An interview by PEL in the print edition of Bergsmannen for registered members.
On the title page
It was difficult to translate this because of the non-open (scanned) PDF format. A little back and forth in Office and then it worked.
"Per-Erik Lindvall, Talga Sverige:All forecasts point in the same direction: the need for graphite will only increase.
A world-class deposit, both in terms of quality and quantity.
This is how PerEnk Lindvall, Chairman of the Board of Talga Sverige AB, describes the graphite found in the 1 Vittangi mine.
Already this year, it is expected to start preparatory groundwork for the investment that will start in 2025.The mining company Talga has applied to mine 120 000 tons per year in the graphite mine in Vittangi, Kiruna municipality.
The graphite content of the ore is 25 percent. "Compared with most other mines, where the graphite content is between 5 and 9 percent, this is a world-class deposit," says Per-Erik Lindvall.
In mining terms, 120,000 tons of ore per year is of course not a large amount. But, as Per-Erik Lindvall notes, this is only the beginning of the process. In all likelihood, there are much larger quantities of graphite in the area.
- Moreover, given the high content of graphite in the ore, it ultimately means that we need to produce less tons of ore than our competitors to get the final product that goes into the batteries," he explains.
Coherent value chainAlthough the permit, which has already been granted by the Land and Environment Court, has been appealed by samebys and private individuals, this does not worry Per-Erik Lindvall, who says that the evidence the court had to consider is on solid ground and that the judgment is well written. Moreover, the authorities concerned recommended that the permit be granted and they have not appealed the judgment.
In the planned open pit mine, ten kilometers from Vittangi, if everything goes according to plan, more than fifty employees will mine and crush 120 000 tons of ore per year. The graphite will be enriched on site to a content of about 90 percent and then transported by truck to Luleå and Talga's anode factory for further processing.
Per-Erik Lindvall looks forward to the start of the graphite mine in Vittangi.
"Having a coherent value chain where you go from natural graphite to finished anode material as Talga does here is quite unusual," says Per-Erik Lindvall.
The need for graphite is increasing sharply worldwide because graphite is a key raw material required to implement the green transition. Graphite is used in the anode material, which in turn is used in the batteries used in, for example, electric cars.
Important for the entire EUEstablishing graphite production in Sweden is important for the entire EU, ensuring a sustainable supply of the raw material and reducing dependency on countries such as China, which is by far the largest producer of graphite.
- All forecasts point in the same direction: the need for graphite will only increase with the transition to fossil-free vehicles. "As it stands today, the EU is expected to need one million tons of anode graphite per year from 2030," says Per-Erik Lindvall.
The Australian company Talga Ltd, which is headquartered in Perth, has its own patents on refining graphite and has battery production as a special competence. When it comes to the subsidiary Talga Sverige AB, there are of course no revenue streams yet, as production has not started.
- "No, so far we are living off the shareholders' money. However, we are coming up with the right product at the right time, which means that the project will soon be economically viable.
Per-Erik Lindvall expects the plant to be completed and production to be in full swing in 2025.
Major technology shiftPer-Erik Lindvall is grateful to be part of the journey that the technology shift from fossil-fueled to electric cars entails.
He himself has extensive experience in the mining industry, including many years working for Boliden and LKAB. He was also involved in restarting the Kaunis Irons iron ore mine in Pajala, where he is also a board member. For the past two years he has been Chairman of the Board of Talga AB and has had the privilege of delving into the world of batteries.
'If the chance to learn something new comes up, I think you should take it. And if you love mines and like Norrbotten as I do, then it was hard not to accept this opportunity.
BERGSMANNEN No. 3 2023"
https://www.bergsmannen.se/tidigare-nummer/
(20min delay)