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Norilsk Nickel to invest 20 bln rubles in new production technology

MURMANSK, March 23. /TASS/. Specialists of the Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company (Kola MMC), a part of Norilsk Nickel, began tests of new equipment to remove impurities from nickel. According to the company’s press service said it would be implementation of new technology in nickel production, and the investments will make 20 billion rubles (about $333 million).

"Norilsk Nickel is the only producer of non-ferrous metals, which has own technology of the kind. This year, the Kola MMC’s facility in Monchegorsk became the company’s refinery center - the biggest in the world," the press service quoted MMC’s Director General Igor Ryshkel.

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Implementation of the electric extraction technology at MMC is a part of Norilsk Nickel’s development strategy, which also includes reconfiguration of the industrial facilities. At the Kola MMC, 476 electrolysis baths will be using now the technology of electric extraction. The first complex of 42 baths will be put operational in 2017.

The strategic investment project to use at the Kola MMC the highly effective technology of electric extraction means refusal from melting nickel anodes. Instead of that, the material for the metal product would be nickel powder produced in tube furnaces. The new technology makes the work more effective and the final product - of better quality.

The equipment to remove zinc impurities from nickel would be an important stage of the new production. The purification process will use unique technology of liquid extraction. Lower shares of zinc, which goes with the raw material for the further stage of nickel electrolysis, will mean maximum purity of the ready metal.

The commissioning works at the facilities for removing zinc impunities will be done in several stages. Right now, specialists are testing the technology equipment and pipelines. The complex commissioning of the entire process of removing zinc is due to begin in early April, 2017.

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