Russian mining company Nornickel will soon announce an update on its efforts to restore normal operations at a number of production facilities in the Norilsk Division as well as to improve their industrial safety, the company says.

Last month Nornickel partially halted production at its Oktyabrsky and Taimyrsky mines due to flooding, while three people were killed and three injured after a workshop roof collapse at Norilsk Concentrator.

On 9 March, the Nornickel Management board will consider the timeline for the full restoration of operations at both mines, as well as estimate an impact on production guidance, Kallanish notes.

“As of today, we can say that the flood will have material consequences and that there will be certain production losses, but fortunately it does not impact people and the environment,” says Nornickel president Vladimir Potanin.

The company has also developed a programme of immediate repairs to both production lines of the Norilsk Concentrator and is decommissioning all emergency sections of the factory. The disseminated ore processing line has been shut down for repairs, and, in a few days, the enterprise will suspend the copper line for an accelerated upgrade to eliminate the risk of any new possible incidents.

Nornickel expects that the factory will be ready to resume operations after 15 March. After that, subject to the results of an internal audit, as well as an inspection by the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological, and Nuclear Supervision (Rostekhnadzor), a decision will be made to resume operations.

“The restoration of the operations of the Norilsk Concentrator lines will only be possible once its new management is fully confident that the factory is completely safe,” said Potanin. “I have set the goal to achieve full compliance with industrial safety requirements.”

Over the next five years, the company plans to spend around RUB 100 billion ($1.3 billion) on projects, which are expected to improve industrial safety.