Endomines’ Information Session Drew a Full House of Mine Neighbors
On April 28th, we held an information and discussion session at the Lehtovaara village hall, where we shared the latest updates from Endomines and provided an overview of the Southern Gold Line development project.
About forty participants interested in Endomines’ updates attended the spring evening event on April 28th. The audience mainly consisted of residents from the mine’s neighborhood, along with a journalist from Pogostan Sanomat, representatives from the consulting firm AFRY and the ELY Center, and, of course, Endomines’ own staff.
During the evening, the COO Ilkka Räty discussed Endomines’ strategy, performance development, and exploration plans. Environmental Manager Taina Kauhanen presented the latest environmental monitoring and studies conducted in the area, such as noise and vibration measurements and fisheries monitoring in water bodies. Finally, the CDO Sampo Hirvonen outlined our plans for the expansion of the Pampalo mine and the Karelian Gold Line mining project, as well as the status of the ongoing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) program.
Annual Growth Target
Endomines aims to increase gold production every year. In 2024, 14,300 ounces of gold were mined from Pampalo, and this year the goal is to produce 16,000–22,000 ounces (497.7 kg – 684.3 kg) of the precious metal. By 2030, our goal is to increase production to 70,000–100,000 ounces.
“Exploration and starting production in new areas enable this growth,” Ilkka Räty told the audience.
Last year, exploration focused on the Northern Gold Line in Kartitsa and the Southern Gold Line in Kuittila and Korvilansuo. Promising till samples were also taken from Ukkolanvaara.
“In two years, our gold resources have grown by 148 percent. Our gold resources are now nearly half a million ounces,” Räty said.
Currently, exploration is in full swing. Drilling is underway in Ukkolanvaara, and in the autumn we will move to Muurinsuo, Kuittila, and Korvilansuo.
Last Year We Monitored Noise, Vibration, and Fish
In the autumn of 2024, noise and vibration measurements were conducted in our area, and the results are available in Finnish on our website under Current Publications and Reports. According to the measurements, the operations of the Pampalo mine, such as the sounds of work machines and clanging from the mine areas, affect the soundscape of the nearby areas, although the average sound levels do not exceed the guideline values. In Hosko, noise levels were below the guideline values for both day and night, but momentarily high noise levels and noise peaks from operations can be perceived as disturbing. In terms of vibration, the limit values were not exceeded during the measurement period.
Our work in line with sustainable development includes regular analyses of the area’s water bodies and groundwater. We also conduct regular fisheries monitoring. The primary focus was on naturally reproducing stream fish in the Petäjäjoki and Haapajoki rivers. The results indicate changes in the condition of the rivers. In the case of the Petäjäjoki, this is likely due to water quality factors, as the water is very humic and occasionally possibly acidic. The structure of the Haapajoki has been significantly altered by log floating, which has degraded its condition compared to its natural state. The water in the Haapajoki is also humic, likely exacerbated by land use affecting diffuse pollution, such as forest and peatland drainage ditches.
More information about our sustainability work can be found in the recently published Sustainability Report.
Mining Operations Grow and Develop
We are planning to expand the operations of the Pampalo mine and bring new gold deposits into production approximately 17 km south of the Pampalo production area, i.e., in the Southern Gold Line, starting around 2030. The Southern Gold Line includes the deposits of Kuittila, Korvilansuo, Muurinsuo, Kelokorpi, and Ukkolanvaara. Based on the currently known ore reserves and estimated production volumes, the production duration in the area is estimated to be around 13 years.
“During operations, active exploration is carried out to increase the gold resources in the area. As the gold resources grow, the estimated lifespan of the mine extends,” noted CDO Sampo Hirvonen.
In addition to gold, the deposits in the Southern Gold Line have been found to contain tungsten, a critical mineral listed by the EU, as well as molybdenum.
“Gold is a valuable metal whose value remains stable despite global instability. Additionally, tungsten and molybdenum are important industrial metals sought after by major powers,” Hirvonen said.
Currently, the largest producer of tungsten is China, which produces over 80 percent of the world’s tungsten annually. Kuittila could become a significant tungsten producer on a European scale.
Opening a new mine creates jobs in the Ilomantsi area, both directly in mining operations and indirectly in support services such as transportation and maintenance. According to our estimates, the new production facility would bring 200–400 new jobs to the area.
Different Project Alternatives Under Review in the EIA Process
The Environmental Impact Assessment process examines different alternatives for implementing mining operations. The evaluation of alternatives is ongoing, and the current options are:
- Expanding the current mining area of Pampalo so that ore processing can be centralized in Pampalo.
- Building a processing plant in the Southern Gold Line, either in Muurinsuo or Korvilansuo.
- Locating operations so that gold ore processing is centralized in Pampalo and tungsten-molybdenum ore processing in the Southern Gold Line.
The project alternatives take into account the results of environmental monitoring, which we will detail further once the reports are completed.
CDO Sampo Hirvonen, Mine Manager Pasi Hietanen, Environmental Manager Taina Kauhanen, COO Ilkka Räty
Pictures taken by Suvi Palosaari.