Norilsk Nickel

Palladium: New technologies, new applications Most of the palladium mined today is used in catalytic converters, which reduce emissions of harmful gases by converting them into safer compounds. With the rise of electric vehicles, demand for palladium in traditional fuel vehicles is set to fall. A significant part of this palladium could be redirected into other sectors. R&D departments around the world, including here at Nornickel, are now working to develop cutting-edge palladium technologies. With potentially groundbreaking applications in everything from hydrogen energy and water purification to the chemical sector and solar panels, we’re ensuring that palladium’s unique properties mean it has a vital role in our green energy transition. Read our presentation to find out what the future of palladium looks like. #innovation #metals #technology

After modest sales in 2024, automakers are optimistic for a more active market in 2025, driven by declining interest rates in key regions, improved charging infrastructure, and a better product range for customers. However, potential wildcard factors such as economic recession, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical instability could significantly impact the auto market's trajectory in 2025. #business #metals #EV #automotive

📊 Our Investment Programme: 2024 Results Nornickel ranks among the top 10 largest investors in Russia, according to Forbes, and we are the only metallurgical company on this list. We invest extensively in both business development and social projects. The total investment volume for 2024 amounts to approximately three billion US dollars. Of this amount, 50-60% of the funds were invested in our core assets: infrastructure, industrial safety, and new equipment. Some were allocated to the development of mining projects, including the Talnakh Concentrator and the Southern Cluster at the Polar Division. This investment will enable us to process up to 80% more ore at this facility and increase the quality of nickel concentrate while simultaneously improving the environmental conditions in the region. Environmental projects, such as the Sulphur Programme, hold an important place in our investment activities. In 2025, a complex for processing sulphur dioxide at the Nadezhda Smelter will be fully operational, and by 2026, there will be virtually no harmful emissions from the factory. More details about the investment programme and its results can be found on our website: https://lnkd.in/eJzg4h4Y #investment #business #mining #ESG

🎄 What shines brighter than a Christmas tree? Ancient people feared it, the great polymath Mikhail Lomonosov compared it to lightning, and modern-day travellers travel long distances to see it. We’re talking about the northern lights of course! Also known as the aurora borealis, this is one of the true wonders of the world. Catching them is no easy feat – the northern lights only appear in the sky under certain conditions. Do you want to see this stunning natural phenomenon for yourself? The best time of year is from late August through to March. Find a destination within a radius of 2,000 kilometres from the North Pole and set out on a clear and frosty night, between 21:00 and 03:00. You might get lucky at other times of the night and farther from the Pole, but the closer you are, the better. By the way, the northern lights aren’t only visible on Earth. They also occur elsewhere in our Solar System, including on Saturn. There’s no need to travel that far though, because scientists believe that this wondrous display is at its prettiest, brightest and most spectacular right here on our planet. Have you ever seen the northern lights in person? Take a look at our photo gallery to see how incredible they are. #community #culture #ESG

Potanin: International cooperation is essential to our strategy Nornickel President Vladimir Potanin sat down with business news network RBC to discuss the current state of the company and its international strategy, the broader economic picture, and Nornickel’s efforts to reduce emissions and improve the environment. He underlined the importance of building new supply chains through strong international partnerships. Below is a summary of his comments on several key issues affecting the business in 2024 and beyond. Strategy The international division of labour is a fact of life. We cannot produce everything ourselves through the import substitution programme. One of the most important elements of Nornickel’s present strategy is rebuilding our supply chains in partnership with countries that have declared commitment to their obligations. As part of the new strategy, we have strengthened cooperation with our Chinese partners. However, we made sure to prioritise matters concerning the tax base and jobs when developing our new strategy, as well as maintaining key competencies. This means supporting domestic production as well as international supply chain partners. For example, we are increasing smelting capacity in Norilsk through the expansion of the Nadezhda Smelter. Our strategy is therefore the result of discussions with the government about the challenges we are facing. We are currently experiencing economic headwinds, and are pursuing what I would describe as a moderate growth strategy, with an aggressive growth strategy in reserve. This means boosting efficiency by cutting costs where possible, producing what is in demand and selling at a premium on the market, and curtailing non-essential investment. Macroeconomics and BRICS The central bank’s key rate is the subject of heated discussion, and the business community is concerned about inflation and macroeconomic stability. The pressure of the sanctions and other external factors such as the technology supply chain are also having an impact. Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that inflation and supply chain issues have been a significant global phenomenon since the pandemic. As for BRICS, this is more of a voluntary community of shared interests than a centralised organisation at present. In the long term, it is likely that there will be greater harmonisation in terms of payments and international trade, though the settlement of payments is downstream of trade turnover, investments and international partnerships. We are already switching to national currencies in payment settlements with a number of partners, and we will wait to see how this trend develops. Environment Thankfully, we have already made the bulk of investments needed to meet our environmental commitments. New treatment facilities have been built at the Nadezhda Smelter, and we are set to capture 377,000 tonnes of sulphur this year. Looking ahead, we are aiming to reduce emissions by 90%. #strategy #ESG #leadership

🤖 Unlocking the Future of Industry with AI As we push the boundaries of what’s possible in industrial operations, artificial intelligence is quickly moving from a futuristic concept to a day-to-day competitive advantage. In fact, a recent study shows that over 30% of domestic companies are now actively integrating AI into their workflows—spanning finance, IT, mining, metals, and mechanical engineering. At Nornickel, we’re embracing this technological revolution head-on. We’ve introduced AI-driven automation into our ore mining and processing units, helping us stay safer, reduce our environmental footprint, and streamline resource usage. These intelligent tools are already delivering remarkable results, from higher metal yields and more precise forecasting to notable cost savings—our 2023 figures reached an impressive $100 million in efficiencies. But innovation doesn’t end with the mining pit or the processing plant. AI-powered data analytics are reshaping how we think about finance, HR, sales, and marketing. This interconnectedness allows us to create a holistic system—one that continually learns, refines, and optimizes across every corner of our organization. Of course, the journey isn’t just about new algorithms or hardware—it’s about people. Our team is undergoing comprehensive upskilling programs, ensuring they’re equipped to leverage these technologies to their fullest potential. We’re committed to building a culture where our workforce and AI together deliver unprecedented levels of value and sustainability. In the long run, we’re not just implementing AI—we’re architecting a future where innovation fuels every link in the industrial value chain. #AI #Innovation #Technology

🛰️ Nitinol: The case for shape-memory alloys There are over 3,000 known alloys in the world that contain nickel. One of them, nitinol, contains roughly equal amounts of nickel and titanium. This alloy is ten times more elastic than alternative metals, and has a very special property – shape-memory. If you fashion it into a complex shape and then heat it to around 400 °C, it will remember that shape. Once it cools, nitinol can be bent and straightened, but it will return to its original structure when heated above its transformation temperature. Materials scientists determine the transformation temperature of nitinol based on the ratio of materials in the alloy, with the figure ranging from -20 to 110 °C. If a nitinol component is being used by a surgeon, for example, its transformation temperature will be equal to the normal temperature of the human body. Medicine is one of the key areas of application for this alloy, where it is used by traumatologists, orthopaedic specialists, dentists and surgeons. Nitinol is used in medical devices, ear implants and frames for glasses. Coronary stents, which are designed to widen arteries, take advantage of the shape-memory properties of the alloy. A nitinol stent expands to the desired size after being inserted into the blood vessel. In addition to medicine, nitinol has applications in engineering, the energy sector and the space industry.  #health #technology #innovation

🎉 Indigenous festivities in Dudinka celebrate local language and tradition The Far Northern town of Dudinka played host to Kergen Uota, an indigenous encampment created as part of the UNESCO Indigenous Languages Decade, which runs from 2022 to 2032. The name of the camp means ‘family hearth’, and the site provided a temporary venue where indigenous peoples of the north celebrated their culture and members of the public were able to learn more about their traditions. Despite the cold conditions, locals danced and sang along to a performance from the Kheiro ensemble. They also had the opportunity to venture into the traditional tents and sample regional cuisines and drink tea on the embankment, in the heart of Dudinka. The UN General Assembly announced the Indigenous Languages Decade in an attempt to draw greater public attention to the plight of the world’s threatened indigenous languages. Cultural initiatives such as these can support the preservation of these languages and even spark a revival in people using them in their daily lives. Nornickel is a proud supporter of these efforts. Read more about the Decade on the UNESCO website, and take a look at our photo gallery to catch up with the celebrations. #community #culture #inspiration

Overview of Nickel and Platinum Group Metals Markets Nickel. In 2024, the global nickel market again experienced an oversupply. Metal stockpiles on exchanges increased by over 100 kt, mainly due to nickel from China. We expect similar volumes to accumulate in 2025, leading to another year of a surplus market. We expect similar volumes to accumulate in 2025, leading to another year of surplus in the market. Nickel prices exceeded $20,000/t in the spring but fell to $15,000 by mid-year, despite the US Federal Reserve's rate reduction, economic stimuli from China's government, and production issues in Australia and Indonesia. At this price range, about 40% of all nickel producers worldwide are operating at a loss. Look at our presentation in this post to learn more about the key factors at play! Copper. By the end of November, the copper price stabilised at $9,000/t. It declined amid uncertainty in demand for metal in China, reduced concerns about supply shortages, and decreased investment demand. We forecast a copper surplus of approximately 200 kt in 2024 and expect the market to be balanced next year, as demand for copper will outpace overall global economic growth. Platinum Group Metals Prices for palladium, platinum, and rhodium continue to follow a sideways trend. The PGM basket price has found its fundamental support at current levels, with half of PGM production in South Africa being unprofitable at current prices. Meanwhile, price increases incentivise the recycling of accumulated scrap from used autocatalysts, which in turn exerts a restraining influence on quotes. We have revised our previous estimate of the palladium market deficit for 2024 (excluding investments) from 0.9 million ounces to nearly balanced. The reasons for this are higher production volumes in Russia and a decrease in demand from the automotive industry due to lower-than-expected vehicle production and aggressive programmes to optimise the specific content of PGMs in autocatalysts. We expect the palladium market to remain balanced in 2025. Demand for platinum also tends to decline—by 3% year-on-year in 2024. Meanwhile, platinum production will remain at the same level. We maintain our assessment of a relatively balanced platinum market this year. The platinum market is expected to remain nearly balanced in 2025, with a slight deficit of 0.2 million ounces. Production in South Africa is expected to follow a downward trend amid reduced margins, which will offset the decline in metal demand. In the long term, a stable price parity between palladium and platinum is expected, as their mutual substitution in autocatalysts will restrain the price difference between the two metals. However, the absolute value of the PGM basket price will depend on the scale of production optimisation in South Africa. Full market reviews are available on our website: https://lnkd.in/edCQPExa #PGM #metals #investment

👏 New nickel–copper catalyst boosts emission reduction hopes A catalyst innovation transforms greenhouse emissions into useful substances, set to enhance industrial power and reduce environmental impact. A team of scientists at the Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University developed a new catalyst for the conversion of ethanol into synthesis gas, a combination of hydrogen and carbon monoxide with a number of practical applications, including heat and energy generation. Previously, nickel was used for catalysts of this type, but with the addition of copper it is now more stable, increasing efficiency over its service life. When nickel-based catalysts are used to create synthesis gas, also known as syngas, they ‘sinter’. This means that the structure of the catalyst transforms, causing carbon to be deposited on its surface and reducing efficiency. By adding copper impurities to the nickel in different amounts and applying the mixture to a substrate, the team was able to prevent the accumulation of carbon particles. This breakthrough means that carbon dioxide could be converted first into ethanol and then synthesis gas with a much higher efficiency. Furthermore, by varying the copper content in the catalyst and the amount of aluminium and zirconium in the substrate material, different ratios of hydrogen and carbon monoxide can be achieved in the synthesis gas. Converting carbon dioxide into chemically useful substances could power industry at scale while helping to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas levels. The research paper is available at https://lnkd.in/ed5yqdAZ #ESG #sustainability #technology