Meet Viscaria's Geologist - Diana Schildger
There are exciting opportunities in Kiruna for the geologists of the future. This is the view of Diana, who began her journey at Viscaria as a summer geologist while studying at Luleå University of Technology and now works there full-time after completing her degree. In this interview, she gives us an insight into the dynamic and fascinating work taking place at the heart of Sweden’s most prominent mining region. Through the work of reopening a mine, Diana and her colleagues are helping to build the future – not only for the company, but for Kiruna as a whole. It is a project within complex geology that is set to attract more driven geologists.
Diana has gained a front-row seat to an exciting project where the geology is highly complex and where there is still much to discover. Kiruna is well known for its abundance of different types of mineral deposits, including apatite, iron ore and iron oxide copper deposits.
“This project as a whole is incredibly interesting. Every time you take a closer look, there can be something new, and being part of a team that is reopening the mine, seeing how the team works with such passion, exceptional teamwork and ambition, is truly a privilege for a geologist.”
Diana also believes that the knowledge generated from the Viscaria mine will attract more companies to Kiruna to carry out further exploration. “It will create more jobs for more people.”
Research Highlighting Future Opportunities
Diana’s thesis primarily focuses on identifying datable minerals within the different mineralised zones. Hopefully, this will become a valuable asset for future research. It will be a crucial component in understanding the mine and its potential for future production. The research being carried out also contributes to making mine planning as safe as possible.
“We geologists are responsible for identifying structures that may affect mine planning. We want to ensure that our mine planning is knowledge-based, safe and efficient. It is our responsibility to understand how this deposit is structurally positioned.”
Sustainable development is also an important part of the research. The team identifies different types of metal compounds to ensure that, if remediation is required, it can be handled appropriately.
Teamwork Combining Traditional and Modern Techniques
A typical day for Diana and her team starts early – as early as 7:30. Each morning begins with a meeting where the day’s drilling, logging results and any challenges are discussed. “After the meeting, we go straight to work logging cores, collecting geotechnical and geological data, and sending samples for analysis.” The results are then discussed with the project supervisor, leading to a final conclusion.
Despite the advanced technology used at Viscaria, Diana points out that much of the work is still carried out using traditional methods. “We use a hand lens, scraper, magnet and our knowledge to analyse the drill cores – just as has been done historically. It is still one of the most effective ways to understand the structure and composition of the ore.”
Modern technology is, of course, an important part of the work. Diana and her colleagues, for example, use portable XRF instruments to analyse mineral compounds directly on site. “This combination of old and new techniques allows us to achieve the most reliable results,” she explains.
