OREANDA-NEWS. March 28, 2014. Installation of an automated copper cathode packaging system is planned for this year at the Copper Plant of MMC Norilsk Nickel. The use of equipment manufactured by Outotec (Finland) shall make the plant’s products even more attractive to the end users.

Cathodes, produced at the copper processing facility, are rectangular plates with an average weight of 85 kilograms and 99.9% copper grade. Outotec’s line will include automatic handling manipulators to package copper cathode batches, automatic weighting, sampling and rejection units and the main segment – packaging unit using steel bands.

There are currently four lines in operation packaging copper cathodes using steel wire, which doesn’t meet the requirements of all contractors. Steel band copper cathode packaging method, on the other hand, received very positive feedback from the consumers.

Planned production capacity of the new packaging line is 400 cathodes per hour. All technological operations (weighting, rejection, sampling, labeling etc.) shall be in full compliance with corresponding requirements and HSE norms.

Commissioning of the automated packaging line shall considerably improve attractiveness of NN’s products to the consumers and ensure full compliance of copper cathode batches with LME packaging requirements.

It is planned to procure and install an additional steel band packaging line in 2015, which shall ensure that all copper cathodes, produced by the Polar Division of MMC Norilsk Nickel, are packed using this method.