, with rehabilitation activities due to start this month.”

Markus Beermann, CEO of Thyssen Schachtbau, said: “We are pleased to support Amaroq with this project and look forward to commencing works on the Nalunaq project. Thyssen Schachtbau will leverage its extensive experience with successfully progressing mining projects in Arctic locations similar to Nalunaq. Moreover, it is a great opportunity for expanding and diversifying our portfolio in the region with tremendous exploration and mining potential.”

Ben-Schoeman Geldenhuys, co-Founder of Tamarack Mining Services, added: “Due to Nalunaq’s remote location, ensuring seamless procurement and logistical processes will be key to its success. Tamarack Mining Services provides unrivaled procurement support and negotiation power in this space. Amaroq’s adoption of Tamtek’s Blindspot™ AI Technology for supply chain, procurement, and maintenance, demonstrates its commitment to innovation in mining. We are excited to work with Amaroq as they continue to demonstrate their strong commitment and leadership in the development of Greenland’s mining sector.”

Nalunaq is a past-producing underground mine located in south Greenland. Having produced approximately 350,000 oz of gold between 2004 and 2009 it has demonstrated a low-cost production potential from past operations, according to Amaroq. It hosts 2020 inferred resources of 251,000 oz in 422,770 t at a grade of 18.5 g/t Au.

Redpath Deilmann, Thyssen Schachtbau to backfill Gorleben mine as part of closure plans

Environmental, Mine shafts and equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , ,

BGE, Germany’s federal agency for waste disposal, has taken what it says is the first important step towards the closure of the Gorleben mine in Lower Saxony with the award of contracts to backfill the mine using the salt originally excavated as part of plans for a nuclear storage project.

A consortium consisting of Redpath Deilmann GmbH and Thyssen Schachtbau GmbH Germany have been awarded with the work, with the pair expected to commence operations once mining permits have been obtained – currently estimated for mid-2024. The backfilling work is expected to take three years.

Redpath Deilmann sunk two exploration shafts at Gorleben to investigate its potential as a final disposal for nuclear waste using the ground freezing technique. These two shafts, sunk from 1986-1999, were 7.5 m in diameter and went down to depths of 933 m (Shaft 1) and 843 m (Shaft 2).

In September 2020, the Gorleben salt dome was withdrawn from the list of potential sites for a nuclear repository due to geological reasons based on an interim report by BGE. Following this, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection commissioned BGE to close the mine.

The original shaft sinking saw salt transported to the surface, which has since been stored in the immediate vicinity of the mine. Around 400,000 t of rock salt is currently stored there on a salt heap, which is now to be used to backfill the mine.

Dr Thomas Lautsch, Technical Managing Director of BGE, said: “By signing the contract, we are taking the first big step towards closing the mine in Gorleben. The striking salt heap will now gradually disappear and the exploration mine will be filled step by step.”

The Gorleben mine will be closed in phases. After the mine has been backfilled, the two shafts will be backfilled via another construction contract (phase 2) yet to be tendered. In a final order, the site will be made usable again (phase 3).