Nornickel, the world’s largest producer of high-grade nickel, palladium and copper, has stepped up in delivering its flagship environmental project aimed at reducing the sulphur pollution in Norilsk. The Sulphur Programme is being implemented at the Nadezhda and Copper smelters and is called to address the issue of Nornickel pollution. The Company has already invested RUB 10 bn solely since the beginning of 2021 with the total budget of the project being over RUB 300 bn (or USD 4.1-4.2 bn). The programme involves sulphur dioxide capture and utilisation of pertinent equipment and facilities at two smelters of the Nadezhda complex.
The technology engaged in this Nornickel environment protection project involves the chemical process of intermediate production of sulphuric acid that is coupled with a sufficient extraction of sulphur dioxide along the way. This method is the forefront know-how and the most effective way to utilise sulphur dioxide available in the market. The underlying technology is capable of seizing more than 99% of the emissions from the facilities it has been implemented on.
Nornickel plans to invest more than USD 6 bn into its environmental and climate projects (around RUB 440 bn) until 2030. The Company is not only committed to addressing and rectifying Nornickel environmental damage that occurred from its activities but also adheres to delivering its holistic environmental strategy that covers waste management, air and water pollution, land reclamation and other issues. For instance, in Norilsk, several projects are focused on waste collection and management, land reclamation in the city’s industrial areas and construction of the waste treatment amenities are being currently implemented.
To put the Sulphur Programme into action and to capture Nornickel sulphur dioxide emissions, the Company has built more than 8 kT of steel constructions at the Nadezhda smelter as well as more than 35,000 cubic metres of structures made of concrete. Moreover, within the Programme, the gypsum storage amenity is being constructed that is aimed to store the result product. This product is supposed to have close characteristics as those of the natural gypsum.
Also, the Programme involves building fifteen project related amenities at the Nadezhda complex. These facilities include the following:
- Production place for sulphuric acid;
- The warehouse to store the acid;
- Limestone intake and crushing amenity;
- Facility devoted to limestone milk production and
- Sulphuric acid neutralisation unit.
As part of implementation of the programme at the Copper smelter, the Company is engaged in improving its air purification and dust treatment amenity and installing new facilities. Moreover, other comprehensive projects are planned to be commenced at this smelter within the Sulphur Programme. Pertinent documentation for these new projects is currently being drafted.
In general, the Sulphur Programme aims at making Nornickel reduce its sulphur dioxide emissions in Norilsk by 45% by 2023 as compared to the 2015 levels. Further, it is planned to reach a 90% reduction by 2025.
Contact
Tatyana Egorova
[email protected]
Moscow, Russia
*This article is in English, but the website you will be visiting is in Russian.
