Metals production by Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta
|
2015 |
2014 |
2013 |
Commercial nickel, kt |
43 |
43 |
44 |
Copper in copper cake, kt |
13 |
11 |
7 |
PGM in copper cake, kt |
3.5 |
3.2 |
4.1 |
In 2015, feedstock supply mainly included nickel concentrate from Nkomati (South Africa, internal supply), nickel concentrate from Mirabela (Brazil), nickel concentrate from Titania (Norway), nickel concentrate from CRI (Canada), nickel sulphide concentrate from Talvivaara (Finland), converter matte from ВНР (Australia) and BCL (Botswana), and nickel matte from Kola MMC.
Concentrates processed at the facilities of Boliden Harjavalta Smelter (BOHA) totalled 140 kt. Concentrates were processed under a tolling agreement until its termination on 1 July 2015. Harjavalta processes nickel-containing semi-products from third-party suppliers and is in the process of transition to feedstock of Polar Division.
Under the agreement, concentrates undergo preliminary processing at Boliden AB’s Harjavalta Smelting Plant, which shares the grounds of the Finnish Suurteollisuuspuisto Industrial Park with Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta Oy. Other semi-products with high nickel content are delivered directly to Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta Oy.
Starting 2H 2015, NNH processes BOHA’s nickel matte produced from the plant’s own feedstock.
Higher y-o-y recovery rates in 2015 are due to better quality of copper and ferrous cake.
In 2015, Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta produced 44 kt of commercial nickel, including 15 kt of cathodes, 22 kt of briquettes, 236 t of nickel powder, 7 kt of nickel salts, and 129 kt of nickel solution. The sales of copper cake to third parties totalled 13 kt.
The main driver behind the nickel production growth is the increased feedstock supply from third parties.
In 2015, copper and PGM sales grew y-o-y as a result of improved sales to third parties.
Capacity utilisation
|
2015 |
2014 |
2013 |
Concentrates and pyrite smelting, kt |
140 |
241 |
255 |
Refining capacity utilisation, % of max |
67 |
66 |
70 |
Recovery, %
|
2015 |
2014 |
2013 |
BOHA-NNH |
|
|
|
Nickel |
97.7 |
97.1 |
9 6.4 |
Copper |
97.4 |
95.4 |
96.4 |
Platinum |
— |
— |
— |
Palladium |
— |
— |
— |
HarjavaltaRecovery (loss) rates of NNH refining capacities.
|
|
|
|
Nickel |
97.8 |
97.1 |
97.5 |
Copper |
99.6 |
99.3 |
99.3 |
Platinum |
99.6 |
99.3 |
99.3 |
Palladium |
99.6 |
99.3 |
99.3 |