Norilsk comments on environmental performance in 2007

Tag : Nickel Oxide

Today Russia celebrates a professional holiday of environmentalspecialists, which was introduced by Decree of Russian PresidentNo. 933 dated March 21, 2007. MMC Norilsk Nickel team would like tocongratulate all those involved in environment protection on thisholiday and wish every professional success.
MMC Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter - Norilsk Nickel or the Company) isreviewing its 2007 environmental performance. Current environmentalcosts exceeded RUB 7.5 billion, which represents a 13% y-o-ygrowth.
Since 2005 the Company has implemented the Environmental Policyoutlining major environmental guidelines and setting forth priorityenvironmental goals and objectives.
Based on Environmental Policy guidelines, MMC Norilsk Nickeldeveloped and implemented its environmental management system aspart of its integrated quality and environmental management system.
Business units of the Company consistently undertake large-scaleactivities to reduce harmful effects on the environment.
For instance, in 2007 the amount of solids released after treatmentreduced by 5.6% against 2006 figures, nickel oxide reduced by 2.6%,copper oxide - by 3.9%, cobalt oxide - by 19.2%, and lead - by 1.2%while efficiency of dust capture facilities went up 99.4% against2006.
Generally, in the period from 2004 to 2007 as a result of a numberof activities implemented by the Company total emission at thePolar Branch reduced by 70.8 Kt/y (representing 3.4%), sulfurdioxide emissions are 60.9 Kt (3%). Relative reduction of emissionsto the atmosphere is stronger with carbon oxide (31.4%), solids(19.1%), copper oxides (15.1%), nickel (23.9%) and cobalt (28.4%).
In the recent years a strong improvement trend is observed inNorilsk in terms of air quality due to a set of measures theCompany took to reduce emission. In 2007 the total y-o-y reductionin duration of atmospheric air pollution in Norilsk was 12%, andthe duration of high-level pollution periods went 20% down.
MMC Norilsk Nickel targets water use optimization and reduction ofwaste water discharge to surface-water bodies. In the last 5 yearsthe total amount of water consumed was reduced by 27.1 mln m3(9.1%).
The total water drainage reduced by 53.3 mln m3 (28.7%) in the lastfive years due to aquatic protection activities implemented underthe plans and programs in place at the Company's business units torebuild and upgrade capital stock.
As a result of these activities the bulk of pollutants dischargedto water objects with waste water slipped by 28 Kt (22 %).
The amount of water used in the recycling water supply systems ofthe Company's operations is equivalent to 84.3 % of the total waterused.
The Company achieved significant improvements in waste management.In the last 5 years the amount of waste utilization went up from4.8 mln t to 19.3 mln t (4 times) and waste disposal reduced from25.6 mln t to 14.9 mln t (by 10.7 mln t, i.e. by 41.8%).
The Company's environmental achievements have been repeatedlyrecognized by the expert community. Notably, in November 2007Norilsk Nickel became the winner of the national contestEnvironmental Performance Leader - 2007 thus acknowledging itsreputation of an environmentally and socially responsible business.
«Environmental protection is among top priorities for NorilskNickel. We work to lessen 5the impact of our operations on theenvironment, invest heavily in environmental measures and improveproduction processes», said Jacques Rozenberg, Deputy GeneralDirector.
Jacques Rozenberg also congratulated all environmental specialistsupon their professional holiday and emphasized the importance ofenvironmental efforts for further development of production.
About Norilsk Nickel
Norilsk Nickel, a corporation incorporated under the laws of theRussian Federation, is the largest mining and metals company inRussia, the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium, andone of the world's largest producers of platinum and copper. Inaddition to this, Norilsk Nickel produces a large number ofby-products including cobalt, rhodium, silver, tellurium, selenium,iridium and ruthenium. The Norilsk Nickel group is involved inprospecting, exploration, extraction, beneficiation andmetallurgical processing of minerals, as well as in production,marketing and sales of base and precious metals.
The Company is headquartered in Moscow, Russia, with sales anddistribution activities managed through its Moscow headquarters andinternational sales network. Norilsk Nickel's Russian operationsinclude the Polar Division plants in the Taimyr Peninsula(Krasnoyarsk Territory) region and Kola Mining and MetallurgicalCompany ("KMMC") located in the Kola Peninsula (Murmansk region).
Norilsk Nickel's international mining and metallurgical operationsencompass nickel sulphide and laterite mining, processing andrefining in Finland, Australia, Botswana and South Africa. TheCompany also operates a process technology group. Norilsk NickelAustralia's assets include Lake Johnston, Black Swan and Waterloonickel operations and the Honeymoon Well project, as well as Cawseand Avalon laterite high pressure acid leach (HPAL) operations.Norilsk Nickel Africa's assets include 85% ownership of both theTati Nickel Mining Company and Botswana Metal Refinery in Botswana(the remaining 15% is held by the Government of the Republic ofBotswana). The African assets also include a 50:50 joint venturewith African Rainbow Minerals in the Nkomati nickel mine in SouthAfrica. Norilsk Nickel Finland's assets include the HarjavaltaRefinery and a 5.46% share in the Talvivaara Mining Company.Supporting the processing and metallurgical operations is NorilskProcess Technology in Australia, which provides a wide range oftechnical process support from ore processing through to theproduction of final metal.
Norilsk Nickel also operates a research and development institute,LLC "Gipronickel", located in St Petersburg with branches at thePolar Division and KMMC. Norilsk Nickel is the majority shareholderin Stillwater Mining Company, the largest producer of platinumgroup metals in North America, whose shares are traded on the NewYork Stock Exchange.
June 5, 2008