Finansovye Izvestiya publishes: Norilsk Nickel has increased its shares in Matrosov’s Pit Company up to 80%, and in Lena Gold— up to 75%. Polus Company, the subsidiary of MMC Norilsk Nickel that controls Matrosov’s Pit plans to discover huge gold resources at the deposit of the company. Commenting on the current situation with these two gold mining companies, Valeriy Rudakov, the chairman of Polus Company’s board of directors informed that the companies bought will become separate JSCs, but they will develop into the subsidiaries of Norilsk Nickel or other specially created company. As for Matrosov’s Pit Company, now it mines 720 kg of gold a year, but this year the project of additional geological exploration works is planned to start at Natalkinskoe deposit. Mr Rudakov shared the forecast that the deposit’s resources volume was at the same level as the gold resources volume of Suhoy Log deposit (1100 tons of gold). Moreover, Mr Rudakov is sure Norilsk Nickel will win the auction for the Suhoy Log deposit selling — the company does not hide its interest in it.

Recent and planned purchases will allow the company to increase gold mining volume up to 100 tons of gold a year and to become Russian largest company and one of the world’s leaders in the sector.