Bluelake Mineral AB (publ) (the "Company" or "Bluelake Mineral") has as previously announced, via its subsidiary Vilhelmina Mineral AB, been granted a Natura 2000 permit for mining operations on June 2, 2022. The County Administrative Board of Västerbotten granted Vilhelmina Mineral AB a permit in accordance with Chapter 7 Section 28a of the Environmental Code for mining activities in connection with and within the Natura 2000 area Vardo, Laster and Fjällfjällen (SE0810394) in Vilhelmina municipality. As previously announced, the decision has been appealed by Vilhelmina Södra Sami village, after which they later withdrew the appeal. The Land and Environmental Court at Umeå District Court has today announced that the decision to write off the case has not been appealed, which means that Vilhelmina Mineral AB's Natura 2000 permit for mining operations has gained legal effect and that the decision can no longer be appealed.
The Land and Environment Court's notice means that the decision of the County Board of Västerbotten with number 2022-06-02, dnr 521-7466-2020, for mining operations within the Natura 2000 area Vardo, Laster- and Fjällfjällen, in Vilhelmina municipality, now has gained legal force and can no longer be appealed. After this notification, the Company will contact the responsible authority for concession matters, the Swedish Mining Directorate, and ask them to request the County Administrative Board in Västerbotten to swiftly complete the processing and decision regarding the Company's application for exploitation concessions for Stekenjokk K no. 1 located in Vilhelmina municipality and Strömsund municipality in Västerbotten and Jämtland, as well as Levi K no. 1 located in Vilhelmina municipality in Västerbotten.
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Stockholm, November 2022
Bluelake Mineral AB (publ)
The Board of Directors
Publication of information
This information is inside information which Bluelake Mineral AB (pull) is required to publish in accordance with the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted, for publication on November 2, 2022, at 15.45 CET, by the contact person below.
Additional information
For additional information, please contact:
Peter Hjorth, CEO, Bluelake Mineral AB (public), phone +46-725 38 25 25
Email: [email protected]
General information about the Company
Bluelake Mineral AB (public) is an independent Swedish company active in exploration and mine development of copper, zinc, nickel and gold resources.
The Company owns approximately 99% of the subsidiary Vilhelmina Mineral AB, which is focusing on development of copper and zinc deposits in the Nordic region. In Sweden, the Company owns Stekenjokk-Levi project, where a total of approximately 7 million tonnes of ore were mined between 1976 and 1988 with an average grade 1.5% Cu and 3.5% Zn. Stekenjokk-Levi is, according to a recent Mineral Resource Estimate by SRK Consulting, containing inferred mineral resources of approximately 6.7 million tonnes with 0.9 % Cu, 2.7 % Zn, 0.6 % Pb, 55 Ag g/t and 0.2 g/t Au for Stekenjokk and inferred mineral resources of 5.1 million tonnes with 1.0 % Cu, 1.5 % Zn, 0.1 % Pb, 22 Ag g/t and 0.2 g/t Au for Levi (at a NSR cut-off of 60 USD/t). In Norway, the Company is owner of Joma Gruver AS which holds exploitation rights for the Joma field, where approximately 11.5 million tonnes of ore were processed between 1972 and 1998 with an average grade of 1.5% Cu and 1.5% Zn. The Joma field (excluding Gjersvik) is, according to a recent mineral estimate by SRK Consulting, containing indicated mineral resources of approximately 6 million tonnes with grades amounting to 1.00 % Cu and 1.66 % Zn and inferred resources of 1.2 million tonnes with grades 1.2 % Cu and 0.7 % Zn (at cut-off of 50 USD/t).
In addition, the Company holds exploitation concessions for the nickel project Rönnbäcken (which is Europe's largest known undeveloped nickel resource) and an exploration permit for Orrbäcken, both which are located in Sweden. According to a recently updated mineral resource update in by the mining consulting company SRK, the Rönnbäcken project contains a mineral resource of 600 million tonnes with an average grade of 0.18% Ni, 0.003% Co and 5.7% Fe ("measured and indicated"). The updated preliminary economic assessment that SRK completed predicts a production of 23,000 tonnes of nickel, 660 tonnes of cobalt and 1.5 million tonnes of iron per year for 20 years, which would be a significant share of Sweden's total annual use of nickel which thereby has a strategic value. Orrbäcken is considered to have potential as a nickel deposit.
Further, the Company holds an exploration permit for Kattisavan which is considered to have potential as a gold resource and is located within the so-called gold line, close to projects such as Svartliden, Fäboliden and Barsele.