Hautalampi project is a nickel-cobalt-copper (Ni-Co-Cu) mine located in the Outokumpu Mining camp area, Finland.
The project is owned by Swedish mining company Eurobattery Minerals and a private Finnish company FinnCobalt.
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Formerly known as the Vulcan Hautalampi, FinnCobalt owns the ground and all the mining rights of the nickel-cobalt-copper project.
A preliminary feasibility study (PFS) for the Hautalampi project was published in March 2023.
In the same month, FinnCobalt submitted the project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA) update report to the North Karelia Centre for Economic Development, Transport, and the Environment (ELY-centre) for official review.
The project will entail an investment of around €65m, excluding contingency. Mining operations at the property are expected to continue for 12 years.
Hautalampi location details
The Hautalampi project is located in the Outokumpu Mining camp area in eastern Finland around 345km from Helsinki.
The project, situated in the historic Keretti mine site, is about 2km southwest of the town centre of Outokumpu.
Overall, it covers FinnCoblt mining concession 7802/1 which includes an area of around 283.5 hectares.
Ownership History
Outokumpu Oyj developed the Hautalampi Mine between 1985 and 1986. In 2007, FinnNickel purchased 100% stake in the property.
The mineral rights and the ground were acquired by Vulcan Resources in 2009, following the bankruptcy of FinnNickel.
Vulcan Hautalampi, now FinnCobalt, purchased the asset in September 2016.
In May 2020, Eurobattery Minerals signed a farm-in agreement with FinnCobalt to finance the future development of the company as well as purchase all FinnCobalt shares in a staged process until 2024.
FinnCobalt is owned by Alandra (20%), Kiviralli (20%), Tetra Ekberg (20%) and Eurobattery Minerals (40%).
In March 2023, Eurobattery Minerals exercised an option to increase its stake in FinnCobalt from 40% to 70%. The deal is slated to close during the second quarter of 2023.
Geology and Mineralisation
The Hautalampi mineralisation exhibits the same geological setting as that for the main Keretti Cu‐ rich ore. The Keretti deposit is situated within the NE trending nearly 2km wide horizon of black schists and serpentinite bodies which define the western margin of the Outokumpu structure.
Mineralisation is primarily found as disseminations in bands due to metamorphosis.
The lower edge of the Co‐Ni‐Cu‐mineralisation zone is situated around 150m to 200m above and a bit to the NW of the upper edge of the main Keretti Cu‐ore.
The modelled Hautalampi mineralised zone stretches approximately 1,000m with a width of 100‐150m and 1‐30m thickness.
Hautalampi Project Reserves
As of September 2022, Hautalampi Measured and Indicated Resources stand at 9.33 million tonnes (Mt) grading 0.28% Ni, 0.07% Co and 0.19% Cu.
The pre-feasibility study, based on the underground mining operation, estimates total mining of 4.6Mt of ore reserves (proven and probable) with the grades of 0.3% Ni, 0.08% Co and 0.24% Cu. As of March 2023, this represents 13,700 tonnes of Ni, 11,000 tonnes of Cu and 3,500 tonnes of Co.
Mining at Hautalampi
Hautalampi will be developed as an underground mine. It also has an Environmental Permit for underground mining.
The project’s orebody and the rock mass properties make it suitable for the long hole stoping (LHS) method. It will see the use of consolidated hydraulic backfilling to maximise ore extraction.
Mining activities will involve bottom-up excavation with primary and secondary stopes. Initially, the primary stopes will be mined, and after the adjacent primary stopes have been backfilled, the secondary stopes will be excavated.
Hautalampi underground mine will be mined using two different mining methods- longitudinal long hole stoping and Up‐hole benching.
Longitudinal LHS will be the primary mining method covering most of the underground mining operation, while Up‐hole benching will be used as the secondary mining method whenever there is no access drift above.
The project’s underground mining rate is estimated to be around 450,000 – 480,000 tonnes per annum (tpa). The total metal production is anticipated to be 11,400 tonnes of nickel and 2,900 tonnes of cobalt in the nickel-cobalt concentrate and 9,600 tonnes of copper in the copper concentrate.
The mining fleet will include loaders, haul trucks and production drill rigs, as well as tunnelling equipment for development.
Ore Processing
The process plant will include a comminution circuit for crushing and grinding, copper flotation concentrate production, nickel/cobalt flotation concentrate production, sulphur removal flotation and tailings handling.
It will have a capacity of 500ktpa nominal ore throughput.
Infrastructure
Water required for ore processing and backfill will be taken from the underground mine dewatering system.
A local supplier will provide power via the national grid to the site.
Other infrastructure will include office, warehouses and contractors’ facilities and an old tailings storage facility among others.
Key Contractors Involved
Engineering and design company AFRY was engaged by FinnCobalt to prepare the PFS for the Hautalampi project. AFRY was also responsible for preparing an updated reserve estimate for the project in 2022.
The flotation test work after core drilling for metallurgical sampling 2017-2018 was conducted by GTK Mintec laboratories.
JK Kaivossuunnittelu was responsible for preparing the underground mine design for the project.
Envineer Oy, a Finnish environmental consulting and planning company, was commissioned to deliver the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on behalf of Vulcan Hautalampi.
