Norilsk Nickel Finland

Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta

Norilsk Nickel Finland became part of Norilsk Nickel as a result of the OM Group’s nickel business acquisition on 1 March 2007. Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta is the only nickel refining plant in Finland.

The plant was commisioned in 1959, expanded in 1995 and in 2002 including the construction of the Chemical plant.

Harjavalta plant processes nickel concentrates from the Norilsk Nickel Group’s operations and nickel semi-products from third parties. Concentrates are preliminarily treated under the agreement with Boliden Harjavalta plant of Boliden AB located in the same Suurteollisuuspuisto industrial park in Finland as Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta. High grade matte and other semiproducts with high nickel content are then delivered directly to the Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta refinery.

Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta refinery has the capacity to produce 60 thousand tonnes per year of nickel products. It employs a technique of sulfuric acid leaching of nickel products. It allows to consistently abtain nickel extraction rates above 98%, being an advanced practice for the metals and mining industry.

Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta refinery produces slaeable nickel, including nickel cathodes, briquettes and salts, as well semiproducts, including copper cake containing PGMs, and cobalt solutation which are further processed by third parties.

In 2008, the Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta produced ca. 29,300 of own saleable nickel and more than 21,700 tonnes of saleable nickel under tolling agreements.

Metal production