ANNUAL REVIEW 2021
LKAB’s transformation and progress in the Sustainable Underground Mining Project by Mike Lowther, Test-Mine Manager and Tina Benson, General Manager Corporate Communications
LKAB’S TRANSFORMATION In November 2020 LKAB published its plan for the largest transformation in the company’s history. Over the coming decades LKAB will change from supplying iron ore pellets to the steel industry to being a supplier of carbon dioxide-free sponge iron using hydrogen technology. This will have a major positive effect by reducing carbon dioxide emissions corresponding to two-thirds of Sweden’s total carbon dioxide emissions. It will also lead and inspire the urgently required transformation of the iron and steel industry, which is currently responsible for 7% of all carbon dioxide emissions globally.
There will be big changes in three major areas: • We will develop a new world standard for mining at great depths • Carbon dioxide-free sponge iron will replace iron ore pellets as our main product • We will extract critical minerals such as Rare Earth Elements and phosphorus from our mine waste The transformation requires a massive investment, and this in turn will create thousands of new jobs. Norrbotten, the most northern county in Sweden will become the hub for the sustainable development of the iron and steel industry.
Testing of the 40m SLC stopes has begun in the southern part of 436L.
3-D image of the Konsuln test-mine. Note the old ‘cork-screw’ decline (shown in light blue) and the old mined-out levels (shown in grey). The new figure-of-eight ramp (shown in light blue) provides access to the new mining levels (shown in orange).
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THE SUSTAINABLE UNDERGROUND MINING PROJECT As part of the huge transformation described above, a major mining development project was initiated in 2018. This brings together LKAB, ABB, Epiroc, Combitech and Sandvik in a unique collaboration that utilises the combined engineering and human resources of five of Sweden’s biggest companies. The mine of the future will be carbondioxide-free, digitalized and autonomous. Reaching that goal will demand a new type of collaboration, a digital ecosystem in which the partners’ digital systems and operations are linked. After 2030 LKAB must be ready to mine at greater depths in the Kiruna and Malmberget mines. For this, decisions will have to be taken in the mid-2020s. The sustainable mine of the future requires new control systems, new and improved mining equipment, as well as complex and efficient management systems that meet future demands for a sustainable industry. Work in year 3 of the project (mid-2020 to mid-2021) has concentrated on moving the test-mine at Konsuln into production; ordering Battery Electric Vehicles from Epiroc and Sandvik; developing the Konsuln mine offices with a Mine Operations Control facility and a Virtual Mine Laboratory; testing connectivity, communications and positioning systems; testing Epiroc and Sandvik LHDs automation systems in the main Kiruna mine; helping to develop mine planning systems and further building and strengthening the project team.
