Mining companies hope for larger vanadium deposits in Tomelilla

There were positive noises from the mining company when the results of the first test drilling in Lyby outside Hörby were presented on Wednesday. Mineral resources of 117 million tonnes were reported.

However, the amount of vanadium does not exist.

- It is an estimate based on the results of the test drilling. 117 million tonnes is a mass where the degree of vanadium is about 0.4 percent, says Scandivanadium CEO David Minchin.

- 0.4 per cent is good, but it may be that it is higher in other parts of Skåne where we have exploration permits.

So it will not start any recovery in the Hörby district now?

- We still need to learn much more about the geology of the area, so it is not relevant to take any next step until we have conducted test drilling in more of the state areas, says Minchin.

According to Anita Ullmann, chairman of the protest network VetoNu, which was formed to stop extractions in south-eastern Skåne, the results of the investigation did not change anything.

- We are not surprised by the results. The prevalence is about as great as they themselves have said, she says. However, they talk about trying to increase acceptance for mining. At the same time, they have refused to put up a debate against us. We can hope that they want to do it now, ”she says.

The fact that the company cites environmental reasons as a reason to extract vanadium is also not something that Anita Ullman takes on.

- We fully agree that energy issues are important, but there are far more environmentally friendly ways to extract energy. So you can't avoid destroying a whole industry, namely agriculture.

The company now wants to go ahead and investigate the presence of vanadium in southeastern Skåne. Altogether in Skåne they have been allowed to drill in eleven different areas, most of them in Tomelilla municipality.

But in south-eastern Skåne the resistance to extraction is great, and the landowners concerned have opposed test drilling.

The case now lies with the Bergsstaten, the state's administrator of matters relating to the exploration and extraction of minerals. The Mountain State must decide on the mining company's so-called work plans before any test drilling in the Tomelilla area can take place.

It was no coincidence that choosing to apply for an exploration permit for these eleven areas in Skåne is a coincidence.

- Scandivanadium has chosen drilling sites based on previous data. After all, there is geological knowledge since mineral extraction has taken place in Skåne in the past, says Minchin.

When Bergsstaten has handled the work plan is unclear.