Nornickel to add thousands of new jobs as it boosts investment
Russian miner Nornickel – the world’s largest producer of palladium, refined nickel and a leading producer of platinum and copper – will open 14 thousand new jobs as it ramps up its investment spending on output expansion and other projects, its chief financial officer confirmed earlier this week.
Amid an increase in demand for the metals used in car battery production, exhaust fumes filtration and other applications, Nornickel has launched strategic expansion projects, which include upgrades to refineries located in the Russian Arctic cities Norilsk and Monchegorsk.
“In line with our new strategy, we are entering a new investment phase that includes expansion of mining and processing operations, increased capital repairs, and new environmental projects,” said Nornickel’s Chief Financial Officer Sergey Malyshev at a hybrid event in Moscow.
“To properly execute these ambitious plans we are going to increase headcount by 14 thousand of employees from 2020 to 2024.”
He noted that the company has faced strong competition on the Russian labour market from other country’s metals and mining majors and oil and gas companies with operations in the Arctic.
“Considering the forthcoming investment cycle in 2022 we are planning around 20% employees’ compensation increase including salary indexation and increase in bonus rates”, Malyshev said from Nornickel’s office in Moscow City - a commercial business district with high-rises.
Some of Nornickel’s key growth projects include the third phase of the Talnakh Concentrator in Norilsk area, the new Norilsk Concentrator, the expansion of the Nadezhda Smelter, and a new copper production facility in Monchegorsk, all of which are located in the extremely harsh Arctic environment.