Norilsk Nickel obtains new licenses in Botswana

To increase resource base of the Tati Nickel project, the management secured licenses for additional territories adjacent to current production sites of Tati Nickel. Botswana’s Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Affairs granted Tati licenses for three out of four territories requested earlier.

Presently Tati Nickel owns licenses for the areas attractive for exploration and located directly between Phoenix and Selkirk deposits to the west. A 3-year exploration license was obtained for Tekwane deposit with preliminary resources estimated at 0.6 million tons of nickel with nickel grade of 1.28%, Cu – 0.59% and average ore body thickness of 1.5 m.

Another 3-year exploration license was obtained for the area north of Phoenix deposit –Pinagare prospect.

As regards exploration license for eastern areas of Tekwane prospect up until the state border with Zimbabwe, Tati is currently expecting to take part in the tender procedures for these areas.

A program of intense exploration was developed for 2011. The program’s objective is to update ore body model of Phoenix and Selkirk deposits and provide detailed study of the adjacent prospect areas as part of the long-term development of the resource base.