#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. The Norilsk Division has held an annual direct line with the Nornickel Polar Branch’s management. In an open dialogue with the workforce, the division’s top officials discussed important and hot topics: industrial safety and working conditions, innovation and sustainable development, new market challenges, environmental strategy, corporate medicine and others.
One of the key questions that Nikolay Utkin, Nornickel’s senior vice president, the Norilsk division’s head, the Polar Branch’s director, answered during the direct line, concerned the work of the copper plant.
“Let’s start with the fact that the copper plant is working, fulfilling all production plans, the necessary funding is allocated, the program of replacing worn-out equipment is progressing – we have allocated about a billion rubles for these purposes. Of course, we do not forget about repairs of both buildings and structures, as well as our main smelting units. In 2024, we plan to spend over 10 billion rubles for these purposes”, said Nikolay Utkin. “We are confident that the plant will operate until 2027 inclusive. As for the future fate of copper production, two big problems remain. The first is environmental. Today the plant continues to emit about 900 thousand tons of SO2. We have to reduce this burden in accordance with the obligations we have undertaken as part of the government regulations. Why didn’t we implement the Sulfur Program there? The reason was the lack of access to technologies that were included in the basic design principles at the copper plant, and the impossibility of settlements with suppliers. The reason for this, of course, is the impact of sanctions. The second problem, which is also caused by sanctions pressure, is that today our copper cathode is not in demand in Europe and the West. Therefore, the main sales markets are reoriented to Asia, primarily to China. And this share will only grow. Therefore, it was decided to transfer hazardous production to China. But we are not talking about closing the copper plant; the changes will affect only part of the production. Moreover, a new drying production with three lines will be built at the copper plant, new logistics chains will be built in the Norilsk industrial region, this will also affect the port in Dudinka, and production will appear at the copper plant for the concentrates shipment and packaging. In the future, the freed up space is also planned to be used for organizing high-tech production, in particular 3D printing. Which together will allow us to develop the plant”.
Follow us on Telegram, VKontakte.
Text: Maria Ivanova, Photo: Marina Peshkova
