Municipal director recommends the politicians in Røyrvik to approve the zoning plan for Joma mine
Bluelake Mineral AB (publ) (the "Company" or "Bluelake Mineral") is, as previously announced, via its Norwegian subsidiary Joma Gruver AS, working with the permit process in Norway to implement a so-called plan program and to obtain an approved zoning plan which is a detailed plan for the industrial area for the proposed mining operations in Joma in Røyrvik municipality in Trøndelag county. Before the meeting of the municipal board (Norwegian chairmanship) in Røyrvik on August 22, the municipal director has presented proposals and recommendations for handling the matter at the meeting of the municipal council (Norwegian municipal board) on September 5. The municipal director recommends the politicians in Røyrvik to approve the planning proposal and regulation plan for the Joma mine, despite the Sami Parliament's objection. In that case, this would lead to mediation (Norwegian mekkling) between the municipality and the local reindeer herding district with the Trøndelag county. The recommendation comes after careful consideration of referral responses from various authorities, reindeer herding community, businesses and other stakeholdes and where the municipal director concludes that the prospects for new jobs and population growth outweigh the negative consequences for the reindeer herders.
Already in the previous consultation round of the original plan proposal, the Sámi Parliament raised objections to the plan. The objection was based, among other things, on the negative consequences associated with open-pit mining. In the updated planning proposal that was submitted for consultation earlier this summer, the sketched open pit mine has been removed from the description. The Sámi Parliament still maintained its objection to mining in Røyrvik. According to the Sami Parliament, new activities will make reindeer husbandry in the area more difficult and thus reduce the opportunities for Sami business activities and cultural practice.
Based on an overall assessment, however, the municipal director has come to the conclusion that the total social benefit the planning proposal entails is greater than the disadvantages the planning proposal may entail in view of reindeer husbandry, nature and the environment. Through the planning process, proposals for many mitigating measures have been received, and many of these have been included in the final plan proposal. Above all, open-pit mining has been removed from the plan, and various regulations have been introduced relating to the protection of and ensuring a continuous dialogue with the reindeer industry. If the city council in Røyrvik approves the planning proposal and regulatory plan at the meeting on September 5, the matter will go to the State Administrator for mediation. This means that the State Administrator is trying to reach an agreement between Røyrvik municipality and the local reindeer herding district to accept the proposed planning program and regulatory plan.
Stockholm, August 2023
Bluelake Mineral AB (publ)
The Board of Directors
Additional information
For additional information, please contact:
Peter Hjorth, CEO, Bluelake Mineral AB (public), phone +46-725 38 25 25
Email: [email protected]
General information about the Company
Bluelake Mineral AB (public) is an independent Swedish company active in exploration and mine development of copper, zinc, nickel and gold resources.
The Company owns approximately 99% of the subsidiary Vilhelmina Mineral AB, which is focusing on development of copper and zinc deposits in the Nordic region. In Sweden, the Company owns Stekenjokk-Levi project, where a total of approximately 7 million tonnes of ore were mined between 1976 and 1988 with an average grade 1.5% Cu and 3.5% Zn. Stekenjokk-Levi is, according to a recent Mineral Resource Estimate by SRK Consulting, containing inferred mineral resources of approximately 6.7 million tonnes with 0.9 % Cu, 2.7 % Zn, 0.6 % Pb, 55 Ag g/t and 0.2 g/t Au for Stekenjokk and inferred mineral resources of 5.1 million tonnes with 1.0 % Cu, 1.5 % Zn, 0.1 % Pb, 22 Ag g/t and 0.2 g/t Au for Levi (at a NSR cut-off of 60 USD/t). In Norway, the Company is owner of Joma Gruver AS which holds exploitation rights for the Joma field, where approximately 11.5 million tonnes of ore were processed between 1972 and 1998 with an average grade of 1.5% Cu and 1.5% Zn. The Joma field (excluding Gjersvik) is, according to a recent mineral estimate by SRK Consulting, containing indicated mineral resources of approximately 6 million tonnes with grades amounting to 1.00 % Cu and 1.66 % Zn and inferred resources of 1.2 million tonnes with grades 1.2 % Cu and 0.7 % Zn (at cut-off of 50 USD/t).
In addition, the Company holds exploitation concessions for the nickel project Rönnbäcken (which is Europe's largest known undeveloped nickel resource) and an exploration permit for Orrbäcken, both which are located in Sweden. According to a recently updated mineral resource update in by the mining consulting company SRK, the Rönnbäcken project contains a mineral resource of 600 million tonnes with an average grade of 0.18% Ni, 0.003% Co and 5.7% Fe ("measured and indicated"). The updated preliminary economic assessment that SRK completed predicts a production of 23,000 tonnes of nickel, 660 tonnes of cobalt and 1.5 million tonnes of iron per year for 20 years, which would be a significant share of Sweden's total annual use of nickel which thereby has a strategic value. Orrbäcken is considered to have potential as a nickel deposit.
Further, the Company holds an exploration permit for Kattisavan which is considered to have potential as a gold resource and is located within the so-called gold line, close to projects such as Svartliden, Fäboliden and Barsele.
Om Bluelake Mineral
Bolagets affärsidé är att identifiera, förvärva och utveckla intressanta mineralprojekt fram till gruvstart och att antingen driva gruvan i samarbete med större industriell partner eller sälja projekten till dylik partner. Fokus ligger på utveckling av basmetallprojekt i Norden.
Prenumerera
Få löpande information från Bluelake Mineral via e-post.