TIDMMNOD
Moscow, July 31, 2015 - PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter - <<Norilsk
Nickel>> or <<the Company>>), the world's largest nickel and palladium
producer, announces preliminary consolidated production results for the
second quarter and the first half of 2015.
Nickel
2Q15 consolidated nickel production amounted to 64 kt decreasing 5%
quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q). The decrease was mainly driven by lower
nickel content in ore processed at the Polar division, scheduled repair
works at the Harjavalta refinery in Finland as well as the
de-consolidation of Tati Nickel owing to the closing of its divestiture.
Overall in 1H15, nickel output amounted to 131 kt increasing 2%
year-on-year (y-o-y) driven mostly by higher metal output by the Kola
division and Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta.
Copper
2Q15 consolidated copper output increased 3% q-o-q amounting to 93 kt
mostly owing to the processing of work-in-progress material by the
Company's Russian operations.
In 1H15, Norilsk Nickel produced 182 kt of copper, marginally down y-o-y
(1%) driven mainly by the reduction of low-margin tolling operations at
Kola MMC. This reduction was fully offset by a 1% increase of copper
output from the Company's own Russian feed, which reached 174 kt.
Platinum Group Metals
2Q15 consolidated palladium and platinum output amounted to 726 koz (up
15% q-o-q) and 175 koz (up 6% q-o-q), respectively. The growth was
mainly attributed to processing of work-in-progress material by Russian
operations as well as higher sales volumes of PGMs contained in copper
cake to third parties by Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta.
Overall in 1H15, palladium and platinum output amounted to 1,359 koz (up
2% y-o-y) and 339 koz (up 5% y-o-y), respectively.
Russian operations
In 2Q15, Polar and Kola divisions produced more than 53 kt of nickel
decreasing 3% q-o-q. In 1H15, the Company's Russian operations decreased
nickel production 2% y-o-y to 108 kt. The decline was mainly driven by
lower nickel content in ore processed at the Polar division as well as
the ongoing reconfiguration of production facilities at the Polar
division.
In 2Q15, the Company's Russian operations copper output amounted to 89
kt, up 3% q-o-q. The growth was driven by the processing of
work-in-progress materials and relative increase of cuprous ores mined
and processed by the Polar division. In 1H15, copper output amounted to
175 kt, down 2% y-o-y due to reduction in low-margin tolling operations
at Kola MMC.
In 1H15, the reduction of nickel and copper output at the Polar division
was fully offset by higher production volumes of these metals at the
Kola division, which came as a result of increased shipments of
high-grade matte from the Polar Division for refining at Kola MMC in
line with the roll-out of downstream reconfiguration programme.
In 2Q15, both palladium and platinum output increased (up 15% q-o-q and
6% q-o-q, respectively) to 703 koz and 166 koz, respectively. Overall,
in 1H15, the Company's Russian operations produced 1,313 koz of
palladium (up 1% y-o-y) and 322 koz of platinum (up 3% y-o-y). The
growth of PGM volumes was mainly driven by the processing of the
stockpiled work-in-progress material.
Norilsk Nickel Finland
In 2Q15, Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta produced approximately 11 kt of
nickel, down 8% q-o-q. The decrease was driven by scheduled repairs at
the refinery. 1H15 output of nickel amounted to 22 kt increasing 32%
y-o-y. The increase was driven by the reduction of the duration of
scheduled maintenance works, additional production of nickel from
work-in-progress material as well as improved smelting operations at
Boliden plant.
In 2Q15, output of copper increased 41% q-o-q to 4 kt, which was
attributed to the increased processing volumes of material purchased
from third parties. In 1H15, copper output increased almost two-fold
y-o-y to 6 kt.
In 2Q15, Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta increased the production of saleable
palladium by 28% q-o-q to 23 koz and saleable platinum by 7% q-o-q to 9
koz. In 1H15, output of palladium and platinum increased almost two-fold
y-o-y to 41 koz and 16 koz, respectively, due to the increased
deliveries of raw materials from third parties.
Norilsk Nickel Africa
Tati Nickel. In April, 2015 Norilsk Nickel announced the completion of
the sale transaction of its 85% stake in Tati Nickel to BCL Limited.
Nkomati JV. In 2Q15, the production on nickel in concentrate (reported
on a 50%-basis) increased 12% q-o-q to 2.8 kt owing to higher nickel
content in processed ore. Overall in 1H15, the production of nickel in
concentrate by Nkomati amounted to over 5 kt, down 10% y-o-y. The
decrease in production was driven by lower nickel content in ore. Nickel
concentrate produced by Nkomati was delivered for further processing to
Kola MMC.
Norilsk Nickel confirms that it is on track to meet its 2015 metal
production guidance from Russian feed of:
-- Nickel - 220-226 kt
-- Copper - 360-368 kt
-- Palladium - 2,580-2,610 koz
-- Platinum - 590-615 koz
2Q 1Q Change Change
MMC NORILSK NICKEL SALEABLE METALS PRODUCTION 2015 2015 q-o-q, % 1H 2015 1H 2014 y-o-y, %
TOTAL METAL PRODUCTION(1)
Nickel, tonnes 63,853 67,437 -5% 131,290 128,290 2%
from Russian feed 52,336 54,358 -4% 106,694 107,165 0%
Copper, tonnes 92,563 89,532 3% 182,095 183,845 -1%
from Russian feed 88,416 86,054 3% 174,470 173,553 1%
Palladium, koz 726 633 15% 1,359 1,338 2%
from Russian feed 697 596 17% 1,292 1,261 3%
Platinum, koz 175 164 6% 339 324 5%
from Russian feed 163 151 8% 314 293 7%
Norilsk Nickel Polar and Kola Divisions (Russia)
Nickel, tonnes 53,294 55,078 -3% 108,372 110,419 -2%
Polar division 22,947 24,889 -8% 47,836 60,698 -21%
Kola division 30,347 30,189 1% 60,536 49,721 22%
from Russian feed 29,389 29,469 0% 58,858 46,467 27%
from 3d parties feed 958 720 33% 1,678 3,254 -48%
Copper, tonnes 89,005 86,346 3% 175,351 179,334 -2%
Polar division 73,621 71,873 2% 145,494 150,929 -4%
Kola division 15,384 14,473 6% 29,857 28,405 5%
from Russian feed 14,795 14,181 4% 28,976 22,624 28%
from 3d parties feed 589 292 102% 881 5,781 -85%
Palladium, koz 703 610 15% 1,313 1,306 1%
Polar division 522 461 13% 983 1,008 -2%
Kola division 181 149 21% 330 298 11%
from Russian feed 175 135 30% 309 253 22%
from 3d parties feed 6 15 -57% 21 45 -53%
Platinum, koz 166 156 6% 322 313 3%
Polar division 132 124 6% 257 245 5%
Kola division 33 32 5% 65 68 -3%
from Russian feed 31 26 18% 57 48 20%
from 3d parties feed 3 6 -57% 8 20 -58%
Norilsk Nickel Finland(2)
Nickel, tonnes 10,559 11,448 -8% 22,007 16,620 32%
Copper, tonnes 3,558 2,515 41% 6,073 3,242 87%
Palladium, koz 23 18 28% 41 22 86%
Platinum, koz 9 7 29% 16 9 78%
Norilsk Nickel Africa
Tati Nickel nickel, tonnes 0 1,822 -100% 1,822 3,329 -45%
thereof Tati Nickel nickel to 3d parties 0 911 -100% 911 1,665 -45%
thereof Tati Nickel nickel processed in the
Company 0 911 -100% 911 1,665 -45%
Nkomati (50%) nickel processed in the Company,
tonnes 2,843 2,539 12% 5,382 6,000 -10%
Tati Nickel copper, tonnes 0 1,343 -100% 1,343 2,539 -47%
thereof Tati Nickel copper to 3d parties 0 671 -100% 671 1,269 -47%
thereof Tati Nickel copper processed in the
Company 0 671 -100% 671 1,269 -47%
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires
Nkomati (50%) copper processed in the Company,
tonnes 1,273 1,260 1% 2,533 2,602 -3%
Tati Nickel palladium total, koz 0 10 -100% 10 19 -47%
thereof Tati Nickel palladium to 3d parties 0 5 -100% 5 10 -47%
thereof Tati Nickel palladium processed in the
Company 0 5 -100% 5 10 -47%
Nkomati (50%) palladium processed in the Company,
koz 13 13 0% 26 25 4%
Tati Nickel platinum, koz 0 2 -100% 2 3 -33%
thereof Tati Nickel platinum to 3d parties 0 1 -100% 1 2 -33%
thereof Tati Nickel platinum processed in the
Company 0 1 -100% 1 2 -33%
Nkomati (50%) platinum processed in the Company,
koz 5 5 0% 10 10 0%
Notes:
(1)Totals may value from sum of numbers as a result of rounding
(2)Production results include processing of nickel concentrate from
Nkomati and purchased materials
For further information, please, contact:
Media Relations: Investor Relations:
Phone: +7 (495) 797 82 94 Phone: +7 (495) 786 83 20
Email: pr@nornik.ru Email: ir@nornik.ru
ABOUT NORILSK NICKEL:
Public Joint-Stock Company Mining and Metallurgical Company Norilsk
Nickel is a diversified mining and metallurgical company, the world's
largest producer of nickel and palladium and a leading producer of
platinum, cobalt, copper and rhodium. In addition, the Company produces
gold, silver, iridium, selenium, ruthenium and tellurium.
The production units of Norilsk Nickel are located in Russia at the
Norilsk Industrial District and on the Kola Peninsula, as well as in
Finland.
Norilsk Nickel's shares are listed on the Moscow and on the
Saint-Petersburg Stock Exchanges. Norilsk Nickel ADRs trade over the
counter in the US and on the London and Berlin stock exchanges.
This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on
behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely
responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information
contained therein.
Source: MMC Norilsk Nickel via Globenewswire
HUG#1942802
http://www.nornik.ru/en/
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires