Gold-containing ore to be salvaged from sunken ship
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The cargo of ore ship Auer, which sank off Rauma in 1945, will be salvaged next summer.
Auer was carrying auriferous ore when it went down in September 1945 while sailing from Turku towards Sweden. The ore had been mined from a gold mine in Viljakkala.
Pasi Rytkönen, the diver who found the wreck, estimates that the cargo is worth 35,000 - 70,000 euros.
"The value will depend on the world market price of all the metals. Raising the cargo will require 30-50 dives, and as many workdays", Rytkönen explained.
The Auer cargo consists of 60 or even 75 tonnes of ore, depending on the source. The dressed, powdery ore contains gold, silver, and copper. The ore is packed into wooden crates, and is well preserved.
The crates will be opened underwater, and the ore will be pumped aboard an escort ship. The vessel can carry a couple of tonnes of the ore at a time.
Rytkönen searched for the Auer for seven years before discovering it in 2001, lying at a depth of 28 metres. The Geological Survey of Finland has analysed samples of the ore, and found 60-80 grams of gold per tonne.
The profitability of the undertaking is a bit suspect, but Rytkönen believes he will make a slight profit. The official owner of the cargo is the insurance company If.
Helsingin Sanomat
