Moscow, 22 May 2025 — Nornickel announces that its Skalisty mine has reached the first ore body discovered during exploration at the Glubokaya shaft. The ore was intersected at a depth of 1,650 metres, making it the deepest mining operation in Eurasia. Since the beginning of May, 2,300 tonnes of ore have been hoisted to the surface. In the long term, the shaft is expected to produce up to 2.2 million tonnes of ore per year.

The Glubokaya shaft at the Skalisty mine is a strategic investment project for Nornickel and a key milestone in the development of the entire region's mining industry. In October 2024, the project received a positive expert review from Russia’s Main Department of State Expertise (Glavgosexpertiza), which paved the way for new development opportunities for the Skalisty mine and the Company as a whole.

No other ore mining operations in Russia are conducted at such depths. The VS-10 and SKS-1 shafts have been sunk to a depth of over 2,050 metres. The project is aimed at sustaining production levels by replacing depleting capacity and developing new ones by bringing into production the rich and copper-rich ores from the northern flanks of the Oktyabrskoye deposit.

“In early May, we reached the ore body and began extracting incidental ore. To date, 2,300 tonnes have been hoisted to the surface. This ore is now being analysed by Nornickel’s specialised units. After the metal content is confirmed, it will be sent to the Talnakh Concentrator or directly to the Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant,” said Alexander Romanyuk, Chief Technology Officer for Capital Construction at the Skalisty mine.

The shaft is still under development, with significant work ahead to launch full-scale production. According to Sergey Syrkin, Head of the Skalisty Mine Development Directorate, the project involves a large-scale upgrade of infrastructure both underground and on the surface. As a result, by 2033, the shaft’s output is set to reach 2.2 million tonnes per year.

Preliminary estimates indicate that the discovered mineral reserves are sufficient to last until 2050. Further exploration is currently underway at the shaft.

Sergey Syrkin added that the Glubokaya shaft’s uniqueness extends beyond its scale. In the future, the company plans to implement modern automated mining technologies. This will enable the production process to operate with minimal human involvement, maximising the safety of underground personnel. The shaft currently employs 135 people.

The Glubokaya shaft also features other unique technologies. For the first time at Nornickel's Polar Division mines, it will use bottom-discharge technology for ore cars. This will increase ore transportation productivity by 15–20% compared to the conventional rotary car dumpers.

Nornickel reaches first rich ore at Glubokaya shaft of Skalisty mine