More iron than expected
The Norwegian iron company Sydvaranger Gruve thought there were 373 million tons of iron reserves in its mines near Kirkenes, northern Norway. New test drillings now show that there are as much as 446 million tons of iron in the ground, and maybe even more.
The iron mines located along the Norwegian-Russian border were closed down in 1996, but last year a reopening of the mines was financed on the Australian stock exchange.
Originally, the mining company thought there were iron reserves for 20 years of production. Recent test drillings in the mines however have shown that the reserves are far larger than what had earlier been expected. Now it seems like production will last for up to 40 years at full pace, and maybe more, local newspaper Sør-Varanger Avis writes. And for each time new test drillings is performed, the amount of iron reserves has to be adjusted.
Now, nobody really dares to says how much iron is hidden under the rocks of the Bjørnevatn mines.
