Svappavaara comprises three deposits: Leveäniemi, Gruvberget, and Mertainen. Leveäniemi is the only pit in operation where mining re-commenced in 2014. Deposit Geology Leveäniemi Porphyrite-group felsic to mafic meta-volcanics dominate in the Leveäniemi area. The volcanic host rocks in the hanging wall, historically referred to as leptites, are trachyandesite in character (Hobler 2013) and consist mainly of various amounts of biotite, feldspar, amphibole, quartz and plagioclase. The trachyandesites are generally massive in appearance but, depending on the amount of biotite, they can be granoblastic, ranging from locally weakly to moderately foliated. The footwall is made up of a highly deformed schist, with biotite, and locally sericite, as the dominant mineral. This schist is generally moderate to strongly foliated. Lithogeochemical work suggests that the footwall schistose rocks originate from the same rock type as the relatively undeformed trachyandesite rocks in the hanging wall. In the footwall of the deposit carbonate skarn units appear. This unit is a package of Mg rich carbonates and volcanoclastic rocks which have been strongly Ca altered. The magnetite mineralization occurs as veins/breccias in the trachyandesites and biotite schist and is related to extensive pervasive alterations including Na-feldspar, anthophyllite, biotite and scapolite. The whole formation is cut by numerous younger non-mineralized mafic dykes trending northsouth with varying dip directions ........

Svappavaara comprises three deposits: Leveäniemi, Gruvberget, and Mertainen. Leveäniemi is the only pit in operation. Open pit mining occurred at Gruvberget from 2010 to 2018. The Mertainen mine is currently on care and maintenance.

Mining is planned from the Leveäniemi pit only. Excavation is by conventional open pit mining methods using drill and blast, and truck and shovel equipment. Production is scheduled at an annual production rate of 7.4 Mt/y for the first 12 years. Total material movement is 159 Mt with maximum rates of around 14 Mt/y for the next eight years.

Leveäniemi is an open pit mining operation with recent historical annual ore production targets of around 7.4 Mt/y of run of mine (ROM). The mineral mined is magnetite and mining is by conventional drill and blast mining methods for open pit. Budgeted annual production is around 14 Mt total material movement, comprising 8 Mt ore (COG 20% Fe) and approximately 6 Mt waste delivering around 7.2 Mt crusher feed at 44% Fe.

The current Life of Mine Plan (LOMP) incorporates Mineral Reserves estimated as 97 Mt ore (reference point is the sorting plant), which requires removal of 62.5 Mt waste. The LOM is estimated as 13 years with the pit expected to be depleted in 2035. Average iron grade based on the LOMP is approximately 45.4% Fe and stripping ratio is 1.52.

Ore stockpiles are used to separate different ore grades, from which a blend of ore with a consistent ROM grade is ........

- subscription is required.

- subscription is required.