Operational performance

Operating performance for the past 10 years
Norilsk nickel group saleable metals productionTotal amounts may vary from the sum of numbers due to arithmetical rounding. The production results of Nkomati are not included in the total amounts of the Group. 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Total nickel, t 295,098 300,340 285,292 274,248 266,406 235,749 217,112 218,770 228,687 235,709
including from own Russian feed 234,906 223,153 219,273 223,224 220,675 196,809 210,131 216,856 225,204 232,532
including from 3d parties feed 60,192 77,187 66,019 51,024 45,731 38,940 6,981 1,914 3,482 3,177
Total copper, t 377,944 363,764 371,063 368,008 369,426 360,217 401,081 473,654 499,119 487,186
including from own Russian feed 362,854 344,226 345,737 345,897 352,766 344,482 397,774 473,515 498,838 486,816
including from 3d parties feed 15,090 19,538 25,326 22,111 16,660 15,735 3,307 139 281 370
Total palladium, koz 2,806 2,732 2,662 2,752 2,689 2,618 2,780 2,729 2,922 2,826
including from own Russian feed 2,704 2,624 2,529 2,582 2,575 2,526 2,728 2,729 2,919 2,820
including from 3d parties feed 102 108 133 170 114 92 52 0 3 6
Total palladium, koz 696 683 650 662 656 644 670 653 702 695
including from own Russian feed 672 658 604 595 610 610 650 653 700 693
including from 3d parties feed 24 25 46 67 46 34 20 0 2 2
Norilsk and Kola Division (Russia)
Nickel, t 237,227 233,632 231,798 228,438 222,016 182,095 157,396 158,005 166,265 172,357
Norilsk Division 124,000 124,000 122,700 122,390 96,916 50,860 0 0 0 0
Kola Division 113,227 109,632 109,098 106,048 125,100 131,235 157,396 158,005 166,265 172,357
including from own Russian feed 110,906 99,153 96,573 100,834 123,335 126,937 155,110 157,519 166,265 172,357
Copper, t 363,460 352,466 359,102 354,943 355,707 350,619 387,640 436,201 442,682 422,031
Norilsk Division 303,940 295,610 296,760 297,552 292,632 280,347 306,859 353,131 355,706 351,413
Kola Division 59,520 56,856 62,342 57,391 63,075 70,272 80,781 83,070 86,976 70,618
including from own Russian feed 58,914 48,616 48,977 48,345 60,134 63,542 78,587 82,987 86,976 70,618
Palladium, koz 2,704 2,628 2,580 2,660 2,606 2,554 2,738 2,671 2,868 2,809
Norilsk Division 2,038 1,989 2,006 2,065 1,935 1,703 956 987 1,042 1,180
Kola Division 666 639 574 595 671 851 1,782 1,684 1,826 1,630
including from own Russian feed 666 635 523 517 640 815 1,737 1,684 1,826 1,630
Platinum, koz 672 660 627 627 622 622 660 642 690 691
Norilsk Division 536 529 504 500 488 449 259 260 251 302
Kola Division 136 131 123 127 134 173 401 381 439 390
including from own Russian feed 136 129 100 95 122 159 385 381 439 390
Zabaykalsky Division (Russia)Norilsk Nickel owns 50.01% of Bystrinsky GOK. Production results are shown metal in concentrate for sale on 100% basis and the total operating results fully include Bystrinsky GOK. Bystrinsky GOK was commissioned in 2019.
Copper (in concentrate), t – – – – – – – 19,417 43,489 62,664
Gold (in concentrate), koz – – – – – – – 89 177 241
Iron ore concentrate, t – – – – – – – 346 1,311 2,046
Kola Division (Finland)
Nickel, t 48,525 45,518 44,252 42,603 43,479 53,654 59,716 60,765 62,422 63,352
including from own Russian feed – – – – 424 19,012 55,021 59,337 58,939 60,175
Copper, t 5,681 1,006 6,549 10,629 13,048 9,598 13,441 18,036 12,948 2,491
including from own Russian feed – – – – – 593 12,328 17,980 12,667 2,121
Palladium, koz 34 21 39 74 78 64 42 58 54 17
including from own Russian feed – – – – – 8 35 58 51 11
Platinum, koz 12 9 16 31 33 22 10 11 12 4
including from own Russian feed – – – – – 2 6 11 9 2
Nkomati (South Africa)Norilsk Nickel Group owns 50% of Nkomati. Production results report metal contained in saleable concentrate on a 50% basis and are not consolidated in the Group’s total operating results. In 2019, the Group and its operating partner, African Rainbow Minerals, reached an agreement to scale down production at Nkomati Nickel Mine. The operations of the mine are planned to cease in 1H2021 whereafter the mine is to be placed on limited care and maintenance pending the finalisation and submission of a closure plan.
Nickel, t 5,815 9,624 11,920 11,359 11,350 8,486 8,006 6,597 6,485 5,839
Copper, t 2,927 4,594 5,034 4,938 5,301 4,007 4,504 3,055 3,419 2,877
Palladium, koz 24 32 46 48 53 40 46 33 33 30
Platinum, koz 9 12 20 19 20 15 20 13 14 13
Norilsk Nickel Tati (Botswana)The sale of the asset was closed on 2 April 2015.
Nickel, t 9,346 12,215 6,416 3,207 911 – – – – –
Copper, t 8,803 10,292 5,412 2,436 671 – – – – –
Palladium, koz 68 83 43 18 5 – – – – –
Platinum, koz 12 14 7 4 1 – – – – –
Lake Johnston (Australia)
Nickel, t – 8,975 2,826 – – – – – – –

Despite a number of serious environmental and COVID-related challenges facing the Company in 2020, we have fully achieved our production targets. With optimised operating processes and new refining site at Kola MMC now running at design capacity, we delivered on our nickel production guidance and exceeded production targets for platinum group metals. We also met our copper production guidance thanks to the scheduled ramp-up at Bystrinsky GOK. In the last quarter of 2020, Bystrinsky GOK reached design capacity for all metals.

The Company has implemented maximum measures to protect its people as part of its COVID-19 response. The COVID-19 situation is under management’s control and does not impact significantly on our operating processes.

Group ore output (mln t)
Asset 2018 2019 2020
Assets in Russia
(copper-nickel sulphide ore) 		25.2 26.3 26.5
Norilsk Division 17.3 18.4 18.8
Kola Division 7.9 7.9 7.7
Assets in Russia
(gold-iron-copper ores) 		7.9 10.5 16.0
Zabaykalsky Division 7.9 10.5 16.0
Nkomati (South Africa)All metrics for Nkomati are hereinafter shown based on the 50% ownership. Nkomati’s operating results are not consolidated into the Group’s total results. 3.1 3.5 2.7
Average metal content in mined ore
Asset 2018 2019 2020
Nickel, %
Norilsk Division 1.3 1.3 1.3
Kola Division 0.6 0.5 0.5
Nkomati 0.3 0.3 0.3
Copper, %
Norilsk Division 2.2 2.2 2.3
Kola Division 0.2 0.2 0.2
Zabaykalsky Division 0.4 0.6 0.6
Nkomati 0.1 0.1 0.1
PGMs, g/tThe PGMs are palladium, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium and iridium.
Norilsk Division 6.8 6.9 6.9
Kola Division 0.1 0.1 0.1
Nkomati N/a N/a N/a
Metals recovery in concentration (%)
Asset 2018 2019 2020
Nickel
Norilsk Division 81.5 83.1Metals recovery in bulk concentrate. 84.81
Kola Division 69.5 67.9 62.9
Nkomati 65.9 64.2 68.3
Copper
Norilsk Division 94.6 95.2Metals recovery in bulk concentrate. 95.1Metals recovery in bulk concentrate.
Kola Division 74.1 73.2 71.8
Zabaykalsky Division 82.9 87.7 87.4
Nkomati 88.4 87.7 85.4
PGMs
Norilsk Division 82.7 85.2Metals recovery in bulk concentrate. 86.4Metals recovery in bulk concentrate.
Metals recovery in smelting (%)
Asset 2018 2019 2020
Nickel
Norilsk DivisionFeedstock to finished products. 94.6 94.6 94.1
Kola Division (Kola MMC)Feedstock to converter matte. 96.7 96.7 96.8
Kola Division (Kola MMC)In refining, converter matte to finished products. 98.0 97.0 96.3
Kola Division (NN Harjavalta)In refining, converter matte to finished products. 97.9 97.9 98.2
Copper
Norilsk DivisionFeedstock to finished products. 94.4 94.1 94.6
Kola Division (Kola MMC)Feedstock to converter matte. 96.1 96.2 96.5
Kola Division (Kola MMC)In refining, converter matte to finished products. 97.6 96.5 95.4
Kola Division (NN Harjavalta)In refining, converter matte to finished products. 99.7 99.8 99.8
PGMs
Norilsk DivisionFeedstock to finished products. 95.9 95.8 96.4
Kola Division (Kola MMC)In refining, converter matte to finished products. 94.0 91.6 92.9
Kola Division (NN Harjavalta)In refining, converter matte to finished products. 99.8 99.8 99.9
Saleable metals production
Product 2018 2019 2020
Group total
Nickel, kt 218.8 228.7 235.7
from own feed 216.9 225.2 232.5
Copper, kt 473.7 499.1 487.2
from own feed 473.5 498.8 486.8
Palladium, koz 2,729 2,922 2,826
from own feed 2,729 2,919 2,820
Platinum, koz 653 702 695
from own feed 653 700 693
Norilsk and Kola Divisions
Nickel, kt 158.0 166.3 172.4
Copper, kt 455.6 486.2 484.7
Palladium, koz 2,671 2,868 2,809
Platinum, koz 642 690 691
Kola Division – NN Harjavalta
Nickel, kt 60.8 62.4 63.4
Copper, kt 18.0 12.9 2.5
Palladium, koz 58 54 17
Platinum, koz 11 12 4
Nkomati (South Africa)Nkomati’s operating results are not consolidated into the Group’s total results.
Nickel, kt 6.6 6.5 5.8
Copper, kt 3.1 3.4 2.9
Palladium, koz 33 33 30
Platinum, koz 13 14 13