TASS, June 6. The Norilsk Nickel Company (Nornickel) suspended for one hour work of melting shops at the Nadezhdinsky copper plant in Norilsk, at the Kola MMC in Monchegorsk and Nickel. By participating in the Ecology Hour action, the company joined the World Environment Day, led by the United Nations Environment Program, the company’s press service said on Tuesday.

"In Norilsk, we have suspended the melting shops at the Nadezhdinsky Metallurgical Plant," the company said. "A one-hour suspension cuts the emissions, as well as consumption of oxygen and natural gas by 105 and 21,700 cubic meters respectively."

"The Kola MMC, on June 1, suspended for one hour the melting and conversion parts of the metallurgical (in Monchegorsk) and melting (in Nickel) shops," the press service said.

In 2017, the press service continued, Nornickel invested 25.8 billion rubles ($416 million) in the environmental programs. The company’s Sulfuric Project is under way in Norilsk. Its objective is to cut by 75% sulfur dioxide emissions by 2023.

The United Nations Organization established the World Environment Day in 1972. Nornickel has been participating in it since 2017.

Nornickel is the world’s biggest producer of nickel and palladium, a major producer of platinum and copper. Its main shareholders are Vladimir Potanin’s Interros and Oleg Deripaska’s Rusal.