Norilsk to boost nickel output

Russian miner Norilsk Nickel expects to produce 17-20 percent more nickel at its Harjavalta refinery in Finland this year after increasing supply of raw materials, a senior company official told Reuters.
Tav Morgan, Norilsk's deputy chief executive for production, said Harjavalta would produce about 54,000 tonnes of refined nickel this year compared with 45,000-46,000 tonnes in 2006. "Next year, we want to produce more than 60,000 tonnes. Management in Finland is doing a good job testing the plant's capacity and examining what investments in debottlenecking can be made," Morgan said in an interview.
Norilsk acquired the refinery this year when it bought the nickel assets of US-based OM Group for $409 million. It is now part of the company's international division created after the separate acquisition of LionOre Mining International. Some of the concentrate treated at Harjavalta is coming both directly and indirectly from mines in Australia formerly owned by LionOre.
Morgan said Harjavalta produced its record monthly total of nickel - 5,200 tonnes - in July. Norilsk, which produces most of its nickel in the Russian Arctic, raised its total 2007 nickel output forecast to 295,000-300,000 tonnes in July, from an earlier estimate of 270,000-275,000 tonnes, to take account of its new acquisitions.