Nornickel said the first batch of nickel produced with the lower emissions - it plans to produce up to 10,000 tons this year - was produced by the Group's Kola Division. It will be shipped from Murmansk Port and delivered to Rotterdam.

The producer said the nickel's environmental status was achieved through an emissions strategy that included the replacement of hydro and thermal power station units feeding the Norilsk Industrial District.

It also involved the modernisation and repair of energy equipment, installation of automated control and metering systems, reduction of heat loss in buildings and pipelines, equipment optimisation, and decommissioning obsolete power units.

In March, the company shut down its metallurgical shop at Kola MMC in Monchegorsk, which was a source of sulphur dioxide emissions. With the shutdown of the smelting shop in the town of Nikel, the emissions in Kola Peninsula in 2021 will be 85% lower compared to 2015.

The measures enabled Nornickel to reduce emissions by almost 47,000 tons in 2019-2020. The carbon-neutral nickel will also be tokenised on Atomyze, a blockchain platform, and the tokens will be listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange by Nornickel's EU-based Global Palladium Fund.

"The measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have allowed the company to allocate thousands of tonnes of saved CO2 emissions to carbon-neutral nickel production," said the company. 

Anton Berlin, Nornickel Vice President, Sales and Distribution commented: "We are pleased to announce that Nornickel has received the international auditor's certificate confirming our commitment to support the global climate change agenda and proactively accelerate the reduction of our carbon footprint."