Kola MMC (MMC Norilsk Nickel subsidiary) has delivered the project for plough-back major repairs at electric ore-smelting furnace No 5 (Smelter).

The decision to reintroduce Smelter No 5 into the process was made for several reasons. The smelter shop is planning an incremental major repairs schedule for hearth replacements of the two currently operating Smelter No 3 and No 4, and Smelter No 5 will pick up their workload during the suspension. Kola MMC CEO Igor Ryshkel said, that launch of Smelter No 5 will enable operation of smelters in different configurations and improve performance against the production plan.

The reconstruction project also has an environmental angle. Repairs included substantial improvement of hermetic sealing which contributes to lower emissions and better environmental performance. Norilsk Nickel invested RUB 732.5 million in the project.

Commissioning of Smelter No 5 has been avidly anticipated by Kola MMC metallurgists. It was approximately 30 years ago, that the Nikel settlement received its last smelters. Smelter No 5 has a capacity of 0.15-0.18 mtpa of copper-nickel matte.

OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel issued this content on 10 March 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 24 March 2016 09:44:16 UTC

Original Document: http://www.nornik.ru/en/newsroom/news-and-press-releases/news/kola-mmc-completes-smelter-reconstruction