Mining corporation LKAB is a global leader in producing value-added iron ore products for manufacturing steel. In the northern Swedish city of Kiruna LKAB has invested £450M in a new pellet works, ore dressing plant, haulage depot and terminal as well as environmental measures such as flue gas purification.
Mining in the region has caused fissuring of the ground, which had a major impact in the whole community. In simple terms, rail routes, roads and part of the town itself needed to be relocated.
WSP was involved in a range of projects currently being rolled out through the region.
Re-routing the transport infrastructure
The rail project is closets to the fissuring and therefore had the top priority. The re-routing of the rail line is a major multi-year project which is due to completion in 2012. The National Rail and Road Administrations appointed WSP to conduct the feasibility studies for the new rail line and for public highways in the region.
Mine extension
Thanks to our experience in mine projects for LKAB since the 1970s, WSP was also appointed to work on conversion and extension work at the mine itself.
Our work included feasibility studies, advance project planning and construction documentation for the relocation and replacement of the mine’s pumping station with a new, high capacity station that pumps water from the mine at a rate of 500 litres per second.
Building a new 400 m tunnel for the conveyance of iron ore between the sorting plant and the ore dressing plant is another major and complex sub-project. In partnership with construction group PEAB, WSP was assigned as the project planner for the new ore dressing plant. This requires WSP’s expertise in construction, excavation, architecture, acoustics, fire safety and project management, and is particularly difficult because the tunnel is one of many in the same area.