Nornickel, a leading global mining company, and Rusnano, a state-backed Russian technology investment corporation established in 2007 to develop and commercialize innovative technologies, have announced plans to create a joint venture focused on extracting valuable metals from industrial waste materials. Rusnano, founded with significant government funding as part of Russia’s modernization efforts, specializes in investing in high-tech projects across various sectors and plays a key role in supporting technological innovation in the country.
The initiative was confirmed by Rusnano CEO Sergey Kulikov during a meeting with Vladimir Putin, highlighting the project’s strategic importance. Kulikov emphasized that both companies have successfully tested several legacy Soviet technologies, which have proven effective for recovering useful components from mining and processing tailings.
The first phase of the project will involve constructing a small-scale plant to demonstrate the viability and profitability of extracting metals from waste materials. The aim is to show that environmental projects can attract investment and generate returns.
While specific details about the location and scope of the facility have not been disclosed, it is likely to be built in Norilsk, where Nornickel operates its main mining and metallurgical sites. The plant is expected to process accumulated ore tailings and may also handle metallurgical slag to recover non-ferrous and precious metals.
Nornickel, a major global producer of non-ferrous and precious metals, is currently running several environmental projects, including the large-scale Sulphur Programme at its Nadezhda smelter. The programme, which began its first phase in October 2023 and will start its second phase in October 2024, aims to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions. In 2024, the company recycled 390,000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide, with plans to increase this to nearly 735,000 tonnes in 2025. The total investment in the Sulphur Programme is expected to exceed $3 billion.
Rusnano finances projects across various sectors, including medicine and electronics, and is now expanding its involvement in environmental and resource recovery initiatives.
