Kittilä mine

The Kittilä mine is the largest gold mine in Europe. We extract annually about 2 million tonnes of ore, yielding about 7,000 kg of gold. At current production volumes, the mine’s known ore reserves are expected to produce gold until 2034. The mine life could be extended, depending on the results of exploration. We provide jobs for about 500 employees and about 800 contractor personnel.

We began mining the Kittilä ore body in 2008, starting with two open pits ‘Suuri’ and ‘Roura’. In October 2010, we commenced underground mining operations. As open pit mining drew to a close in 2012, Kittilä became an underground-only operation.

Every year, we excavate over 16 kilometres of new tunnel, which allows sufficient ore production for the mineral processing plant. After removing the broken ore, we backfill the production stopes with a paste made from cement and tailings. This stabilises the mined stope ensuring that the surrounding ore deposit can be mined safely and efficiently. Mine trucks transport the ore up a ramp to the on-surface crushing plant.

Key Facts

  • Located in Lapland, Northern Finland
  • Mine Type: Underground
  • Estimated Mine Life: 2009-2034
  • 2022 Production: 216,947 oz gold

  • 6,000 tonnes/day throughput

  • 480 employees

History

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