Goal and Route

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Goal and Route

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The particular vulnerability of Arctic environment as it's being impacted by ... Norilsk Nickel stands in the Russian High Arctic, about 2,800 km north of Moscow. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Goal and Route

1
Goal and Route

This presentation focuses on NICKEL production at
Siberian Far East (High Arctic Region of Russia).
It is designed to DESCRIBE.
It takes you through the cradle to grave
lifecycle of NICKEL, paying particular attention
to the social, environmental and public health
impacts of the processes associated with NICKEL.
I start by looking at (analyzing) the impact of
EXTRACTION upon the well-being of the local
ecosphere and local indigenous and urban populace
(while paying particular attention to the
disproportionate rate of impact as associated
with factors of race and standard of living).
I then proceed to describe and analyze the impact
of PRODUCTION upon environment, indigenous and
urban populace.

I continue with the description of the urban and
indigenous communities in detail and analyze the
disproportionate distribution of health hazards,
as associated with nickel industry.
This is followed by the analytical description of
DISTRIBUTION/TRANSPORTATION of nickel, from its
point of extraction to the point of overseas
markets.
I go on to describe the overseas CONSUMPTION of
nickel and analyze the confirmative effect of
such a practice as affecting people and
environment at the source of nickel production.
I conclude with the analysis of waste generation
and handling as impacting, now, the environment
at the point of consumption.

2
Introduction

The critical-analytical core of this project is
founded upon recognition of the impact upon
biotic and human communities stressed, impaired
and threatened to benefit industrial production
of nickel. The project turns to account for a
critical use of resources with
Industrial disregard to indigenous right to dwell
on ancestral land and to carry on an intimate
Earth-connected way of living.
Indigenous communities way of outlook of Earth
is sacred.
The disproportionate succumbing to health hazards
by indigenous communities.
The dependency of urban workers upon the nickel
production for the very livelihood and the
consequent socio-economic entrapment.
The particular vulnerability of Arctic
environment as its being impacted by
transportation of nickel to overseas markets.
Factors that contribute to hefty Western
consumption of nickel.

3
Geography and Production Data

Norilsk Nickel stands in the Russian High Arctic,
about 2,800 km north of Moscow.
The Norilsk nickel deposits were discovered
during the 1920s, with nickel production starting
during WWII.
Underground mining began in the 1950s.
The operating company was privatized by the
Russian government in 1995, and is now controlled
by the Unexim Bank.
The company also controls the Severonikel and
Pechenganikel mines on the Kola and Taimir
Peninsulas.

4
Visual Overlay

The nickel production at Far East, High Arctic
region of Russian Federation, headed by Norilsk
Nickel is marked by conglomerate expansion with
oligarchic pattern of power.
Due to the vulnerability of Arctic environment,
the biodome is least adapted to act as a sink for
the deluge of contaminants, which affect flora,
fauna, indigenous peoples well-being as well as
that of urban dwellers whose livelihood is
centered upon nickel production, being companys
town.

5
Operations and Production

In 2002, Norilsk Nickel produced 218,000 tones of
nickel.
Export sales amounted to 208, 000 tones (minus
60,000 pledged against a loan from the syndicate
of Western banks).
Domestic sales accounted for 11,000 tones.
Primary Operations Western Siberia (city of
Norilsk and city of Murmansk), Taimir and Kola
Peninsulas.
Murmansk Komsomolskiy and Taimirskiy mines
account for 40 of nickel production.
Norilsk October Mine produces 55 of companys
nickel output.

6
Importance of Nickel/Localized Impact-Faraway
Sterile Consumption

Average U.S import from Norilsk Nickel is 21,
700 tones/yr, priced at 3.14/lb.
The only nickel smelter in U.S. closed in April
1998 because of low nickel prices.
Meanwhile, U.S. demand for nickel-cadmium and
nickel-metal hydride batteries has grown
significantly, thanks to a joint U.S/Canadian
recycling program that has made the use of
nickel-based household and industrial batteries
more environmentally acceptable.
Both battery types are widely used in handheld
power tools and in a myriad of portable
electronic devices.
In areas closest to Norilsk nickel smelters, the
deposition of nickel, in combination with
acidifying emissions, has severely damaged soil
and ground vegetation, resulting in
desertification. The freshwater ecosystem is
severely damaged in Dudinka Harbour, Yenisey
River and others. The land contamination
disproportionately affects Tribal Peoples of the
Far East, both physiologically and
psychologically, due to succumbing to higher
rates of disease, and to losing a traditional way
of living (reindeer herding/fishing) through land
degradation and in many cases, through being
ousted off the land.

7
Importance of Nickel II

At the end of 1999, the following 7 models
equipped with nickel-metal hydride (Electric
hybrids) (Ni-Mh) batteries were being
sold/leased in the U.S. E.V. Plus (American
Honda Motor Co.), the Electric Powered Interurban
Commuter, E.P.I.C. minivan (Daimler/Chrysler),
the Ranger EV Pickup Truck (Ford Motor Co), the
E.V.I .(General Motors Corp.), the S-10 Electric
Pickup Truck (General Motors), the Force
(Solectria Corp.) and the R.A.V.4-E.V. sports
utility vehicle (Toyota Motor Corp., U.S.A.) and
Altra E.V. (Nissan North America).
A total of 4,017 battery electric light-duty
passenger vehicles and trucks were sold January
1996-97.
The nickel-copper smelters on Kola Peninsula and
Norilsk region have severely polluted nearby
terrestrial and freshwater environments. The
high growth rate of morbidity among children of
Norilsk has been observed.

8
Extraction Process

Lack of updated pollution prevention mechanisms
ensures plants workers exposure to high levels
of sulfur emissions.
At present, there are 30 indigenous tribes living
in an area surrounding Norilsk combine, from
Aleut to Tazy tribe.
Traditional lifestyle of these peoples is
threatened by industrial interest, where
indigenous rights are often ignored. President
of R.F. Government on Problems of the Extreme
North, Mikhail Kasyanov, has noted that when it
comes to guaranteeing legal rights of indigenous
peoples of the North, regional legislation often
is given preference over distanced federal one
(regional power is dictated by who owns most in
the area, in this case, the Norilsk Combine).
Result polluted waterless available fish to
catch for traditional fishers, polluted airmore
disease among Natives whose systems are more
sensitive than those of urban dwellers,
desertified landinability to carry on with
age-old practices, blow to traditional lifestyle,
psychological trauma.

Norilsk Nickel uses sublevel caving method an
excavation in the form of steps, made by the
mining of ore from steeply inclined or vertical
veins (stoping)
Stopes are mined 120 m long by 10 m thick with
the use of mechanized drilling and ore loading
equipment
In Taimir, October and Komsomolskiy mines the
cut-and-fill method is utilized the ore is
excavated in horizontal slices, starting at the
bottom of the slope and advancing upward.
Extraction process requires several toxic
chemicals and metals, including sodium cyanide
and mercury which have contaminated sensitive
Arctic Rivers, like Igarka, Teksi and others.

9
Diagram of Extraction Process

On the left in the cut-and-fill mining, the ore
is excavated in horizontal slices, starting at
the bottom of a stope and advancing upward.
On the right The ore is removed from the stope
with the use of mechanized mobile equipment.
When a slice of ore has been mined, then
hydraulically-placed sandfill is poured into the
mined-out area, which, then, serves both as a
floor for when the next slice is mined, and as a
support for walls.
Atlas Copco, a U.S.-based company, has been
working closely with Norilsk Nickel for over 30
years.
In 2000, Atlas Copco won a major order to supply
Norilsk Nickel, valued at 18 million.
By early 2001, the company has sold to Norilsk
Nickel almost 400 units, including drilling
jumbos, load-haul-dump machines and raise borers.
Atlas Copco is continually increasing its
delivery of drills and rigs to Norilsk Nickel,
thereby propagating a use value of nickel and
proposing a friendly Western market ready to
receive more nickel at the expense of local
Russians, Indigenous Tribes and the biodome.

10
Spatial Indigenous Distribution
11
Impact on Indigenous Tribes

The spring blossomed over Taiga
And scarcely waving its hands,
It has so beatified the Earth,
As all of a sudden spread out like a carpet.
All trees put on a magnificent attire,
That is most wonderful in spring,
The birds of passage are flying,
And bring their songs on their wings.
A young reindeer stands motionless,
And after finishing drinking, is playful again.
In spring, there brightened up, like
children-All trees, people and birds.
-Evenk poet Nikolai Oyegir

12
Impact on Indigenous Peoples II

According to the map, Evenks and Evens live
nearby Norilsk Nickel Combine
At present, there are 30 ethnic groups peoples
that inhabit Russia in the North, Siberia and the
Far East, totaling about 200,000. This
population is spread across vast expenses of land
mostly void of transportation and communication
structures.
The amount of pension allocated to indigenous
peoples is about 1/25 of that of the average
Russian.
The morbidity rate of indigenous peoples of the
North is 1.5 higher than of the average Russian.
The average indigenous life expectancy is 25
years shorter than in Russia on the average
The ancestors of tribal peoples settled the land
before the movement of Slavs, so the names they
gave to many places in Slavic Russia, still
endure.
Evenks (Tungus) number 30,136 and live in compact
communities in the Republic of Sakha(Yakutia),
Buryatia, Khanty-Mansi, Taimir and other regions.
Evens (Tungus Lamuts) number 17, 199 and live
in the Republci of Sakha, the Magadan, Kamchatka,
Khabarovsk region, the Chukotka and Koryasky
autonomous regions.
According to the Russian Association of the
Indigenous Peoples of the North (R.A.I.P.O.N.),
government representatives are trying to continue
policies of paternalism toward and control over
indigenous peoples.

13
The pathway of contamination of Indigenous Peoples

In winter, industrial areas of Eurasia, including
the location of Norilsk Nickel, are within the
Arctic air mass, which provides for efficient air
transport of particle-bound contaminants (nickel
emissions have been implicated in a number of
cancers) across the pole.
Semi-volatile contaminants (persistent organic
pollutants, mercury-which is used in the drilling
process of production of nickel) are carried to
the Arctic by the cycles of evaporation,
transport, and condensation in a multi-hop
process. The cold climate traps them more
effectively here than anywhere else on the globe.
Snow, rain and dry deposition cleanse the air and
contaminate the surfaces on which they land (land
contamination leads to large numbers of reindeers
getting sick through grazing. Thus, traditional
way of herding is disrupted). The contaminants
often end up in melt-water that feeds both rivers
and the ocean surface layer (water contamination
of nearby rivers has lead to an increased disease
rate among indigenous peoples who live far away
from accessible infrastructure of hospitals and
are more sensitive to diseases.).
The ability to gather and store energy is a
prime concern for survival during the dark cold
winter. Therefore, fat plays a more important
role in animal metabolism in the Arctic than in
temperate regions. The importance of fat
increases bio-magnification of fat-soluble
contaminants (metal nickel ions are quickly
accumulated in kidneys of animals.

14
Pathway to Contamination II

The lives of indigenous peoples are closely
linked to local resources that provide nourishing
foods and spiritual connection to the
environment.
The diets of Indigenes are likely to include
predators which may concentrate contaminants
(bioaccumulation).
The concept of health is holistic among
Indigenes. Health is socially and culturally
defined. It has spiritual dimensions. Far East
Natives have a strong traditional value of
respect for the environment. They see
degradation of the environment as a threat to
health.
Summary the most severe effects of metals on
Arctic ecosystems are from local pollution. The
nickel-copper smelters on the Kola Peninsula and
in the Norilsk region of Russia have severely
polluted nearby terrestrial and freshwater
environments. In the areas closest to the
smelters, the deposition of nickel and copper
has, in combination with acidifying emissions,
severely damaged soil and ground vegetation.
Metals are taken by Arctic biota and levels often
reflect local geology or local anthropocentric
activities.
Mercury seems to be on the increase in both lake
and ocean sediments. This may indicate an
increased global flux of mercury. Mercury
biomagnifies in freshwater and marine ecosystems.
Climate change is likely to be more pronounced in
the Arctic than in other areas of the world.
Indigenous peoples are directly dependent on
climate for access to game animals, fishing and
hunting grounds and suitable places for
settlement.

15
More on the Production of Norilsk Nickel

Ores extracted from Norilsk Nickel deposits can
be divided into rich, disseminated and cuprous
ores. Rich ores are characterized by a higher
content of base and precious metals, while
cuprous ores are characterized by a higher
content of copper.
Ore Enrichment Talnakh Enrichment Plant
processes some of the rich and cuprous ores mined
at the Oktyabrskiy deposit to produce nickel,
copper and pyrrhotite concentrates.
The Norilsk Enrichment Plant processes the entire
volume of disseminated ore from Norilsk, a
portion of rich and cuprous ores from Oktyabrskiy
deposit and stored pyrrhotite concentrate to
produce nickel and copper concentrates.
At Pechenganikel Enrichment Plant, disseminated
ore from Kola Peninsula is processed to produce a
collective nickel and copper concentrate.

16
Metallurgy

Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant processes nickel and
pyrrhotite concentrates as well as copper
concentrates to produce high grade matte and
copper anodes.
Nickel Plant processed stored pyrrhotite and
matte concentrates to produce copper cathodes.
The Copper Plant processes copper concentrates
and anodes to produce copper cathodes.
The precious metal concentrates production shop
recycles sludge from the electrolysis shop of the
Copper and Nickel plant to produce metal and
metallic silver concentrates.
The key products of the Combine are nickel and
copper cathodes, precious metals concentrates and
sulfuric acid.

17
Workers Exposure to Nickel

In 1995, Norilsk Combine employed 162,000 people,
with 17,000 of them working for Severonikel plant
located in the city of Murmansk.
Nickel is the leading cause of allergic contact
dermatitis through occupational exposure of
workers (metalworking, electroplating, etc.)
Kea feature involved in the development of nickel
allergy includes prolonged contact with
nickel-containing objects.
Nickel causes asthmatic response in workers
immune reaction of chronic bronchospasmatism.
Nickel salts can lead to toxic effects in the
liver.
Workers exposure to nickel leads to
immuno-toxicity inability of body to feign off
disease.
Inhalation of nickel dust and aerosols leads to
pulmonary toxicity, with the resultant
carcinogenic effect.

18
Norilsk and Murmansk Impact on Urban Dwellers

The 3 smelters of the Norilsk Nickel Combine are
the biggest source of sulphur emissions in the
world. In 1992, the total sulphur dioxide
emissions were 2,300,00 tones-x 20 those of
Sweden.
As a result of this enormous pollution more than
4,000 square km of larch forest around Norilsk
has died over the last 20 years.
In addition, the poisonous air in Norilsk causes
severe health problems, including greatly reduced
life expectancy for the population.

19
Norilsk and Murmansk II

Typical of Russian large manufacturing companies,
the financial situation at the production
facility has a direct impact on the general
social status of the area since service sector,
such as schools, hospitals, agricultural farms
and others, is owned and directly funded by the
factory. In the case of the town of Monchegorsk,
home to Severonikel workers, 90 of the
population fully depends on enterprises
operations.
We are prisoners without barbed wire-said one
miner to the visiting Western journalist To
leave from here, I need money, which I dont
have. Thus, in essence, the populace are both
economic and environmental captives.
Heavy air pollution in Norilsk is evidenced by
high sulfur content of the manufactured nickel,
from the year 1974. Finnish Landsats (earth
resource satellite) study has shown there to be a
total environmental degradation covering 750
square km in the Norwegian-Russian border caused
by air pollution. As a consequence, the
biodiversity has decreased dramatically close to
Norilsk.
As Norilsk and Murmansk are located within the
biodome of Arctic Circle, which is particularly
ill-adapted to absorb pollution, the cities are
among the top 11 with the highest rates of
disease among children of 14 due to air
pollution.
Murmansk Region contains more than 6,000
registered artificial sources of air, water and
soil pollution.
In the last 5 years, since 2001, in Murmansk
region, high growth of children morbidity and
incidence of birth defects was registered. The
highest growth of morbidity rates was observed in
the last 6 years for the following classes of
diseases bone and muscle stomach and duodenum
ulcers tumours diabetes gastro-intestinal
diseases birth defects blood diseases and
uro-genital diseases.
According to the data of Institute on General and
Communal Hygiene, collected in Monchegorsk,
nickel adversely affects functions of the
gastrointestinal tract and morphologic blood
properties. Theres some evidence of copper and
nickel accumulation in hair of pre-school kids of
Monchegorsk. Children are not engaged in
production processes, they are under impact of
contaminated environmental media.

20
Transportation of Nickel

Transport Road export deliveries of base metals
to end users and high-grade matte deliveries for
further processing are made using the North Sea
trading route via the Dudinka Sea Port.
During the period of 9 months, the supply is
transported via nuclear-powered ships, whereas
for the period of 3 months it is transported via
diesel ships.
The nuclear ice-breakers of the Arktika (arctic)
design are used to force through the ice for the
benefit of cargo ships and other vessels along
the northern seaway.
The Northern seaway comprises the Eastern part of
the Barents Sea, the Petchora Sea, the Kara Sea,
the Laptev Sea, and the Eastern Siberia Sea and
heads out to the Bering Straight.

21
Transportation II

The nuclear-powered icebreakers Vaigach and
Taimir have been built for shallow waters and are
usually used on the river Jenitsej to Dixon where
they break through the ice followed by cargo
ships with ore and metals from Norilsk Combine
and cargo ships with lumber from Igarka River.
Until 1986, all low and medium level radioactive
liquid and solid waste from the nuclear
icebreakers was dumped in the Barents and Kara
Sea. This comprises solid and liquid radioactive
waste and nuclear reactors with and without fuel.
Less radioactive liquid waste was being dumped by
the shores of Kola Peninsula.
The Northern Fleet has sunk a total of 17 ships
and lighters containing radioactive waste in
Barents and Kara Sea.
Major items that have been dumped are cooling
water pumps from reactors, generators and various
reactor parts.
The precious metal concentrate-a fine gray powder
containing platinum, silver and other valuable
metals-is airlifted to Krasnoyarsk refinery and
then sold to the Russian government.
The TransSiberian Corridor allows for the
transportation of nickel cargo to the
Asian-Pacific Ports via marine transport. Nickel
cargo is transported via railroad to Poland and
Germany where its distributed to the Western
Europe and North American market.

22
Socio-Environmental Impact of Transportation

Persistent contaminants are carried to the Arctic
via long-range transport and accumulate in
animals that are used as traditional foods of
Indigenous peoples.
Releases from marine shipping and long-range
transport are a major source of hydrocarbon
contamination of the Far East
Accidental oil spills and those from ships pose
the greatest threat due to petroleum
hydrocarbons.
The Arctic environment is more vulnerable to
spills than warmer environments because oil
breaks more slowly under cold, dark conditions
and because Arctic plants and animals need a
longer time to recover from damage. In addition,
remedial measures are difficult due to the
extreme conditions of cold, ice cover and winter
darkness.
The environmental threats to the Arctic
associated with transportation of nickel are
local and regional, contributing to the
disintegration of Indigenous lifestyle through
land wastage and animal sickness. The urban
dwellers health is impacted as well, especially
that nickel workers and of young children.

23
Consumption and Nickel Products

First Use Stainless steel accounts for 2/3 of
nickel consumption in the U.S.
Nickel is durable as a pure metal and alloys
readily with many other metals it is widely used
in 300,000 consumer, industrial, military,
transport/aerospace, marine and architectural
applications.
The public may recognize nickel in coins, as it
is used for this purpose in pure or alloy forms
by many countries
Stainless steel uses are to be found in industry,
construction and at home, as pots, pans and
kitchen sinks
About 65 of nickel is used to manufacture
stainless steel and the other 20 is used for
highly specialized industrial, aerospace and
military applications.

24
Distribution to Waste Sites and Waste Processes

A joint U.S./Canadian recycling venture
indirectly promotes nickel consumption,
subsequent waste generation and associated
regional impact of indigenous peoples, urban
dwellers and the environment.
U.S.-based Inmetco is the only facility in North
America to provide thermal recovery for
nickel-cadmium batteries. It has specific
consumer-reach programs, dubbed mail back,
reverse distribution and the large quantity.
However, it is being argued that such programs
only compel Western consumers to partake in the
increase of nickel market, as the recycling
notion provides a clearing of eco-consciousness.
Nickel is a common chemical found in Superfund
sites, where more often than not, these sites are
sold as property lots to marginalized strata of
the society poor and people of color (Bay View
H.P.-environmental discrimination)

25
Waste II

As waste, small airborne nickel particles settle
to the ground or are taken out of air by
precipitation.
Much of the nickel in the environment is found
with soil and sediments because nickel attaches
to particles that contain iron or manganese which
are often present in soil and sediments.
Nickel, as a heavy metal, is a component of many
industrial and governmental sites.
Industrial nickel sources include metal
processing operations, coal and oil combustion
and sewage sludge.
In soils, after first undergoing many chemical
transformations, nickel waste often finds its
resting place sequestered in compressed
aggregates or nodules that are rich in iron and
manganese and are stable over a long period of
time.
If a waste nickel is found in a Superfund site,
then, usually, 2 methods of remediation are used
putting a cap on the contaminated land and
transferring out contaminated soil pumping and
treating contaminated groundwater.