Title:

Geology Group Manager

Education:
Master of Sciences: Economic geology

What is your background?
I finished my studies with a thesis on the Garpenberg deposit for Boliden. Then I went to Australia and worked in 3 different underground mines. It was a Nickel and two gold mines. My primary duties were mapping and sampling the underground ore drives and controlling their direction to be positioned correctly. I also did a lot of core logging and taught graduate geologists the basics of the mine geologist job. I had a brief stint working in construction for new power lines in Germany, where we did geotechnical drilling to investigate the ground conditions for the planned power lines.

What made you apply for the job you have now?
Since I have been working in mining, I thought it would be interesting to learn more about exploration, the absolute starting phase of performing mining activities. This is much trickier than working in an established mine. The challenge of finding new ore and the different climate in Norrbotten compared to Australia attracted me. Also, the funding we have with Viscaria allows for a lot of drilling, which is not always the case for smaller companies. It is a unique situation.

For how long have you been working for Viscaria?
Since May 2021.

Could you describe what you do at work?
Part of my job is to mentor and supervise our junior geologists and geotechnicians in every aspect related to drilling activities: how to process the drill core from when it has been drilled to sampling it for copper mineralization. We also do the geotechnical logging, which is imported for the mine planners, to plan for varying ground conditions and decide how to support the tunnels and where to put them. I also plan drill holes, which means interpreting the current understanding of the ore body and planning the drill holes accordingly.

In short, could you describe a typical workday for you?
In the morning, the first thing I do is to check the drill core that has been drilled in the last 24hrs. Then we have a brief morning meeting to discuss what each of us is doing for the day. I also spend some time on our collected geological data, interpreting it, and planning our new drill holes together with the geology team.

How is it to work in a fairly new company?
It’s challenging and fun at the same time because you can be part of setting up the procedures and workflows.

What is the most exciting/good thing about your job?
For me, the most exciting thing is to find some good copper intersections in a fresh drill core in the morning!

In what way are Viscaria's activities important?
Copper is a crucial element to facilitate a renewable energy transition in society. When extracting it sustainably, it creates value for so many.

What are the strongest reasons to work/apply for a job at Viscaria?
If you are interested in mining and exploration, it is a great place to work because you get involved in many different projects. We also try to embrace and create a work culture of taking responsibility and making it an enjoyable job to come to on a Monday morning.

Do you have any hobbies in Kiruna?
I started skiing recently, and I had a good time exploring the lakes and waterfalls in the summer.