OREANDA-NEWS. November 02, 2009. OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter – “Norilsk Nickel” or “the Company”), the world’s largest nickel and palladium producer, announced preliminary consolidated production results for the third quarter and nine months of 2009 at its Polar and Kola Divisions in Russia and at international operations in Finland, Australia, Botswana and South Africa, reported the press-centre of Norilsk Nickel.

Saleable nickel production in the third quarter of 2009 amounted to 67 thousand metric tonnes comparing to 71 thousand metric tonnes in the second quarter of 2009.

Overall saleable copper production in the third quarter of 2009 increased to 102 thousand metric tonnes from 100 thousand metric tonnes in the previous quarter.

The Company produced 704 thousand ounces of palladium and 173 thousand ounces of platinum in the reporting period.

In the third quarter of 2009, the Polar and Kola Divisions in Russia produced 58 thousand metric tonnes of nickel which is 1.1 thousand tonnes more comparing to the second quarter of 2009.

In the third quarter of 2009, copper production of the Russian divisions of the Company increased to 97 metric tonnes which was in line with the approved annual production plans.

Moreover, in the reporting period palladium and platinum production at the Polar and Kola Divisions amounted to 670 thousand troy ounces of palladium, and platinum production reached 167 thousand troy ounces, being slightly above the initial production outlook of the Company.

In the third quarter of 2009, the Harjavalta nickel refinery in Finland produced 3.7 thousand metric tonnes of nickel, including 3.3 thousand metric tonnes of own saleable nickel and 0.4 thousand metric tonnes of tolled nickel. The decrease of nickel production at the Harjavalta plant was due to scheduled maintenance and repair works in July-August, substantially lower volume of concentrate delivered by Talvivaara driven by production problems and technological issues experienced while launching furnaces after a stop at the smelting plant of The Boliden Group, a processer of Harjavalta’s feedstock.

In the reporting period no mining and metallurgical works were performed at the Australian assets of the Company.

In the third quarter of 2009, overall combined production of nickel in concentrate by Tati Nickel and Nkomati totaled 5.8 thousand metric tonnes, in line with the annual production plan.

The presented production volumes do not include the production results of the Stillwater Mining
Company, a subsidiary of the Company.

In total in 2009, Norilsk Nickel expects to produce 232 thousand tonnes of nickel at its Russian operations and 52 thousand tonnes of nickel at the Norilsk Nickel International assets. The copper production is envisaged to amount to 382 thousand tonnes in the Russian Federation and to 20 thousand tonnes at our international nickel operations. Also, the Company intends to produce 2,680 thousand troy ounces of palladium at the Pola and Kola Divisions and 170 thousand troy ounces at the Norilsk Nickel International operations. The production of platinum is expected to reach 638 thousand troy ounces in the Russian Federation and 30 thousand troy ounces at our international nickel operations.

Full text see here: http://www.nornik.ru/_upload/editor_files/file1287.pdf