Norilsk Mining Centre Nickel, Palladium and Copper Production Facility, Russia

Key Data:

Producer of

Nickel, copper and platinum-group metals

Location

Northern Russia

Ownership

MMC Norilsk Nickel (100%)

Geology type

Sulphide mineralisation related to intrusive complex

Mineral type

Massive sulphides

Reserve base

478.7Mt proven and probable, within 1,419Mt measured and indicated resources (2004)

Annual production

244,000t of nickel and 425,000t of copper, plus cobalt and over 3.9Moz of platinum-group metals (2006)

Mining method

Mechanised sub-level caving with fill

Processing method

Dense-medium pre-concentration, then conventional flotation of sulphide minerals, followed by smelting and refining

Employment

Around 80,000, of whom over 50,000 work in the mines and plants and the remainder in non-core activities

Key equipment (underground)

Atlas Copco drilling and haulage equipment

Boart Longyear drilling equipment

Putzmeister backfill pumps

(surface mining)

Liebherr hydraulic excavators

Belaz haul trucks

(concentrator)

Mekhanobr flotation cells

(smelter)

Outokumpu flash smelter technology