Project partners: IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute and LKAB
Grant: 300,000 SEK
Project period: 2025-11-15 to 2026-05-14
Contact person: Erik Kärrman, IVL
Linked to tasks: Reduce negative impacts on the water ecosystem and Reduce eutrophication in lakes and watercourses
Purpose and goals
Ore mining is dependent on water in its processes, and the mining operation affects surrounding water bodies. During the mining of ore in underground mines and open pits, nitrogen-based explosives are used, and it is inevitable that unexploded residue and spillage will come into contact with water in the mine and the processing procedure, causing nitrate to leach into the process water. A combination of purification technologies was identified and discussed at the Innovation workshop in Spring 2025. The plan is now to test this solution in two phases and, if necessary, update it. The goal of the project (Phase 1) is twofold: 1) to develop a sustainable nitrogen purification solution for LKAB in Kiruna (a “desk study”) that is based on pre-precipitation, combined with denitrification and phosphorus purification, and 2) to develop a plan for testing the purification setup.
Expected effects and results
The expected result is a process design for the purification of mine water that ensures compliance with Environmental Quality Standards regarding emissions of nitrogen, phosphorus, and COD. The results will be able to be utilized by all Swedish mines, and the knowledge also has the potential to be exported.
Planned structure and implementation
This Phase 1 project will be implemented in the form of two sequential work packages: 1) Status Assessment and Data Foundation, which, in addition to compiling information about the mine water and previous purification attempts, also includes a workshop for the project group on-site in Kiruna, and 2) Planning of trials using the selected process design. These trials will be included in a Phase 2 application planned for 2026.
The text on this page was formulated by the project group itself. The content has not been reviewed by our editors.
Goals and tasks
- Healthy lakes, watercourses, and groundwater
- Reduce eutrophication in lakes and watercourses
- Reduce negative impacts on the water ecosystem
