Nickel ore mining in Russia

Russia is the second largest nickel producer in the world. 10% of the world's nickel reserves are in Russia.

The majority of nickel resources are located in the Norilsk-Kharaelakh metallogenic zone in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory; the ore in these deposits is mainly sulphide, with nickel content of 0.7-0.85%, less commonly 3.14-3.63%.

For example, in nickel ores mined in Canada, at the Voisey Bay deposit, the average nickel content is 2.24%, but the amount of nickel reserves is three times less. In addition to nickel, the ores of the Norilsk deposits contain: copper (0.5 - 5.8%), cobalt, platinum group metals (including gold) and other elements.

Nickel deposits have been explored in the Pechenga ore region of the Imandra-Varzut metallogenic zone (Murmansk region), containing about 18% of all nickel reserves in Russia. These deposits are dominated by disseminated ores, in which the content of valuable components is small. The largest deposit in this region is Zhdanovskoye, and the nickel content in the ore mined at this deposit is 0.56%.

Recently explored ore-bearing areas include the basin of copper-nickel ore deposits in the south of Siberia, in the Kansk metallogenic zone (Krasnoyarsk Krai and Irkutsk Region). Here, in two deposits of the Kingash ore field, 6.7% of the country's nickel is contained. The nickel content is low, about 0.5%. However, along with nickel, there is a relatively high amount of precious metals, as well as copper and cobalt.

An insignificant amount of nickel is contained in the Dzhugdzhur and Sredinno-Kamchatka metallogenic zones – 0.7% and 0.2% of Russian reserves, respectively. The remaining nickel reserves are concentrated in a group of metallogenic zones of the East Ural province, specialized in silicate geological-industrial type deposits, the nickel content of which is less than 1%.

In total, 52 nickel deposits have been found in Russia.