Untitled - PRIME Gold

68 2005 NORILSK NICKEL • ANNUAL REPORT •NORILSK NICKEL • ANNUAL REPORT •200569In 2005, design work was performed on a number of projectsfor the purification of sewage and wastewater for the Group'sproduction facilities. The implementation of these projects in2006-2008 will ensure an aggregate reduction of unpurifiedsewage and waste water discharge by 12 million m 3 per year.In 2005, the aggregate volume of water intake by the TaimyrPeninsula for technological needs and utility water supplyreduced by 5% as compared to 2004; the total volume ofwater discharge decreased by 1% with the mass of pollutantsdischarged with the wastewater reduced by 10%.In 2005, the Group implemented a range of measures toreduce the negative impact of the production waste on the environment.The Group continued to reconstruct the Lebyazhietailing pond intended for joint storage of enrichment tailingsfrom the Norilsk and Talnakh enrichment plants. The implementationof the project ensured environmentally friendly disposalof ore enrichment tailings, preventing pollutants frompenetrating soil and water.In 2005, the Group continued to implement a program ofrational waste utilization providing for the use of:• enrichment tailings for the aggradation of the tailing ponddams;• metallurgical slag as construction material for road construction,road filling and preparation of filling mixes;• stripping and solid rocks to fill the exhausted mines;• excavations of exhausted quarries; and• reclaim land disturbed by mining works.As a result, the overall volume of waste disposal by the TaimyrPeninsula decreased by 6.4% in 2005 as compared to 2004despite the general increase of waste in the reporting year.The Taimyr Peninsula was awarded a Diploma by the FederalService for Environmental, Technological and Atomic Supervisionin July 2005 for the extensive contribution to the developmentand implementation of environment protection projects.On 22 November 2005, MMC Norilsk Nickel was awardedthe honorary diploma as the Leader in Environment ProtectionActivity for active participation in the implementation of thestate environmental policy in the Russian Federation by theorganizational committee of the Russian National ConferenceNew Government Environmental Policy in the RussianFederation, which took place in the Kremlin State Palace; anda number of the Group's environmental specialists were awardedhonorary medals For Achievements in EnvironmentProtection.äÓla PeninsulaDuring the reporting period, the Kola Peninsula performed anumber of projects aimed at reducing the impact of its operationson the environment.Severonickel Combined Plant:• completed the construction of the testing block of the twozones Vanukov furnace and conducted a series of tests ofthe new technology of concentrate smelting into highgradematte (implementation of this technology at theGroup's companies will significantly reduce sulfur dioxideemission in the atmosphere);• reconstructed and put in the operation suction systems inthe refining shop;• started the project to replace the catalyst chamber in thetechnological system No. 3 of the sulfuric acid shop;• replaced the collector of fume-laden gas from the electricfilters in the roasting and reduction unit of the refiningshop (the work is to be completed in the first half of 2006);• reclaimed a total of 12.2 ha of disturbed land in theMonchegorsk district; and• planted 1.7 ha of the Plant's industrial site with trees.Pechenganickel Combined Plant:• as part of the metallurgic production upgrade programfinanced jointly by the Group and the Norway government,continued work to reconstruct the roasting shop;• completed reconstruction of the third floatation section inthe enrichment factory in order to increase nickel grade ofthe concentrate and decrease the transfer of sulfur to metallurgicphases;• continued to build the biological treatment plant forZapolyarny city with implementation of an ultraviolet disinfectiontechnology;• reclaimed 2.4 ha of disturbed land in the Pechenga district;and• planted 1.6 ha of the Plant's industrial site with trees.Total atmospheric emissions of pollutants in the Kola Peninsulawere reduced by 1.2% as compared to 2004 (with the totalemissions of hard elements down by 15.7% and sulfur dioxideby 0.2%).The key focus of the Kola Peninsula in water resource protectionis on:• reduction of all pollutant discharge to allowable limits,development of an optimum scheme for the reclamation ofthe salt discharge from the electrolytic shops at theSeveronickel combine; and• searching for options to purify mine waters at PechenganickelCombined Plant.In March 2005, following the competition jointly organized bythe International Institute of Business Quality and the Academyof Quality Issues, sponsored by the Federal Agency for TechnicalRegulation and Metrology, Kola MMC was included in theRegister of the top 100 environmentally oriented companiesand awarded a diploma.MMC NORILSK NICKEL NOT INCLUDINGGOLD MINING ASSETS (POLUS)8