BJORKDAL GOLD-MINING PROJECT, NORTHERN SWEDEN

An overview is given of the Bjorkdal gold-mining project, northern Swe den, from exploration and discovery to current operations. Emphasis is placed on those aspects of the project which most critically affect v iable operation-specifically, geological interpretation, ore-reserve e stimation, selective mining, grade control and reconciliation. The Bjo rkdal deposit was discovered during the implementation of an innovativ e exploration technique that has now been applied to much of Scandinav ia. Since production began in 1988 Bjorkdal has steadily increased pro duction to become the largest gold producer in Europe. The mine has ad apted and improved its mining methods to achieve significant productiv ity increases and cost reductions. Most of the improvements have been achieved through a better understanding of the controls on mineralizat ion and of the implications of those controls for the ability to mine selectively. Geostatistics has played an important role in the quantif ication of grade variability and gold occurrence; improved blasting an d loading techniques have improved selectivity; grade control has been enhanced by a grade-control drilling programme; and significant impro vements have been made in the processing of the ore.