PM says Russia's copper output to grow 15–20% with Baimsky plant

ANADYR, Aug 13 (PRIME) – Russia's copper production will rise by 15–20% after the launch of Baimsky GOK ore-dressing plant on the Chukchi Peninsula, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at a meeting on the plant construction on Thursday.

"The annual amount of copper production in Russia will rise 15–20% and of molybdenum by almost 80%," Mishustin said. Development of field "will help support development of the entire Chukotka Autonomous District, will give momentum to attainment of federal goals such as higher Northeast Passage cargo traffic, development of the Arctic zone in general," he said.

Far East Development Minister Alexander Kozlov said that electricity to the plant will be supplied by a floating power plant working on liquefied natural gas (LNG). The plant will consume 356 megawatts of capacity.

The Baimsky porphyry copper area, including the Peschanka field, was bought by Baimskaya mining company held by Millhouse of tycoon Roman Abramovich, who is also a beneficiary owner of Norilsk Nickel, at a 2008 auction. In 2018, the project was sold to Kazakhstan's KAZ Minerals. The deposit’s aggregate resources have been estimated at around 30 million tonnes of copper and 2,000 tonnes of gold.

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