Terrafame closes areas already during production operations

Terrafame submitted a closure plan for areas where production will be discontinued to the Regional State Administrative Agency of Northern Finland at the end of December 2024. The comprehensive plan also includes modelling of the environmental impacts after production operations have ended.

Closure structures have been tested, for example, in the secondary leaching area.

Terrafame has for several years been preparing for the closure of areas alongside its active production operations. In industrial areas, closure structures have been tested, for example, in the secondary leaching area and gypsum ponds.

The modelling of the completed closure plan utilises the results of environmental samples obtained over several years. In addition, waste fractions have been tested for periods of several years in a foreign laboratory. Both domestic and foreign expertise have been utilised in the modelling.

Veli-Matti Hilla, Chief Sustainability Officer at Terrafame, says that the plan submitted to the Regional State Administrative Agency of Northern Finland is very comprehensive and meets well the requirements of the closure plan.

“The plan responds well to today’s requirements and includes advanced models of closure and environmental impact. The key conclusion is that we can carry out the closure in an environmentally safe manner. We are able to close areas without significant environmental hazards both during and after active operations”, says Hilla.

The plan now ranges from the closure of the first waste rock areas to the end of excavation and the bioleaching process. The key content is related to water management and the assessment of water emissions, as well as site restoration.

“Areas will be closed in stages and the closure plan will be updated in the future as we receive more information information as the closure progresses. Closing the areas during active operations is important for water management in order to minimise the amount of collected water. Closure allows water management to function effectively as discontinued areas are closed and landscaped, while new production areas are taken into use”, says Hilla.

Terrafame enhances low-carbon mobility by delivering responsibly produced battery chemicals to the global battery industry. One of the world’s largest production lines for chemicals used in electric vehicle batteries is located on Terrafame’s industrial site. The plant is capable of producing nickel sulphate for around 1 million EVs per year. The carbon footprint of the nickel sulphate produced by Terrafame is among the smallest in the industry.

Terrafame’s integrated, unique and energy-efficient production process from the mine to battery chemicals is located on a single industrial site. It provides customers with a transparent, traceable and truly European battery chemical supply chain.

Terrafame Ltd was founded in 2015. Its net sales in 2023 were EUR 560.9 million. Around 1,900 people work on its industrial site, slightly over half of whom are employees of partner companies.