As we are reaching the end of 2024, it is time to look at the past year and its achievements. It is a time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year 2025. AI’s view on how elfs quarry talc can be seen in the Christmas card attached to this post.
The talc project has progressed well. Work has been done on the environmental impact assessment and in the preparation of the environmental permit application, as well as on the preparation of technical plans and the definition of talc product properties. Confidence in the project’s economic competitiveness and talc product properties has been strengthened during the journey, it is good to continue towards 2025.
The environmental impact assessment report was completed in the summer and we received the official statement drawn up by the coordinating authority in the autumn. The report, the studies and modelling carried out as a basis for it reviewed the impacts of the project very extensively. The official statement drawn up by the coordinating authority from the report is good, and based on it, we have started to prepare the additional studies and modelling required for the environmental permit application.
The project’s mining plan and mining schedule were updated in the summer to match the production plans. The mine plan’s waste-to-ore ratio, i.e. the amount of waste rock in relation to the amount of ore, was further reduced to 0.86. This is exceptionally low compared to other talc mines worldwide and enables very resource-efficient production and low mining costs per tonne of talc produced.
We were able to conduct additional tests with the products of the mini-pilot enrichment trial run conducted at the University of Oulu to determine the quality and properties of the product. The new type of fine grinding technology used gave very promising results. The grinding method preserves the talc’s plate-like shape and is also more energy-efficient than traditional grinding methods. Such a very plate-like talc product is particularly suitable for, among other things, plastics applications.
At the end of the year, we launched a study to improve the energy and material efficiency of the enrichment technology. The goal is to separate minerals more efficiently than before to produce a high-quality talc product and to improve the utilization of the tailings sand. The advantage of the method is lower energy consumption per unit produced. We received a business development grant from the North Ostrobothnia Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for the project from the EU’s regional and structural policy programme, “Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021–2027”.
Our goal is to utilise tailings sand, which is a by-product of talc enrichment. During the year, we have carried out studies on its utilisation possibilities and identified a few possible applications. We are trying to find the most feasible options for further research.
Thanks for the cooperation and contribution also go to numerous people and organisations near and far, we have done this together and will continue to do so.
