Russia moves polluting industry from Siberia to Kola Peninsula – experts warn of emissions reaching Finland

Russian mining giant Norilsk Nickel will relocate all palladium refining from Siberia to the Kola Peninsula, bringing the facility to within roughly 200 kilometres of the Finnish border.

The move to the town of Montchegorsk will concentrate 40 per cent of global palladium refining at the new site, the company said in a statement. Norilsk Nickel cited efficiency gains and improved ore extraction as reasons for the shift.

Finnish environmental groups have raised concerns about potential emissions. Hanna Halmeenpää, chair of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, warned that expanded production could increase local and regional pollution affecting both air and water.

“Massive increases in industrial infrastructure will inevitably lead to emissions that affect the atmosphere and waterways,” Halmeenpää said. “Effects could also reach Finnish territory.”

The company claims it will minimise environmental impact by installing new gas purification systems.

Halmeenpää, who studied environmental impacts near Montchegorsk in the early 2000s, described earlier air pollution from the area as severe. “Previous industrial emissions were visible in northeastern Lapland, including damage to conifer needles,” she said. “The source was clearly Montchegorsk and Nikel.”

Pekka Suomela, managing director of the Finnish Mining Association, noted that Finland and Europe rely on imported palladium. While Finland produces small amounts at the Kevitsa mine, a planned project in Ranua could increase domestic output.

Palladium is used in catalytic converters, electronics and chemical industries. Russia is the world’s second-largest producer after South Africa.