Increased water inflow halts production at Tara Boliden zinc mine, Navan

N054 NOVEMBER 2021

Update 3rd December 2021
According to the Meath Chronicle the inflow at Tara mine has now been stopped.  While glad to hear this, we are hoping a full investigation by the EPA is  implemented, and that they can establish the if the flooding incident at the Tara mine, and the water supply issues at households in the Shambo/Robinstown area are related.  
Links to articles below-
Water flow into Tara mine stopped
Calls for probe into water loss in Robinstown and Shambo areas

Original article, November 2021
Production has been stopped at Tara Boliden’s zinc mine near Navan, Co.Meath due to  increased water flow into the mine.
Tara Boliden, Navan is Europe’s largest zinc mine.
Water began flooding the underground mine as a crew was drilling a pilot raise bore hole for a ventilation shaft.
Inflow volumes are exceeding the capacity of the dewatering infrastructure, the company said, adding it was unclear for how long production will be stopped.

Gunnar Nystrom, general manager at Tara Mines, told Morning Ireland on RTE Radio 1 that they have a “solution” and a “plan” to tackle the water flow.

“The water flow that comes in exceeds our pumping capacity in the mine.No the mine [is not flooded] at the moment. We are preparing at the moment to protect the infrastructure in the mine and so on. Moving equipment and our main focus is to close drain holes and stop the water flow.

“Hopefully we will stop the flow in the coming days. Everyone is at work. The shifts are going on as usual. We have a very engaged and skilled workforce here at Tara and all employees are needed in activities we are doing at the moment,” Mr Nystrom said.

“Safety is of course our number one priority. We have all the risk assessments done.”

Mr Nystrom offered workers and their families assurance over job security. “We need all the employees if we are to to continue that work. Everybody needs to be in work as usual. We don’t [envisage suspensions] happening at this time.”

He said it was too early to say whether the situation can be brought under control within days. “It is at present unclear how long the the production stop will be due to the water. This is the first time with this amount of water.”

Mr Nystrom added there was no environmental concerns but that it is something that they “are keeping track of”.