Water bodies


The Company’s major production assets are located in regions with sufficient water resources. Nonetheless, the Company is extremely careful about its use of fresh water and strictly complies with restrictions applicable to industrial water withdrawal. Nornickel’s key production facilities use closed water circuits to reduce water withdrawal. Furthermore, the Company never withdraws water from protected natural areas. In 2019, 87% of all water used by the Company was recycled or reused. Water is mostly withdrawn from surface and underground water bodies as well as from wastewater of other companies and natural water inflow. Natural water inflow and meltwater accounted for 12% of the total water withdrawal in 2019. All facilities using water have programmes in place to monitor water bodies and water protection areas..

Wastewater discharge also does not exceed the approved limits or have any major impact on biodiversity of water bodies and related habitats..

Water consumption and discharge framework
WITHDRAWALCONSUMPTIONDISCHARGE319 Mcm:227 Mcmsurface sources26 Mcm21 Mcmwastewater37 Mcmnatural water flow9 Mcmother142 Mcm:76 Mcmclean5 Mcmtreated26 Mcminsufficiently treated36 Mcmcontaminated1 344 Mcm:31 Mcmwater reused in other1 141 Mcmrecycled water (85%)272Mcmnew1 072Mcmreusedand recycledwaterunderground sourcesproduction processes (2%)
Wastewater discharge (Mcm)
‘17‘18‘19Consumed water volume1,3421,1381,4121,2101,3441,172Volume of reused and recycled water87%86%85%Share of reused and recycled water
Water consumption (Mcm)
‘17‘18‘1923142362657631793165343414828779CleanTreatedInsufficientlytreatedContaminated