Taimyr Peninsula (Norilsk Nickel’s Polar Division)
Geological exploration is one of Nornickel’s core businesses ensuring sustainable extraction volumes and an optimal structure of mineral reserves.
Exploration is underway at Maslovskoye Field, deep horizons and flanks of the Oktyabrskoye and Talnakhskoye Fields, and the northern flank of Norilsk-1 Field. Industrial limestone was prospected and appraised in the Verkhne-Tomulakhskaya Area of the Norilsk Industrial District.
In 2016, the Company also kept prospecting for sulphide ores in Lebyazhninskaya, Razvedochnaya, Mogenskaya, Khalilskaya, Nizhne-Khalilskaya and Nirungdinskaya Areas of the Norilsk Industrial District, 150 km south-east of Norilsk.
Global estimated reserves of disseminated ores make it possible to classify Maslovskoye Field as one of the largest platinum-copper-nickel deposits. Areas of rich ore veins were found in the disseminated ores of this field. In 2015, the Group was granted a license to explore and mine copper-nickel sulphide ores.
In 2016, exploration project for Maslovskoye Field was prepared and reviewed by dedicated bodies. A feasibility study of permanent exploratory standards is underway.
| Metal | С1+ С2 mineral reserves | Metal content in ore |
|---|---|---|
| Ore (mln t) | 215 | |
| Palladium (koz) | 32,262 | 4.56 g/t |
| Platinum (koz) | 12,479 | 1.78 g/t |
| Nickel (kt) | 728 | 0.33% |
| Copper (kt) | 1,122 | 0.51% |
| Cobalt (kt) | 34 | 0.016% |
| Gold (koz) | 1,304 | 0.19 g/t |
Flanks and deep horizons of the Talnakhsky Ore Cluster (copper ores)
Taimyrsky and Skalisty Mines
Geological exploration (follow-up exploration) is underway in the northern flanks of Taimyrsky Mine and eastern flanks of Skalisty Mine to properly assess the boundaries of the producing deposits and convert С2 reserves to the С1 category. This has already resulted in reassessing 9,983 kt of copper-nickel reserves of the Severnaya 3 deposit.
| Metal | Inventories |
|---|---|
| Ore, mln t | 11.8 |
| Nickel, kt | 352.8 |
| Copper, kt | 435.3 |
| PGM, t | 100.6 |
Norilsk-1 Field
Exploration completed at the shaft pillar of Norilsk-1 Field. Off-balance reserves in the amount of 25.5 mln t as entered into the government books were converted from the underground mining reserves into reserves intended for open pit operations.
| Metal | For open-pit mining | For underground mining |
|---|---|---|
| Ore, mln t | 96.5 | 4.4 |
| Nickel, kt | 253.3 | 13.4 |
| Copper, kt | 310.6 | 15.2 |
| PGM, t | 421.4 | 21.5 |
Prospecting and appraisal of new copper-nickel sulphide ore fields
Limestone prospecting and appraisal in Verkhne-Tomulakhskaya Area
The license block is located in the Taimyrsky Dolgano-Nenetsky Municipal District and borders the northern part of the Talnakh District. The central point of the Area is 10 km away from the industrial facilities of Oktyabrsky and Taimyrsky Mines.
The Company appraised the Area, developed the permanent exploratory standards, and prepared a mineral reserves estimation report. In 2016, C1 + С2 limestone pit reserves totalling 116,686 kt were entered into government books. A certificate confirming the discovery of the Mokulaevskoye limestone deposit was issued to Norilsk Nickel. Upon the discovery, the Company applied for the relevant exploration and mining licence.