The first 90,000 tons of ore have already been extracted at the “Yuzhny” mine, the company informs. The open pit, a branch part of the great “Zhdanovskoe” field, will deliver a total of two million tons of ore by year 2016. The volumes are essential for the company to uphold its current level of 8,2 million tons of processed ore per year, a press release reads.
After 2016, Kolskaya GMK will start underground mining at the “Yuzhny” field, company representative Maksim Kuzenkov says.
The Norilsk Nickel subsidiary has a total of eight nickel and cupper fields in Pechenga, of which four, the “Zhdanovskoye”, “Zapolyarnoye”, Kotselvaara-Kammikivi” and “Semiletka”, are being exploited. The “Zhdanovskoye” is with its annual output of six million tons of ore the far biggest.
In 2004 Kolskaya GMK opened the “Severny-Gluboky”, the new underground mine which today delivers an annual of about six million tons of ore. Also the “Severny-Gluboky” is part of the “Zhdanovskoye” deposit.
Despite a 37 percent drop in profits in 2012, the Norilsk Nickel still remains a major money-making business. In 2012, the company had a net profit of 70.14 billion RUB (€1.7 billion), Mining.com reports.
