PROCESSING

Nornickel to boost production at Harjavalta

Russia’s Norilsk Nickel has unveiled plans to increase nickel output at its Harjavalta refinery in Finland in response to rising demand in Europe for the key battery metal.

 Norilsk Nickel's Harjavalta plan produces nickel cathodes, briquettes and salts, and cobalt sulphates and solutions

Norilsk Nickel's Harjavalta plan produces nickel cathodes, briquettes and salts, and cobalt sulphates and solutions

Norilsk said on Tuesday it would boost output from current levels of 65,000 tonnes per year to 75,000tpa in 2023 before ramping up to over 100,000tpa by early 2026.

Nickel output from the asset totalled 63,000t in 2020. Norilsk plans to increase total nickel production by 20-30% over the coming decade to about 250,000tpa.

"The plan to increase capacity is driven by growing European market demand for battery raw materials responsibly produced with one of the lowest carbon footprint in the industry," Norilsk said in a statement.

Germany's BASF is building a battery materials plant next door to Norilk's refinery at Harjavalta. The facility is due online by the end of the year.

Norilsk's head of strategy Sergey Dubovitsky said in December the company was becoming "more client-centric" in terms of its nickel production offering.

 

The company said the expansion was "in line with the group's strategy to ensure a global shift to a greener economy while being green itself".

Norilsk remains keen to talk up its green credentials despite a less than stellar environmental performance in 2020.

The metals producer said in February it would not contest a $2 billion fine handed down by Russian courts following a major fuel spill at its Arctic operations in May 2020.

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