A Case Story: LKAB and Gasmet’s CEMS Cooperation

LKAB is One of the Oldest Industrial Firms in Sweden

Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara AB, or LKAB, is a high-tech mining and mineral group that mines and harnesses the unique iron ore found in Norrbotten for the international steel market. With a head office in Luleå, LKAB is fully owned by the Swedish state and is one of the oldest industrial firms in the country.

Additionally, LKAB is committed to using the technologies that will enable the company to continue to efficiently and responsibly mine and process highly sought-after iron ore products. They are the largest producer of iron ore in Europe, providing 78 percent of the iron ore on the continent. 

In 2017, the company produced 27.2 million tons of iron ore products. While the majority of its iron ore products are sold to European steel mills, LKAB also sells to firms in the Middle East, North Africa, Asia and the USA.

Bernt Johansson is a maintenance engineer at one of LKAB’s pellet plants in Malmberget. His job duties are related mostly to instrumentation and signal measurement.

LKAB and Emissions Monitoring

LKAB currently uses a total of 12 Gasmet continuous emissions monitoring systems in its plants.

“In total we have five monitoring systems located at the two pellet plants in Malmberget. One of them is a double that measures in two pipes”, Johansson states.

They then use the emission monitoring systems to track monitor exhaust gases in various processes. Using the Gasmet equipment to specifically to measure the emissions of H2O, CO2, NO, NO2, N2O, SO2, HCL, HF, TOC, NOx and O2 gases.

The LKAB and Gasmet Collaboration

Process engineers and other personnel were involved in the examination of various emission monitoring systems and the ultimate decision to use Gasmet products.

“Gasmet CEMS II e is a stable and reliable system, and with the combination of regular servicing from ALNAB, it is addressing our emission monitoring needs nicely here at LKAB”, Johansson says.

The Benefits of Using the Gasmet CEMS II e

According to Johansson, the Gasmet systems allow LKAB managers to see important measurements and statistics and keep constant track of the plant’s emissions. The system is also useful in allowing them to go back and check emission trend curves.

Johansson also states that because ALNAB conducts servicing and calibrations at the plant twice a year, LKAB personnel only has to manage a small amount of maintenance.

“The type of maintenance that has to be conducted typically includes just changing calibration gas tubes, conducting span- and zero-calibrations, verifying that the advanced and sensitive instruments are working correctly, transferring the values into the main system for registration and process controlling”, he explains.

He recommends the Gasmet CEMS II e for plants that are looking for a measurement tool that is consistent and who measurements can be trusted. With a combination of regular service and calibration, it is a system that has provided LKAB accuracy in emission monitoring.