OREANDA-NEWS.   ARMZ Uranium Holding Co. (JSC Atomredmetzoloto) announced its plans to build a lead-zinc ore processing plant in Yuzhny Island, the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, Arctic. An Atomredmetzoloto affiliate, JSC First Ore-Mining Company acquired a lead-zinc ore exploration and mining license on a subsoil plot of federal importance in Arkhangelsk Oblast and will act as the project operator. The plot includes the Pavlovskoye deposit.

RUSBURMASH was selected the contractor for the whole set of geological exploratory works at the deposit exploration stage. As part of the project, RUSBURMASH will carry out a material analysis for earlier geological exploratory works, drill water wells and shallow boreholes, prepare a database on geological and geophysical evidences, create a geological and mathematical model of the deposit, develop the Exploratory Conditions Feasibility Study, and calculate an estimate of major and minor components. The total scope of field works is to be performed within a very short time, in only 4 months, while usually it takes 2–3 field seasons to be completed.

The Pavlovskoye deposit is one of major complex deposits. According to experts, its lead-zinc reserves and inferred resources (C1+C2+P1) amount close to 9.5 mln tons of ore. The Pavlovskoye deposit advantages include: near-surface or shallow bedding of ore bodies, relatively simple geological structure, open-pit excavation method, good ore preparation characteristics, and cheap marine transportation logistics due to its close location to major European concentrate processing plants.

To complete the whole set of geological exploratory works at the Pavlovskoye deposit, an additional delivery of drilling, geophysical and geological equipment to Novaya Zemlya is planned for 2014. Following the operations, commercial reserves will be accumulated and serve as a basis for designing and building the most northern ore mining plant in Russia producing zinc and lead concentrates with an estimated project capacity of over 2.5 mln tons of ore per year.

JSC First Ore-Mining Company has agreed its economic management on Novaya Zemlya's Yuzhny Island in Arkhangelsk Oblast with the RF Ministry of Defence. The Federal Subsoil Resources Management Agency's Certificate of Deposit Discovery has also been filed.

Exploration of the Pavlovskoye deposit is a tough task in administrative and technical terms due to its remote location and harsh climate conditions. However, there have already been successful cases of excavation of such deposits, i.e. in Alaska, the US.