OREANDA-NEWS. April 18, 2014. ROSATOM and MMC Norilsk Nickel have signed a cooperation agreement on social and economic development of Zabaikalskiy region. The top-priority items of the agreement refer to the growth of the mining sector of the region. The document stipulates guarantees of adequate transportation, power and social infrastructure targeting more efficient use of mineral and feed stock resources of the region, as well as major efforts in operational cooperation.

In 2014, Norilsk Nickel and ROSATOM plan to establish cooperation of the two entities’ facilities and suggest eventual measures of State back-up as to the construction of operational facilities and social infrastructure in the region.

Besides, the parties study the possibility to engage in the Transbaikal facilities of MMC personnel of Priargunsky Industrial Mining and Chemical Union (JSC PIMCU), a ROSATOM affiliate. Expedience of the use of repair and mechanical facilities of PPGKhO and mutually advantageous coal shipments from Urtui mine, property of JSC PIMCU, for the necessities of Bystrinski Concentrator, were also studied by the Parties.

Zabaikalskiy region has long range perspectives, and Norilsk Nickel has already been implementing there very important projects. We hope that our joint effort with ROSATOM encourages a more efficient development of Transbaikal social infrastructure attracting qualified personnel and introducing top-rated technologies for productive and harmonious development of the region, observed Vladimir Potanin, CEO of MMC Norilsk Nickel.

There is already underway in the region a Norilsk Nickel investment project in the framework of state-private partnership providing 227 km railroad construction and Bystrinski Concentrator for complex ores.

Priargunsky Industrial Mining and Chemical Union making part of uranium division of ROSATOM is the most important Russia’s enterprise on uranium mining and a city-forming project for Krasnokamensk– noted Sergey Kirieenko, Head of ROSATOM. – However, under negative global uranium price vectors , we register rather limited development opportunities. The agreement with Norilsk Nickel guarantees a more diversified workload of the JSC PIMCU operational infrastructure: repair works, heat station, coal mine etc. Besides, a second important industrial project in Krasnokamensk shall improve the social and economic ambience of the city.