Maamorilik
Encyclopedia
Maamorilik is a mining
site in the Qaasuitsup
municipality in northwestern Greenland
. Holding resources of zinc
, iron
, lead
, and silver
, the mine is 5 km (3.1 mi) long, with its entry level situated 750 m (2,460.6 ft) above the sea level.
in the Akuliarusikassak massif on the mainland of Greenland, on the southern shore of the Qaumarujuk Fjord, a tributary fjord of Perlerfiup Kangerlua
, an inner branch of the Uummannaq Fjord
.
amounted to 12 mln tonnes.
region, keeping the relatively new Qaarsut Airport
open. Proceeds from mineral resources exploitation will provide Greenland with a counterbalance to the lump-sum subsidies from Denmark
.
The operations are carried out by Angel Mining plc, a UK
-registered company. As of April 2010, work continues on widening of the mine entrance to the required 300 m (984.3 ft). The mine is due to reopen in November 2010, with zinc and iron ore reserves expected to last for 50 years. Prospective employment is estimated at 110 people.
is the closest aerodrome
to the mining site, approximately 24 km (14.9 mi) to the southwest. As in the 1970s, supplies for the mine reconstruction are carried out via Air Greenland
charter
flights, now operated with the Bell 212 helicopter stationed in Uummannaq Heliport
, 42 km (26.1 mi) away.
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
site in the Qaasuitsup
Qaasuitsup
Qaasuitsup is a new municipality in Greenland, operational from 1 January 2009. As of January 2010 its population is 17,749. The administrative center of the municipality is in Ilulissat...
municipality in northwestern Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
. Holding resources of zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
, iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
, lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
, and silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, the mine is 5 km (3.1 mi) long, with its entry level situated 750 m (2,460.6 ft) above the sea level.
Geography
The mine is located approximately 24 km (14.9 mi) northeast of UkkusissatUkkusissat
Ukkusissat is a settlement in the Qaasuitsup municipality, in northwestern Greenland. The population of the settlement was 170 in 2010.- Geography :...
in the Akuliarusikassak massif on the mainland of Greenland, on the southern shore of the Qaumarujuk Fjord, a tributary fjord of Perlerfiup Kangerlua
Perlerfiup Kangerlua
Perlerfiup Kangerlua is a fjord in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. It is a tributary fjord of the larger Uummannaq Fjord system.- Geography :...
, an inner branch of the Uummannaq Fjord
Uummannaq Fjord
Uummannaq Fjord is a large fjord system in the northern part of western Greenland, the largest after Kangertittivaq fjord in eastern Greenland...
.
History
The first excavations in Maamorilik took place in 1973, with operations continuing until 25 July 1990, when the mine was closed. During seventeen years of operation, the mine yield of zinc oreOre
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
amounted to 12 mln tonnes.
Reactivation
In 2008 the government of Greenland decided to reinvigorate mining activities in Maamorilik, aiming to provide an economic lifeline to the communities of the UummannaqUummannaq
Uummannaq is a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality, in northwestern Greenland. With 1,299 inhabitants as of 2010, it is the eleventh-largest town in Greenland, and is home to the country's most northerly ferry terminal...
region, keeping the relatively new Qaarsut Airport
Qaarsut Airport
Qaarsut Airport is an airport in Qaarsut, a settlement on the Nuussuaq Peninsula in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. It is a primary airport with a gravel runway, capable of serving STOL aircraft of Air Greenland in all seasons...
open. Proceeds from mineral resources exploitation will provide Greenland with a counterbalance to the lump-sum subsidies from Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
The operations are carried out by Angel Mining plc, a UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-registered company. As of April 2010, work continues on widening of the mine entrance to the required 300 m (984.3 ft). The mine is due to reopen in November 2010, with zinc and iron ore reserves expected to last for 50 years. Prospective employment is estimated at 110 people.
Transport
Ukkusissat HeliportUkkusissat Heliport
Ukkusissat Heliport is a heliport in Ukkusissat, a village in the Uummannaq Fjord system in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. The heliport is considered a helistop, and is served by Air Greenland as part of a government contract...
is the closest aerodrome
Aerodrome
An aerodrome, airdrome or airfield is a term for any location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve cargo, passengers or neither...
to the mining site, approximately 24 km (14.9 mi) to the southwest. As in the 1970s, supplies for the mine reconstruction are carried out via Air Greenland
Air Greenland
Air Greenland A/S is the flag carrier airline of Greenland, jointly owned by the government of Greenland, the SAS Group, and the government of Denmark...
charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
flights, now operated with the Bell 212 helicopter stationed in Uummannaq Heliport
Uummannaq Heliport
Uummannaq Heliport is a heliport in Uummannaq, a town located on Uummannaq Island in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. There are no facilities in the heliport.-Airlines and destinations:...
, 42 km (26.1 mi) away.