Kola MMC is a pearl in the crown of Russian industry

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The territory of the Kola Peninsula is replete with beautiful landscapes of pristine beauty. There are two large nature reserves here - Pasvik and the Lapland State Nature Reserve, created to preserve populations of waterfowl and reindeer.

However, ironically, these corners of paradise, untouched by human civilization, closely coexist with one of the largest industrial giants in Russia - the Kola MMC. At a distance of less than 20 kilometers from virgin forests, chimneys of plants smoke and 13 thousand people work tirelessly, turning the we alth of the earth's interior into valuable metals.

A bit of history

Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company is a rather young enterprise. It was founded in 1998 on the basis of Pechenganickel and Severonickel metal plants. These combines have a longer history - Severonickel began its work in the year of the beginning of the Second World War. From the same moment, the activities of Pechenganickel began, which at that time was in the territory of Finland and became part of the territory of the Soviet Union at the end of the war.

During the perestroika and the 90s, metal plants fell into decay - productiondecreased, debts to employees and the state grew. Bankruptcy and a complete shutdown of enterprises were not far off, which threatened a social catastrophe for the entire Murmansk region.

Because of the debts the plants themselves could not receive any subsidies, the management of Norilsk Nickel, of which they were a part, decided to establish a new company on their basis to attract investments. So in 1998, OJSC Kola MMC appeared, headed by Evgeny Romanov, the former vice president of ONEXIM Bank, which owned shares in Norilsk Nickel.

In the first five years of its existence, the company has achieved significant success. She became a leader among most industrial facilities in the Murmansk region, and began to compete with the world's leading manufacturers. Kola MMC successfully holds these positions to this day.

Company products

Kola Peninsula is a real cornucopia in terms of minerals. There are almost a thousand types of minerals here alone. A lot of valuable metals, including rare earth elements and platinum.

The share of the Kola MMC in the production of cob alt and nickel is almost 40% of the total volume of Norilsk Nickel. The company produces precious metal concentrates, electrolytic copper, sulfuric acid and much more. Products in terms of quality fully meet both Russian and international criteria.

Production capacity

Kola MMC facilities are located in threesettlements - Nikel, Zapolyarny and Monchegorsk - play the role of city-forming. For example, in Monchegorsk, every sixth inhabitant of working age works at the plant.

The company's production facilities are concentrated in Zapolyarny and the village of Nikel located 30 km away. There are two mines, a processing plant and a smelter here. Manufacturing production - metallurgical and electrolysis shops, refining sites - is located in Monchegorsk.

Enterprise Outlook

Due to the recent closure of the refinery in Norilsk, the entire amount of nickel produced was concentrated at the site of the Kola MMC in Monchegorsk, turning it into the world's largest center for obtaining this valuable metal.

This required a radical reconstruction and modernization of production, which cost 25 billion rubles, but the result was achieved. Now the company is completing the introduction of the latest technology for obtaining nickel by electrowinning, the completion of work is planned for 2019.

The new technique will greatly reduce the amount of heavy manual labor and reduce the cost of production. Harmful emissions into the atmosphere after the start of new production are also minimized, so the plant will not pose a threat to neighboring reserves.