Noril’sk eyes large PGM deposit

By this time next year, Russian mining and smelting giant Noril’sk Nickel plans to start the commercial development of the MS-Gorizont low-sulphide platinum group metals (PGM) deposit in the Taimyr Peninsula.

A representative of Noril’sk says exploration of the deposit began in 1994 and that the ground is within the Zapolyarny mine’s allotment.

Disseminated copper-nickel mineralization is being subjected to exploration drilling over a 60-by-60-metre grid. The deposit is low in sulphides, with nickel and copper grades of 0.1% to 0.15% and total PGM grades of up to 10 grams per tonne. The deposit also has good ground and water conditions.

Initially, the ores will be processed together with copper-nickel ores from the Noril’sk-1 deposit, using existing mill capacity at the Zapolyarny mine. Eventually, the low-sulphide ores will be processed separately in gravity circuits. Initial tests have shown that recoveries of 73.7% for platinum, 75.7% for palladium and 69.2% for gold can be achieved using gravity and flotation.

Annual mine output is projected to be 120,000-240,000 tonnes of ore.

— From the files of Interfax News Agency.

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