Moscow, 26 March 2025 — Nornickel announces its plans to manufacture a new slag-cleaning electric furnace for the Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant (NMP) in 2025. The project is unique as the unit will be produced entirely in-house. This will save over RUB 700 million compared to purchasing similar equipment from external suppliers.

The slag-cleaning electric furnace is designed to process slag from flash-smelting furnaces and converter slag, which are by-products of smelting ore concentrate. Slag is a mixture of non-target components with residual valuable metals that were not extracted in the previous stages. NMP operates four slag-cleaning electric furnaces. Each runs 24/7, continuously processing about 2,500 tonnes of raw material per day to extract valuable metals from the slag, including nickel, copper, cobalt, and platinum group metals. These are then processed into matte. The stable operation of these electric furnaces is critical to the efficiency of the plant's entire production chain.

A key part of the furnace is its caissons — cooling system elements that require high-precision manufacturing. Since 2022, specialists at the Mechanical Plant have been developing their own unique technology for their production. One of the most complex stages is drilling deep (1,300 mm) holes to create channels for cooling water circulation within the caisson. Specialised equipment has been ordered for this technological operation and is expected to be delivered shortly. In total, more than 500 caissons with a combined weight of over 100 tonnes will be manufactured.

In 2023, a trial batch of caissons was cast and installed during a major overhaul of the second production line at NMP. Test results showed excellent performance. Whereas the Company was previously dependent on external suppliers for such equipment, it can now build a slag-cleaning electric furnace independently, from casting to final assembly. This not only results in savings of more than RUB 700 million but also marks a major step towards technological independence.

A trial assembly of the unit will take place at the Mechanical Plant, after which the furnace will be sent to NMP for installation. The new furnace is scheduled to be launched in February 2026.

Nornickel to manufacture a slag-cleaning electric furnace for its Nadezhda Plant in-house for the first time