Safety First

2000 Dec 04

The Swedish iron ore giant, LKAB, has activated a major new phase in its planned rock reinforcement programme. Over the next few years, the company will intensify rock bolting operations throughout its Kiruna Mine – with Atlas Copco playing a central role in the project.

Kiruna, the huge underground iron ore mine owned by Sweden?s LKAB, is in the process of moving to the next phase of its rock reinforcement programme.

The Kirunavaara orebody, located 200 km north of the Artic Circle, contains almost pure magnetite, is approx. 4 km long, 80 m wide, dips about 60 degrees and is estimated to be at least 2 km deep.

Throughout its history, LKAB has had the advantage of working in mostly stable ground conditions, but in recent years, stability problems have increased significantly as mining has gone deeper and production figures have continued to rise.

LKAB has now decided to tackle the situation with a massive increase in rock support.
 

Epiroc operated under the trademark “Atlas Copco” prior to January 1, 2018.