OREANDA-NEWS. On July 30, 2009 OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter – “Norilsk Nickel” or “the Company”), the world’s largest nickel and palladium producer, announces preliminary consolidated production results for the second quarter of 2009 and first half of 2009 at its Polar and Kola Divisions in Russia and international operations in Finland, Australia, Botswana and South Africa, reported the press-centre of Norilsk Nickel.

Overall saleable nickel production in the first quarter of 2009 amounted to 71 thousand metric tonnes comparing to 69 thousand metric tonnes in the first quarter of 2009.

Overall saleable copper production in the second quarter of 2009 increased to 100 thousand metric tonnes from 96 thousand metric tonnes for the previous quarter.

The Company has produced 765 thousand ounces of palladium and 174 thousand ounces of platinum in the reporting period.

In the second quarter of 2009 the Polar and Kola Divisions in Russia produced 56.5 thousand metric tonnes of nickel exceeding the production plan by 1.1 thousand tonnes. In the first half of 2009 the production of nickel totaled 111.7 thousand tonnes which represents a 1% increase in comparison with first half of 2008.

In the second quarter of 2009 copper production of the Russian divisions of the Company increased to 94.4 metric tonnes, surpassing the budgeted amount by 3.1 thousand tonnes. In the first half of 2009 the production of copper totaled 185.1 thousand tonnes comparing to 197.1 thousand tonnes in the first half of 2008.

In the reporting period palladium and platinum production at the Kola and Polar Divisions amounted to 725.7 thousand troy ounces of palladium, and platinum production reached 168.2 thousand troy ounces. In the first half of 2009 the production of palladium totaled 1,282 thousand troy ounces and production of platinum – 300 thousand troy ounces.

In the second quarter of 2009 overall combined production of nickel in concentrate by Tati Nickel and Nkomati totaled 5.7 thousand metric tonnes. In the first half of 2009 these entities produced 11.2 thousand metric tonnes of nickel in concentrate.

In the reporting period no mining and metallurgical works were performed at the Australian assets. In the second quarter of 2009 the Harjavalta nickel refinery in Finland produced 14 thousand metric tonnes of nickel, including 9.2 thousand metric tonnes of own saleable nickel and 4.7 thousand metric tonnes of tolled nickel.

In the first half of 2009 the production totaled 27 thousand tonnes of nickel including 16.6 thousand metric tonnes of proprietary nickel. The stated production volumes do not include the production results of Stillwater Mining Company, a subsidiary of the Company.