The Underground

The minerals group LKAB works with technical systems that are unique in the world, systems that they themselves have developed and tested in close cooperation with contractors and consultants.

Now LKAB is opening their doors and making their tough testing environment available to others.

Do you prefer high-tech or absolute darkness? In the world’s largest underground mine there are unique opportunities for development. You’ll find everything from high technological systems to exclusive morsels for gourmet palates. When it comes to dust, humidity, water and air pressure as well as an array of stress variables, the selection of possible environments - in various combinations – are practically endless.

LKAB has about 400 km of roadways underground in Kiirunavaara. This is a modern underground mine where even the mobile telephone network works. The mine consists of an environment that exposes a lot of equipment for the harshest imaginable stresses. At the same time, a company cultivates gourmet Shiitake mushrooms here on a commercial basis to select clients, thanks to the unique possibilities to adjust the surrounding environment, being able to simulate day and night as well as the humidity level.

Here as well, suppliers of equipment such as pumps, fans, engines and complete machinery have for a long time performed tests on their products. Material testing of for example plastics, metals and concrete are other examples of development projects.

Since the 1970’s, LKAB has used unmanned trains. Since then, together with companies worldwide, LKAB has succeeded in developing unique systems for wireless communication and navigation. An increasing number of tasks are remote-controlled. A variety of business concepts have budded off over the years, for example the company MCC, which is able to remotely monitor the status of machines and equipment worldwide.

This unique infrastructure is now being made available to other contractors and suppliers apart from those to LKAB. It is not only materials and machines that are put to the test in these environments – there is a challenge here for all producers and users of modern technology.

Environmental tests are yet another possibility. The local company JTM Invest AB has for example developed a surface oil clean-up pump, SLYPen, that in collaboration with LKAB, has been tested in vast underground pools. The pump is now ready for introduction onto the international market. The pump recently made it to the finals of being nominated as Sweden’s Environmental Innovation of 2005.