Russia’s Norilsk Nickel has released its preliminary consolidated production results for the September quarter and the nine months of 2018 so far, detailing increased output across the board. The company reported a 9 percent quarter-on-quarter increase in nickel production and a 3 percent year-on-year increase in palladium production, among other results. Mr Sergey Dyachenko CEO of Norilsk Nickel said that “In 9M 2018, we increased the output of all core metals. The most significant growth has been delivered in copper that was up 20 percent year-on-year owing to processing of concentrate purchased from Rostec and the launch of concentrate production at Bystrinsky project (Chita copper project). Bystrinsky GOK, which successfully started hot commissioning in October 2017, produced 13 kt of copper and 62 koz of gold in copper concentrate, which was in line with our adjusted production targets. PGM output increased as a result of intensive processing of copper concentrate purchased from Rostec and Talnakh Concentrator reaching its design parameters.”
NICKEL
In 3Q18, consolidated nickel production amounted to 54 kt, up 9% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q). Nickel output from own Russian feed also increased 9% q-o-q to 53 kt. The growth was mainly attributed to increased production at Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta as the refinery returned to normal operations after scheduled repair works were carried out in 2Q18.
In 9M18, nickel output stayed almost flat year-on-year (y-o-y) at 157 kt. Nickel output from own Russian feed amounted to 156 kt, up 3% y-o-y. The growth was attributed to the completion of the main phase of downstream reconfiguration, increased mining and processing volumes of ore at the Polar division and improvement of operating efficiency of the Company’s concentrators.
COPPER
In 3Q18, copper production amounted 120 kt, up 3% q-o-q, almost all of which was produced from own Russian feed. The increase was attributed to processing of higher volumes of ore at Bystrinsky GOK and increased processing of high-grade matte from the Polar Division at Kola MMC.
In 9M18, copper output reached 350 kt, up 20% y-o-y, almost all of which was produced from the Company’s own Russian feed (up 22% y-o-y). The increase was driven by hot commissioning operations at Bystrinsky Project, increased processing volumes of concentrate purchased from Rostec and reduced metal losses in recovery of copper into copper concentrate as a result of Talnakh Concentrator reaching its design parameters after modernization.
PLATINUM GROUP METALS
In 3Q18, both palladium and platinum were produced solely from the Company’s own Russian feed, with their output amounting to 699 koz (down 14% q-o-q) and 178 koz (down 10% q-o-q), respectively. The decline of the PGM output was attributed to lower metal content in the feed processed at Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta and to a high base effect of 2Q18 when the Company processed work-in-progress concentrate accumulated earlier.
In 9M18, palladium and platinum output increased 3% y-o-y to 2,095 koz and 4% y-o-y to 513 koz, respectively. The increase of PGM output was mostly driven by processing of concentrate purchased from Rostec and Talnakh Concentrator reaching its design parameters after upgrade.
RUSSIAN OPERATIONS
In 3Q18, all saleable metals produced by the Company in Russia were from its own feed.
In 3Q18, nickel output at Kola MMC stayed almost flat at 38 kt (down 1% q-o-q). In 9M18, nickel output at Kola MMC amounted to 113 kt, down 1% y-o-y. The decrease was driven primarily by the reduction of low-margin processing of third-party feed.
In 3Q18, copper output at the Company’s operations in Russia amounted to 116 kt, up 3% q-o-q. The increase was due to processing of higher volumes of ore by Bystrinsky GOK and larger volume of Polar Division’s nickel matte processed at Kola MMC. In 9M18, copper output amounted to 336 kt, up 20% y-o-y. The increase was attributed to hot commissioning operations at Bystrinsky Project, increased processing of concentrate purchased from Rostec and higher recovery rates of copper into copper concentrate as a result of Talnakh Concentrator reaching its design parameters after modernization.
In 3Q18, palladium and platinum output in Russia amounted to 685 koz (down 14% q-o-q) and 174 koz (down 11% q-o-q), respectively. The decline of the PGM output was attributed to a higher base effect of 2Q18, when the Company processed work-in-progress concentrate accumulated earlier. In 9M18, palladium and platinum output amounted to 2,053 koz (up 3% y-o-y) and 505 koz (up 4% y-o-y), respectively. The increase of PGM output was mostly due to processing of the concentrate purchased from Rostec and Talnakh Concentrator reaching the project’s design parameters.
NORILSK NICKEL HARJAVALTA (FINLAND)
In 3Q18, nickel output at Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta increased 40% q-o-q to 16 kt, which were mostly produced from the Company’s own Russian feed (up 41% q-o-q). The increase was mainly attributed to a low base effect of 2Q18, when refinery was undergoing annual scheduled repair works. In 9M18, nickel output amounted to 44 kt, up 4% y-o-y. The increase was attributed to higher processing volumes of Russian feed as a result of the downstream reconfiguration.
In 3Q18, copper production at Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta amounted to 4 kt (flat q-o-q), almost all of which was produced from the Company’s own Russian feed (-1% q-o-q). In 9M18, copper output amounted to 14 kt (up 43% y-o-y). The growth was attributed to the increase of processing of Russian feed (nickel matte produced at the Polar division) following the downstream reconfiguration as well as processing of work-in-progress material in the reported period.
In 3Q18, output of saleable palladium and platinum (both contained in copper cake) amounted to 14 koz (down 13% q-o-q) and 4 koz (increased 2 fold q-o-q), respectively. The decrease in palladium and increase in platinum output were attributed to higher platinum content and lower palladium content in processed Russian feed in the reported quarter.
In 9M18, output of palladium and platinum reached 42 koz (up 11% y-o-y) and 8 koz (down 11% y-o-y), respectively. The decrease of platinum and increase of palladium output owed to the substitution of purchased feed from third parties by own Russian feed with a lower platinum and a higher palladium content.
NKOMATI (SOUTH AFRICA)
In 9M18, output at Nkomati (50% – owned by Norilsk Nickel) amounted to 4.7 kt of nickel (down 29% y-o-y), 2.2 kt of copper (down 37% y-o-y), 23 koz of palladium (down 38% y-o-y) and 9 koz of platinum (down 40% y-o-y). The decrease was attributed to lower metal grades in the mined ore as well as temporary production stoppages due to labor strikes at contractors.
