Other products

Nickel

In April 2006, Rio Tinto and Norilsk Nickel announced the formation of RioNor Exploration, a joint exploration and development company in Russia. RioNor Exploration is a limited liability company registered in Russia, owned 51 per cent by Norilsk Nickel and 49 per cent by Rio Tinto. Its headquarters will be located in Moscow.

Zinc and lead

The Greens Creek Mine is a Joint Venture between Kennecott Minerals and Hecla Mining Company. The ore body was discovered in 1975. Exploration drilling began in 1978, initial mine development in 1987, and full production in 1989. The mine was closed in 1993 due to low metal prices, and has been reopened since 1996 after completion of mine development work. The operation consists of an underground mine that delivers a polymetallic (silver, zinc, gold, and lead) ore to a surface mill and concentrator, which in turn produces three separate concentrates. These concentrates are shipped to various smelters throughout the world on a regular basis. In 1999 Greens Creek produced 573,000 tons of ore with an average grade of 24 oz/ton silver, 14 per cent zinc, 0.20 oz/ton gold and 6 per cent lead. The concentrator averaged 1,580 tons per day throughput and produced 77,000 tons of zinc concentrate, 42,000 tons of lead concentrate and 71,000 tons of bulk concentrate.