Posted on 16 Dec 2022
Russian authorities expect Nornickel’s Harjavalta plant in Finland will continue to operate and despite a feedstock supply issue, according to trade representative of Russia in Finland Anton Loginov.
The Russian miner had announced earlier it was seeking ways to supply raw materials to its plant in Finland after Finnish rail operator VR refused to carry Russian cargo from 2023.
“We expect that the plant in Harjavalta will continue to work, and the Finnish side will at least not interfere with this,” Loginov in interview with Russian state agency RIA Novosti. “We should not forget that this enterprise remains a town-forming enterprise, and is also a key element of the battery cluster planned in the region.”
According to Loginov, since VR Group’s decision to suspend cargo transportation in the Russian-Finnish direction, the Russian trade mission has been in constant contact with representatives of the plant. “The issue of the continuity of the delivery of raw materials is being actively studied, alternative solutions have been found,” he adds.
Earlier, the mayor of the city of Harjavalta, Hannu Kuusela, said that the operation of the plant is critically important for local authorities and local residents employed in the copper and nickel industries.
Data from Nornickel Harjavalta shows production of 60,000 tonnes/year of nickel and a turnover of about €1 billion ($1.06 billion) per year. The company concentrates roughly 5% of the global nickel production.
On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported the US plans to impose sanctions on Nornickel’s main shareholder Vladimir Potanin, citing US officials. Nornickel, however, isn’t said to be sanctioned.
Nornickel declined to comment when asked by Kallanish.
Source:Kallanish
