August 28, 2008

Production starting up again at LKAB Malmberget

LKAB announced that “Since Sunday evening, the sorting plant has been producing under normal supply conditions and ore stocks upstream from the concentrating plant are being filled. Production of MAF (fines) in section 2, MPC production in section 6 and additive grinding are under way, and the slurry tank in the palletizing plant has been refilled. We are now producing pellets in the BUV plant, the oldest palletizing plant.”

Mr Solveig Danskog manager of the palletizing plants said that both palletizing plants have been ready to operate, but we are starting BUV first. From the time the concentrating plant started up, it took about four hours to fill the slurry tank. Then, we could begin producing pellets. If all goes according to plan, the first trainload of product can roll out sometime today.

He added that at the same time, concerted efforts are being made to bring sections 4 and 5 of the concentrating plant online, so that pelletzing plant MK3 also can be supplied with pellet concentrate.

Mr Per Erik Hjerpe who is supervising the electrical start up said that “If final installation and preparations proceed as planned, we can expect sections 4 and 5 to be ready to operate by the end of the week. This means that MK3 should be able to resume production during the Easter weekend.”