Norilsk Nickel continues cooperation with Rosprirodnadzor as part of ecological programs implementation

Norilsk Nickel continues implementing programs on production facilities technical upgrading and ecology improvement at the operations in Murmansk region. As part of his visit to the region, Mr. Alexander Malyshevsky, Chairman of Public Council of the Federal Service for Supervision over Natural Resources Use (Rosprirodnadzor) has inspected production facilities of Kola MMC (OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel’s subsidiary).

In particular, Chairman of Rosprirodnadzor’s Public Council visited Kola MMC’s Pelletizing and Smelting Shops. These are two key facilities that make part of the production facilities upgrading program aiming at improving the ecological situation. Thus, Pelletizing Shop in Zapolyarny currently being at commissioning stage, will allow the company to abandon obsolete roasting technology non-complying with existing ecological standards in the field of nickel-copper concentrate roasting. Smelting Shop will face a major reconstruction, but at the moment, the company is implementing a scope of local technological projects aiming at reducing sulphur dioxide emissions.

“When fulfilling our plans, we place emphasis on cooperation with Rosprirodnadzor’s Public Council – said Alexei Tolstykh, Deputy General Director – Technical Director of Kola MMC – This is the exact body that may independently and high-professionally evaluate our work. And I believe this is a very good example of Kola MMC’s cooperation not only with government authorities, but with non-commercial organizations as well, whose opinion is always very important for us.

The total company’s allocations for activities on reducing sulfur dioxide emissions for a period from 1997 to 2011 amounted to USD 450 million. And most importantly, Norilsk Nickel and Kola MMC’s efforts indeed yield the results. If in 1997, the total emissions in Nikel and Zapolyarny towns amounted to 247,000 tons per year, by 2011 this parameter was reduced to 100,000 tons.

According to Mr. Malyshevsky, searching and adhering to positive trends in the facilities upgrading may raise the efficiency of environmental activities and serve as a basis for national policy in this area. As an example of such model of the interaction between regulatory authorities and business circles, he quoted the Agreement between Rosprirodnadzor and MMC Norilsk Nickel’s Polar Division, whereby the parties "shall control every stage of modernization – including continuous monitoring and reporting on the ecological efficiency of the measures taken" – said Chairman of Rosprirodnadzor ‘s Public Council.

ABOUT MMC NORILSK NICKEL

MMC Norilsk Nickel, a company incorporated under the laws of the Russian Federation, is the largest diversified mining and metals company in Russia, the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium and one of the world's largest producers of platinum, rhodium, copper and cobalt. In addition to this, MMC Norilsk Nickel produces a large number of other by-products, including gold, silver, tellurium, selenium, iridium and ruthenium.

The key production units of the Company’s group in Russia are at the Taimyr and Kola Peninsulas. MMC Norilsk Nickel international assets include operations in Finland, Australia, Botswana and South Africa.

MMC Norilsk Nickel’s shares are traded at MICEX-RTS. ADR’s on the Company’s shares are traded on the other the counter market in the US and at the London and Berlin stock exchanges.