VKG opens Uus-Kiviõli Mine, securing jobs and raw material supply for decades to come

Viru Keemia Grupp (VKG) officially opens the Uus-Kiviõli oil shale mine today, 29 September. The new mine will secure the raw material supply required for the Group’s shale oil production for the next three decades, as the existing Ojamaa mine is expected to reach the end of its reserves by the end of 2027.

“A natural resource only becomes a resource when knowledge, technology and human expertise are applied to it. A mine cannot be built simply by following drawings, because underground you can never know with absolute certainty what lies beyond the next metre. Engineering expertise and technical solutions must constantly be adapted to geological conditions and the realities set by nature,” said Ahti Asmann, Chairman of the Management Board of Viru Keemia Grupp.

According to Asmann, the investment in Uus-Kiviõli was not made solely with today’s needs in mind. “A strong industrial sector does not emerge on its own. It requires a willingness to take responsibility, make decisions and invest with an impact that extends over decades. Estonia has the natural resources, expertise and technology to create greater value from them, while there is global demand for our products. The Uus-Kiviõli mine enables us to continue this value chain in Estonia and contribute to the Estonian economy through exports, tax revenues and jobs,” Asmann added.

The transition of all approximately 530 employees from the Ojamaa mine to Uus-Kiviõli is already under way. The Uus-Kiviõli mine is expected to reach full production capacity in the first quarter of 2028.

According to Dmitri Dmitrijev, Mayor of Lüganuse Municipality, the completion of the new mine has a direct and practical significance for the region. “For Lüganuse Municipality, the Uus-Kiviõli mine means, above all, greater security – jobs for local people and significant revenue for the municipality, enabling us to develop the local living environment and improve the well-being of our community. An investment with such a long-term perspective sends a positive signal to the entire region and stimulates economic activity,” said Dmitrijev.

The development of the mine has included the construction of access roads, sedimentation ponds and electricity infrastructure, as well as a new water supply system for Rääsa village. An approximately six-kilometer conveyor has also been completed, transporting the extracted oil shale to the Ojamaa beneficiation plant and from there onwards to the shale oil plants in Kohtla-Järve.

The new mine uses maximum of existing infrastructure, reducing the need for new facilities and the associated environmental impact. At the same time, the annual oil shale processing capacity will remain at its current level of approximately five million tonnes.

Further information:
Irina Bojenko
VKG Head of PR and Marketing
+372 523 2700