Boliden expands in Garpenberg


Boliden expands in Garpenberg

Boliden is to invest SEK 3.9 billion in an expansion of the Garpenberg
mine in Dalarna. The expansion will result in an increase in ore
production from 1.4 million tonnes to 2.5 million tonnes annually.

A conference for analysts and media representatives will be held on
Tuesday, 18th January at 10 am.
Location:                          World Trade Center, Room: New York
Link to web cast:              www.boliden.com (http://www.boliden.com)
Telephone conference:   (SE): 08-505 598 53
                                        (Int): +44 203 043 24 36

The market conditions for Garpenberg's metals - zinc, silver and lead -
are deemed to be good for the upcoming years. SEK 3.9 billion will be
invested in a new concentrator, new shafts and underground facilities as
well as infrastructure. Garpenberg's current capacity is 1.4 million
tonnes of ore annually. When the new facilities become operational in
2014, ore production will gradually increase from 2 million tonnes to
2.5 million tonnes by the end of 2015. At the same time, the production
cost per tonne of ore will decrease by around 25 per cent. 

"Garpenberg is a very competitive mine. The mine has reported strong
growth over the past few years - both financially and in terms of ore
reserves," says Boliden's President Lennart Evrell. "The investment is
profitable, and will strengthen Boliden's growth over the coming years.
The expansion will cut unit costs and thereby increase the possibility
of utilising the area's geological potential."

Benefits of the expansion include an enhanced infrastructure which will
give rise to more efficient transports and lower noise levels. The use
of recycled water in the production process will also increase and water
treatment will be improved.  An application for a new environmental
permit will be submitted to the Environmental Court in February 2011.

"Boliden expanded the Aitik copper mine in Gällivare in 2010, and will
be expanding the capacity for recycling electronic scrap at the Rönnskär
copper smelter in 2011. Now the step is being taken to expand the mine
in Garpenberg, for which most of the investment capital expenditure will
be made in 2012 and 2013," explains Boliden's President Lennart Evrell. 

Garpenberg is one of the Boliden Group's four mining areas. The deposits
in Garpenberg were first mined back in the 1200s, which makes Garpenberg
Sweden's oldest mine in operation. Polymetallic ores containing zinc,
silver, lead and smaller volumes of copper and gold are mined at
Garpenberg. In 2009, Garpenberg posted an operating profit (EBIT) of SEK
793 million. The production of metals in concentrates was 90,000 tonnes
of zinc, 30,000 tonnes of lead and 140 tonnes of silver. Garpenberg's
ore reserves for 2009 were 25,800. Since 2004 the ore reserves have
increased by 700 per cent.

For further information, please contact:
Marcela Sylvander, Director Group Communications, Boliden AB, tel: +46 8
610 15 59
Frans Benson, Investor Relations, Boliden AB, tel: +46 8 610 15 23

Boliden is a leading European metals company whose core competence is in
the fields of exploration, mining, smelting and recycling. Boliden's
main metals are zinc and copper. Other important metals extracted and
refined include lead, gold and silver. The operations are conducted in
two Business Areas: Mines and Smelters. The number of employees is
approximately 4 400 and the turnover amounts to approximately SEK 28
billion annually. Its shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm, segment
Large Cap and on the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada.
www.boliden.com (http://www.boliden.com)

Attachments

01182012.pdf