FLSmidth has received an order from the Russian minerals producer Norilsk Nickel for the engineering and supply of various bundled equipment for a complete ‘process island’ at the group’s Bystrinskoye copper-magnetite plant. The plant will be located in the Zabaikalsky Kral region in Eastern Siberia, Russia. The order covers complete provision of an entire section of the plants’ production line; which entails the engineering, supply and commissioning of copper-gold-magnetite separation and dewatering equipment for a concentrator with a capacity of 10 Mt/y. The main equipment to be supplied is flotation cells, gravity concentrators, magnetic separators, pumps, cyclones, regrind mills, thickeners and filters as well as a complete plant automation system.

“The Russian mining industry continues its expansion and Norilsk Nickel is a well-established player within the industry. The order is based on a close and successful relationship with this customer. By supplying this full minerals processing solution with all the core equipment, we are able to guarantee the performance of the complete processing island. We experience that these types of guarantees for comprehensive processing islands are increasingly sought after by our customers in the mining industry as a way to ensure optimal productivity and single source responsibility,” Group Executive Vice President of the Minerals Division Manfred Schaffer comments.

In July, Norilsk announced that Vnesheconombank (VEB) Supervisory Board had approved an eight-year loan of 5,383 billion yuan (some $0.9 billion) to LLC GRK Bystrinskoye, a subsidiary of MMC Norilsk Nicke, for the development of Bystrinsky polymetallic deposit in Chita region. The loan repayment is due to be paid from 2019 onwards.

Commenting on the VEB loan, Pavel Fedorov, Executive Director, First-Vice President of Norilsk Nickel said, “In line with our corporate strategy, the management continues to work on further de-risking of Bystrinskoye project and engaging with the best-in-class partners. With the long-term project finance loan just been secured from VEB, Bystrinsky project becomes fully funded until its launch. We believe that the partnership with VEB provides yet another confirmation of the high level of mutual trust between the company and the government’s development institutions, while the project itself continues to establish an important benchmark of a successful cooperation between the Russian government and a private business”.