Outokumpu initiates Environmental Impact Assessment related to plans to expand the Kemi Mine
Outokumpu Oyj
Press release
July 1, 2020 at 9.00 am
Outokumpu initiates Environmental Impact Assessment related to plans to expand the Kemi Mine
Outokumpu is launching an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure related to the plans to expand the Kemi Mine, investigating the planned changes to the operations and underground mining methods and their impact on the rock surface, soil, water systems, the environment as well as air and climate. The planned changes to the operations of the mine include expanding the mining concession area and mine within the limitations of the current allowed area, increasing volumes of ore mining and chrome production, revising underground mining methods, processing and using the resulting tailings and building a new tailings pond. The decision to expand the mine has not been made.
The assessment is part of the mine’s long-term development plan aiming to optimize the use of the existing chrome resources in the mine and to ensure sustainable and efficient mining operations also in the future. At the moment, Outokumpu is not planning to increase its ferrochrome production as the production volumes of the mine and the concentrating plant have been optimized according to the amount of raw material required by Outokumpu’s ferrochrome plant in Tornio.
Outokumpu is a leading manufacturer of sustainable stainless steel. The company produces stainless steel and ferrochrome with the smallest carbon footprints in their respective industries. The Kemi chromium mine is a key part of Outokumpu’s integrated production chain of ferrochrome and stainless steel, where the goal is to enable production that is as energy and resource-efficient as possible and to continue reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
The EIA procedure will not affect the progress of the ongoing DeepMine project at the Kemi Mine. The environmental impact of the Kemi Mine was previously assessed in 2009. Completion of the current assessment is planned for 2021.
For more information, please contact:
Reeta Kaukiainen, Executive Vice President, Communications & IR, tel. +358 50 522 0924
Corporate communications, tel. +358 9 421 3840
Outokumpu Oyj
Outokumpu is the global leader in stainless steel. We aim to be the best value creator in stainless steel, through customer orientation and efficiency. The foundation of our business is our ability to tailor stainless steel into any form and for almost any purpose. Stainless steel is sustainable, durable and designed to last forever. Our customers use it to create civilization’s basic structures and its most famous landmarks as well as products for households and various industries. Outokumpu employs 10,000 professionals in more than 30 countries, with headquarters in Helsinki, Finland and shares listed in Nasdaq Helsinki.