OREANDA-NEWS. On July 21, 2008 OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter – MMC Norilsk Nickel or the Company) announced the successful closing of the US 1,5 billion syndicated facility which was signed on June 17, 2008, reported the press-centre of Norilsk Nickel.

The Facility was used for the refinancing of the US 2,5 billion short term facility provided last year by BNP Paribas and Societe Generale Corporate&Investment Banking (“SG CIB”) for the purposes of the acquisition by the Company of all of the outstanding common shares of LionOre Mining International Limited.

The US 1,5 billion syndicated facility has a tenor of 3 years and structured in form of:

(i) US 750,000,000 amortizing nickel and/or copper pre-export Term loan facility;

(ii) US 550,000,000 revolving nickel and/or copper pre-export loan facility;

(iii) US 200,000,000 unsecured revolving loan facility.

The facility was arranged and fully underwritten by the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd, Bayerische Hypo-und Vereinsbank AG (a member of the UniCredit Group), Calyon, ING Wholesale Banking, Societe Generale, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, The Royal Bank of Scotland Plc and WestLB AG (together the Original Mandated Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners).

SG CIB is acting as Coordinating Mandated Lead Arranger, Documentation Agent and Coordinating Structured Rate Provider.

Calyon is acting as Facility and Security Agent and Structured Rate Provider.

Commerzbank AG and Dresdner Bank AG joined the transaction in general syndication as Mandated Lead Arrangers, BayernLB and ZAO Svenska Handelsbanken as Arrangers and BAWAG P.S.K. as Co-arranger.