The question that LKAB struggles with is what mining should look like when all the ore has been mined down to the main level at a depth of 1,365 meters, which today is the bottom of the Kiruna mine.
According to the new forecasts and the new revalued ore reserves, it is expected to take place some time into the 2040s instead of the year 2035, which until now has been stated as the final year.
This gives LKAB an extended deadline for arriving at new solutions.
Must think new
The ore body below the 1,365-meter level looks different and requires thinking in a new way.
This is where the so-called Per Geijer ore comes into the picture.
- What we are looking at now is how we can combine Kiirunavaara below the main level with the Per Geijer ore, says Pierre Heeroma, head of exploration at LKAB.
Drills to see if the ore is worth breaking
At the depth, there are only 600 meters between the ore bodies and the idea is that together they will form a mine.
But the big question is whether the Per Geijer ore is worth mining, something that the test wells will help to answer.
The results are expected to be published in a year.
Another question is whether this in turn is crucial for the future of the entire Kiruna mine?
Pierre Heeroma addresses the issue in the clip.