Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant

In 1969 a document, describing the results of many years of research of the Talnakh deposit fields, came frome the State Commission of Reserves. Geologists promised Norilsk a bright future for decades to come, whereas the factory could increase the production of nickel and copper by 10 times! At the same time it became clear that the Nickel and the Copper Factories, calculated on a much poorer Norilsk deposit, will not be able to "digest" the Talnakh ore. A more powerful and modern factory was demanded. 

SECOND NICKEL

It was first said of the construction of the second nickel factory during Soviet Prime Minister Alexei Kosygin’s visit to Norilsk in 1968. An order on its construction came in 1970 within the resolution of the development of the Norilsk production in the next five years.

The scale of construction seemed to frighten the builders themselves. They had to master the budget, which exceeded the cost of the Bratsk hydroelectric power station, and build a production, the likes of which had not been built anywhere in the world; and all this in the Far North.

Designers were bribed by the vast expanses around, and most importantly — by safe bedrock.

The construction was entrusted to the Ministry of Energy of the USSR, and more precisely, its subsidiary "Norilskenergopromstroy" (later renamed into special construction management "Taymyrenergostroy"). The first workers arrived on the scene from another large construction site in Norilsk — Khantaiskaya HPP. February 23, 1971 carpenter Nikolai Fomin and foreman Yuri Seleznev set a plate confirming the start of work by launching the a ten-year saga construction of the metallurgical giant.

The first excavator was driven from Kayerkan, people began digging pits for the factory management office and the autoclave manufactory.

Just like during the construction of the Nickel Factory, everything was being done so fast, that the planners barely kept up with the workers. But no matter how the people hurried each other, work was slow and difficult. Little had changed even when in 1974 the construction received the striking Komsomol status.

"NADEJDINSKIY" DOES NOT INSPIRE HOPE

 By the way, this is the year the Second Nickel Factory became "Nadezhdinskaiy". The first name did not refer to the scale of the future enterprise or the range of products that it will produce (except for nickel, the plant planned to produce anode copper). A new optimistic name (“Nadejdinskiy” can be translated as “hopeful”), borrowed from the old airport, instilled the demanded sense.

Construction manager Vladimir Plotnikov, who lost all hope, admited his own impuissance and asked to be let to leave his post.

REBOOT

Anatoly Zakopyrin became the new chief of "Taymyrenergostroy" construction. He arrived to Norilsk from Bratsk, where he just launched a huge timber plant. After inspecting the area, he realized that a new much more difficult strength test.

Unlike his predecessors, Zakopyrin knew what to do. He insisted on an urgent change of leading personnel. He also asked to transport all the technical supplies to the full disposal of the builders. He demanded Boris Kolesnikov, the director of the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combine, to share personal responsibility for ensuring that the workers had places to live with him.

Next "Taymyrenergostroy" started organizing its own construction base — from facilities around the clock and year-mix concrete unit, non of whice were on the site back then, and ending with its own reinforcement and formwork workspaces.

Zakopyrin brought 165 qualified builders to the site and adjusted work with Finnish partners. 180 representatives of «Outokumpu», «Rauma Repola», «Alstrem» companies started to install the equipment.

In Norilsk, they brought the flash smelting furnace with a simple but clever operating system. Ore milled to dusts and mixed with river sand entered the furnace shaft. While every single speck of dust was flying along the shaft, the heat from the burner enveloped it. During the falling process, it was oxidized and turned into a microscopic piece of metal.

KOSYGIN INSPECTS "HOPE"

March 27, 1978 Chairman of the Council of Ministers Alexei Kosygin once again supported the Norilsk grand construction.

After his orders, the icebreaker fleet was mobilized, main forces of military aircraft transport of the USSR rushed to the airfields of Krasnoyarsk. 29 cranes up to 25 tonnes were sent to Norilsk from various factories of the country.

Owing to these measures, "Taymyrenergostroy" worked efficiently during the summer of 1978 and fully prepared for the crucial winter, throughout which major works had been planned. Builders never left the area, bringing the day of the launch closer and closer.

"HOPE’S" BIRTHDAY

October 10, 1979 the first phase of the Nadezhdinskiy Ironworks was commissioned — its hydrometallurgical manufactory, where the processing of raw materials did not use high temperatures, a unique thing in the Soviet Union. Enrichment processes occured in aqueous solutions. And so this way, February 15, 1981 the first pure metal of "Hope" was obtained.

The second stage of Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant — the pyrometallurgical production plant — passed in July 1981. The completion of works was celebrated in the smelter in height equal to a 12-storey building, which still impresses one with its size.

Built in the Arctic Circle by 22000 people in an area of 240 hectares, Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant  did not have any competitors, not only in the Soviet Union, but also the world.