To get a better basis for further environmental studies and investigation of the technical conditions, Swedish firm Copperstone Resources this week opened up and entered the Viscaria mine, which has been closed since 1996.
The company hopes to receive confirmation that previous remediation has been successful and that the main infrastructure is in good condition.
"Even though this is part of our feasibility studies, it feels like a historic day for us who grew up with the mines in Kiruna," says Copperstone Resources CEO Anna Tyni.
For a quarter of a century, a 50-m-long and 6-m-thick moraine layer has covered the entrance to the mine, but now it is time to inspect the status of groundwater, rock mechanics and geology in detail.
"The test drilling and environmental investigations we have been able to do above ground have met our expectations and now we are taking the next step and investing in further studies inside the old mine," says Tyni.
More thorough studies of the groundwater quality and level are a necessary part of the application for an environmental permit for mining that the company expects to submit to the Land and Environment Court by the end of the year.