Polog

Just before Christmas 2004 POLOG was contacted by Quadra Mining that was planning a 'bankable feasability study' to explore the prospects of Molybdenum-mining at Malmbjerget in Eastern Greenland. Molybdenum is a mineral that is used in the hardening of steel and Molybdenum was in high demand due to a big pipeline project in China that required enormous amounts of steel.

Type:
Exploration

Contract:
Large Scale Operation

Period:
2005–2007

Location:
Malmbjerget in East Greenland

Facts:
• Two camps for respectively 40 and 20 persons
• Project completion time: 5 months
• POLOG manpower during planning and establishment approx. 60
• Air Mobilisation of app. 450 tons camp equipment

Challenging time frame
Quadra Mining Ltd. is a multi-asset copper and base metal producing company based in Canada. Quadra owns and operates several mines.

Quadra asked POLOG to plan, establish and run an exploration camp for 40-50 people in only 5 month. In the process this increased to a two camp structure and Quadra also asked POLOG to supply personnel for core cutting, geologist to keep journals and logistics personnel to handle logistics during the entire project period.

Malmbjerget is considered one of the world’s biggest molybdenum-sites but had not been explored fully due to the extreme conditions in the area. It is a hard accessible alpine area 700 m high and surrounded by glaciers with out any modern established infrastructure in the region.

Due to the tight time frame POLOG sent their experts to Greenland to study the area already in early March 2005. The initial task was to lay out the best infrastructure and determine the ideal Camp site. 

It was decided that the ideal infrastructure-solution was to use the Ministry of Defence-runway at Mestersvig as a hub. Mestersvig is situated approx. 30 km from Malmbjerget.

This introduced the first big challenge – to get the permission and contract to use the Mestersvig. POLOGS “diplomacy experts” contacted the Danish Defence and started a diplomatic dialogue that was executed in record time. Despite an initial reluctance in the Danish Military POLOG managed to present an agreement within a record time of 2 months.

POLOG even provided an agreement that allowed Quadra to use Mestersvig as a technical camp for 20 engineers, advisors and pilots.

In consultation with the project geologist, POLOG decided to build the camp in Malmbjerget on a flat moraine area on the glacier.

In late April 2005, POLOG staff had finished the necessary preliminary steps for the start up of a large scale airlift of approx. 450 tons of equipment, fuel and supplies from Iceland to Mestersvig. In just 12 days POLOG transported 450 tons of equipment, fuel and supplies to Mestersvig and Malmbjerget. Both planes, trucks and helicopters was used in this massive logistical manouvre.

By 25 May 2005, the Camp was set up and running. Within 5 months from the first contact POLOG had completed this large-scale project respecting all deadlines and budgets.

Quadra also used POLOGs services in 2006 and 2007 and have now finished their pre-studies and decided to exploit the deposits. Quadra will start open mining at Malmbjerget once they have obtained the necessary permissions.