CJSC North-West Phosphorus Company was established to develop reserve apatite-nepheline ore fields of the Khibiny mountains in Murmansk region — Oleny Ruchey and Partomchorr. Total ore reserves of Oleny Ruchey field are estimated in the amount of 392 million tons of apatite-nepheline ore, Partomchorr field — 800 million tons.
The main reason for establishment of a new company is the necessity to uninterruptedly provide consumer enterprises, which do not have at present their own raw material base, with apatite concentrate for mineral fertilizers production as the guarantee for the realization of long-term development programs.
According to preliminary estimates, the investment amount into the development of ore fields and establishment on their basis of a new mountain chemical complex amounts to around 300 million USD.
Taking into account complex composition of ores, apart from apatite concentrate, it is planned to produce other types of products as well. Special attention will be paid to receiving and using alumina and silica. It is expected that the development and integration of effective technologies and receiving alumina from nepheline will allow completely refusing import and will create conditions for its export.
At present time agreements are signed with Giproruda design institute (St. Petersburg), Mountain institute of the Kolsky Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Apatity), Research and Technology Laboratory of Mineral Raw Material Enrichment Technology (Irkutsk) on preparation of the feasibility study of field reserves extraction and enrichment. A memorandum of understanding is signed and a program of joint actions is elaborated with the Institute of Chemistry of the Kolsky Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences — IHTRAMS.