Old copper smelter in Monchegorsk faces closure, brand new under consideration

It will mean a substantial improvement of environmental standards, both for the workers and the fragil nature on the Kola Peninsula.

Kola GMK, a subsidiary of Russia’s giant non ferrous metal giant Nornickel, will most likely get a brand new factory for copper melting in Monchegorsk. Upgrading to new industrial production-technology was debated during Nornickel’s annual capital market day in London.

«Monchegorsk is now and outdated and inefficient workshop, modernization is impossible,» says vice-president for strategic planning, Sergey Dubovitsky, according to TV21 in Murmansk.

The video-recording from the London-presentation is also published by Blogger 51.

Dubovitsky says it is possible to close the current factory in Monchegorsk, move the production to Nadezhda Metallurgical copper plant in Norilsk on the Taimyr Peninsula for an intermediate period.

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The long term option is, according to a Interfax quote by Dubovitsky, «building a modern facility in Monchegorsk.»

Last month, Nornickel announced it will close its nickel matte production in the town of Nikel on the Kola Peninsula and move production to Monchegorsk. From before, the factories in Monchegorsk have a nickel plant.