Assets and highlights

2017 milestones
  • Talnakh Concentrator reached the target operating rates set by the upgrade project. Its capacity increased by over 30% from 7.6 to 10.2 mtpa of ore. Metal losses in tailings were reduced, and target nickel and copper content in the collective concentrate and target quality of nickel-pyrrhotite and copper concentrates were met.
  • A new tank-house section is being built at Kola MMC. Deployment of the highly efficient electrowinning technology will see the smelting of nickel anodes phased out. It will enable Nornickel to cut operating costs, drive down metal losses in the production process and improve the quality of products.
  • In October, Bystrinsky GOK was launched in Zabaykalsky Krai, with hot commissioning progressing as scheduled. The facility will be developing the Bystrinskoye Field, a polymetallic deposit in the Gazimuro-Zavodsky District, and the Bugdainskoye Field, a molybdenum deposit in the Alexandrovo-Zavodsky District.
Assets and highlights


Sergey Dyachenko

With the key stage of our reconfiguration effort completed, Talnakh Concentrator delivered stronger recovery rates and reached its design capacity while work-in-progress inventory levels normalised, allowing us to meet production targets for 2017. Our own feedstock metals production increased by 7–15% vs 2016, with copper and platinum output beating targets by 4% and 6%, respectively. In 2018, Kola MMC will adopt chlorine leaching, with the refining capacities upgrade and expansion entering the active phase. Copper production is also expected to increase during the year, driven by both Bystrinsky GOK and the existing capacities.

Sergey Dyachenko First Vice President – Chief Operating Officer at Nornickel


Ore mined across the Group // mt

Metals production in 2017 – breakdown by asset // % from the overall Group production

Operating performance for 2017

Ore mined across the Group // mt
Asset 2015 2016 2017
Russia
Polar Division and Medvezhy Ruchey 17.3 17.2 17.4
Kola MMC 8.0 7.6 7.6
Total 25.3 24.8 25.0
South africa
Nkomati (50%)Volumes based on the 50% ownership (not included in the totals). 4.2 2.8 3.5
Average metal content
Asset Nickel, % Copper, % PGMThe five following metals are included: palladium, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium and iridium., g/t
2015 2016 2017 2015 2016 2017 2015 2016 2017
Russia
Polar Division and Medvezhy Ruchey 1.27 1.23 1.29 2.06 2.09 2.17 6.85 6.81 6.83
Kola MMC 0.62 0.53 0.54 0.25 0.22 0.23 0.07 0.08 0.07
South Africa
Nkomati 0.34 0.36 0.31 0.14 0.13 0.12
Metals recovery in concentration // %
Asset Nickel Copper PGM
2015 2016 2017 2015 2016 2017 2015 2016 2017
Russia
Polar Division and Medvezhy Ruchey (ore to concentrate) 81.3 77.1 82.4 95.5 94.2 95.5 79.3 77.7 81.5
Kola MMC
(ore to concentrate)
72.7 69.0 69.8 76.0 73.6 75.4
South Africa
Nkomati
(ore to concentrate)
74.1 70.6 70.7 86.1 89.5 90.9
Metals recovery in smelting // %
Asset Nickel Copper PGM
2015 2016 2017 2015 2016 2017 2015 2016 2017
Russia
Polar Division and Medvezhy Ruchey 93.1 93.4 93.9 94.2 94.1 94.0 93.8 95.0 95.6
Kola MMC
(up to converter matte)
96.5 96.8 96.5 96.3 96.6 96.2
Kola MMC (in refining) 97.8 98.2 98.2 97.3 97.1 97.4 96.3 93.4 96.7
Finland
Harjavalta 97.8 98.3 98.5 99.6 99.7 99.7 99.6 99.4 99.3
Saleable metals production across the Group
Metal 2015 2016 2017
Group total
Nickel, t 266,406 235,749 217,112
from own Russian feed 220,675 196,809 210,131
Copper, t 369,425 360,217 401,081
from own Russian feed 352,766 344,482 397,774
Palladium, koz 2,689 2,618 2,780
from own Russian feed 2,575 2,526 2,728
Platinum, koz 656 644 670
from own Russian feed 610 610 650
Russia
Nickel, t 222,016 182,095 157,396
Copper, t 355,706 350,619 387,640
Palladium, koz 2,606 2,554 2,738
Platinum, koz 622 622 660
Finland
Nickel, t 43,479 53,654 59,716
Copper, t 13,048 9,598 13,441
Palladium, koz 78 64 42
Platinum, koz 33 22 10
South AfricaSaleable concentrate production based on the 50% ownership (not included in the totals).
Nickel, t 11,350 8,486 8,006
Copper, t 5,301 4,007 4,504
Palladium, koz 53 40 46
Platinum, koz 20 15 20