TASS, September 12. Tests of key equipment under the Sulfur Program began at the Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant in Norilsk, the Norilsk Nickel Company (Nornickel) reported.

Nornickel's Polar Division implements the Sulfur Program to cut sulfur dioxide emissions. It is the company's largest environmental project for a comprehensive upgrade of two core downstream facilities in the Norilsk Industrial District - the Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant and the Copper Plant.

"The country's largest environmental project is about to start. Individual tests of the project's key equipment are carried out at individual facilities and redevelopments. During the upcoming comprehensive equipment and technology testing, the company plans to practice all the processes," the company added.

Nornickel is arranging a server room and a dispatcher service office, from where the entire project will be managed. The first batch of limestone has been delivered from the Mokulaevskoye deposit. It is the main raw material necessary to neutralize sulfuric acid, which will develop in sulfur dioxide processing. The plant will be launching the Sulfur Program in stages. The designed capacity is planned for 2024.

Under the project, the company plans a partial redesign of the metallurgical production and construction of a new continuous converting unit and an acid neutralization line for the utilization of sulfur dioxide with necessary infrastructure projects. The program is part of the federal Clean Air project and is its largest event.

The Sulfur Program technologies offer capturing of at least 99% of sulfur dioxide at the main smelting units, where they will be used. The technologies comply with the specifics of the Norilsk Industrial District's ore base, with the used pyrometallurgical processes, as well as with the logistics limitations of Norilsk (a lack of external railway, a limited navigation period on the Yenisei River, the inter-navigation period where only air traffic is possible, and the Northern Sea Route logistics). Sulfuric acid from sulfur dioxide will be further neutralized by limestone to produce gypsum.