Today, Viscaria exercises its environmental permit and begins the construction of what will be the mine's new, groundbreaking water treatment plant. This marks the start of construction for the Viscaria project through the establishment of infrastructure in the area.
The permit was granted by the Land and Environment Court on May 6, 2024, and could be used in certain parts without hindrance of legal force (verkställighetsförordnande) allowing certain time-critical work to start regardless of the permit being subject to appeal. The permit, however, contains conditions for the protection of birds during their nesting period, which means that ground works can only begin from today's date, August 1, 2024.
“The exercise of the permit is another milestone showing that we are doing everything we can, as soon as we can, within the framework of the permit. By now beginning the preparatory work to build the water treatment plant, we can keep the schedule of reopening the mine in 2026. We are dedicated to building both water treatment and processing plants and other infrastructure with the utmost regard for both sustainability and efficiency," said Jörgen Olsson, CEO of Viscaria.
Water treatment in the new water treatment plant will follow the same principles as in Viscaria's pilot facility, which has shown very good results. Large-scale tests from the authentic environment show that 95–99 percent of the pollutants from the metals zinc, copper, and uranium are captured by the plant, which is groundbreaking both from a Swedish and global perspective.
"The new water treatment plant is an investment in both the environment and the future of our operations. With our water treatment, we can not only meet the strict environmental requirements but also ensure that we contribute to sustainable development in the region. This project is an important part of our long-term strategy to reduce our ecological footprint and improve water quality for both the community and our industry," said Peter Wihlborg, Head of Environment and Sustainability at Viscaria.