Polar Division of “Norilsk Nickel” MMC, Norilsk, Russia

A. I. Yurev, Executive Officer (Center of Engineering Maintenance of Production), e-mail: yurevai@nk.nornik.ru
S. Yu. Eroshevich, Deputy Executive Officer on Technical Policy and Industrial Ecology
L. M. Tsyupko, Head of Department (Center of Engineering Maintenance of Production)

June 18, 1938 is considered as the date of formation of Experimental Metallurgical Shop, when the furnacemen S. I. Serdakov obtained the first Norilsk converter matte, using the small cupola furnace. The Shop was situated in the five-wall log house, which was built in 1930 by geological party of “Soyuzzoloto” at the pebble bank of Coal Creek near the debouchment. Basically, the well, which was dug inside this five-wall log house, and the 20-meter steel pipe under this log house were the main factors, which differed it from the so far existing Urvantsev log house. The five-wall log house included the cupola furnace with ~0.3 m² of the floor area, double-bed roasting furnace and crucible kryptol klein. There were organized the hydrometallurgical, electrolysis and analytical laboratories. Norilsk Company has a rich history. In the hardest conditions of Norillag, the Experimental Metallurgical Shop, formed in 1938, became the Mining and Metallurgical Experimental and Industrial Center. Due to this, mining, metallurgical and concentration researches became united. This Center was expanded by introduction of special laboratories and creation of new activities. Hard periods for Norilsk Complex caused the decreasing of the Center. In 2007, this Center “disappeared”, which was caused by its inclusion into the part of Norilsk Branch of “Gipronikel” Institute” LLC – Institute “Norilskproekt”. The Center was again renewed, when, according to the managerial decision of a Company, in 2011, it was returned into the part of the Polar Division as the Center of Engineering Maintenance of Production. To the time of its 75-th anniversary, the Center exists as a high-technological scientific and research subdivision with modern equipment and qualified personnel. According to this, this Center can solve the most complex engineering tasks in the conditions of existing concentration and metallurgical industry