OREANDA-NEWS. June 09, 2012. OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter referred to as MMC Norilsk Nickel or the Company) communicates, that today working traffic started  at Narin 1 (Borzia)– Gazimurski Plant railroad span. Due to the railroad span construction, distant regions of the Zabaikalski territory south-west have connection to the Russian railroad network. The Company considers the start of the traffic to be an important landmark in the Chita project concretization with the view of the Bistrinski and Bugdainski ore deposits exploration. The commissioning of this railroad span facilitates the transportation of millions of tons of construction elements and high-tonnage mining equipment and will make it possible to initiate Bistrinski and Bugdainski Concentrators construction.

Governor of Zabaikalski territory Ravil Geniatulin, representatives of MMC Norilsk Nickel, General Contractor of the project OJSC Injtransstroi Corporation and local authorities participated in the solemn procedure of a golden rail laying at Gazimurski plant railway station.

Top managers of MMC Norilsk Nickel thanked the constructors for the work done. “Such a large scale construction project under severe climate pressure is an exploit in itself, observed Yuri Filippov, Deputy General Director of MMC Norilsk Nickel,- However, despite all the difficulties the job was done in a very dynamic and high quality way. In future, the railroad and our projects may contribute to further development of the region at the expense of parallel and, possibly, competing projects. Thus, Naryn-Lugokan railroad not only resolves the current local transportation problem, but serves as a serious instrument for further industrial development of Zabaikalsky territory and of the country in general.”

The beginning of Bistrinski and Bugdainski Concentrators construction is planned for the end of 2012-2013, while the commissioning is planned for 2016. Nowadays, both projects are in the phase of design documents preparation, starts the construction  of the access roads from the railway to Concentrators sites. Bistrinski Concentrator shall mine and process annually 10 mln tons of ore, resulting in 62 th. tons of copper in concentrate, 6,3 tons of gold in concentrate and 2,1 mln tons of iron in iron ore concentrate. Bugdainski Concentrator shall guarantee 16 mln tons a year and 9 th tons of molybdenum in molybdenum concentrate.