Boliden Expands Tara Mine

New Mineralisation Discovery

Successful exploration at the Tara zinc mine in Ireland has identified a new mineralisation, Tara Deep, with an inferred mineral resource of 10 Mtonnes. This discovery has prompted plans to extend the mine’s life.

Tailings Dam Expansion

To support the extended mine life, Boliden has decided to expand the mine’s tailings dam. The new dam will have sufficient capacity for production at current levels until 2026. This expansion is a key step as the current tailings dam limits Tara’s lifespan.

Investment and Approvals

The total investment for the tailings dam expansion and the construction of an exploration drift to the new deposit is EUR 44 million. This investment is conditional upon obtaining the necessary official permits. The exploration drift alone will cost EUR 11 million.

Resource and Production Details

The new Tara Deep deposit has inferred mineral resources with a zinc grade of 8.5% and a lead grade of 1.8%. The mineralisation is similar to Tara’s main ore body but is located at a greater depth of between 1,200 and 1,900 meters. Additionally, successful exploration in the existing mine has managed to replace virtually the entire year’s production in the mineral reserve.