Exploration Progress--Russia's Norilsk seeks to expand nickel reserves in Botswana

摘要

World number one nickel and palladium producer, and Russia's largest diversified mining company, MMC Norilsk Nickel, has reported that it will complete airborne geophysical surveying and surface geochemical prospecting in the Tekwane area of Botswana during the first quarter of 2012. The exploration zone is in the eastern part of the Tekwane area and adjacent to Norilsk's Tati Nickel subsidiary. The Russian group owns 85% of this operation, while the remaining 15% is held by the Botswana government.Tati Nickel comprises the Phoenix openpit and the Selkirk underground mine. Selkirk is, however, not operational, being in a state of care and maintenance. It is going to be converted into an openpit operation, and equipped with a dense-media separation plant (DMS) and a concentrator. (Phoenix already has a DMS plant.) These developments are currently in the preparation stage.