North-Western Phosphorous Company to ramp up ore production to 6 million tonnes per year

In 2025, North-Western Phosphorous Company (NWPC), a member of Acron Group, celebrates its 20th anniversary. Since the development of the Oleniy Ruchey mine began, NWPC has extracted 65 million tonnes of ore and produced over 14 million tonnes of apatite concentrate. This year, the company plans to expand its ore extraction to 6 million tonnes per year and increase its annual apatite concentrate output to 1.5 million tonnes.

The Oleniy Ruchey mine was the first mineral fertiliser mining and processing facility built in Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Investment in the project totalled RUB 60 billion from the beginning of construction.

This year, the company plans to invest in the Oleniy Ruchey approximately RUB 4 billion, including in start-up facilities: RUB 2 billion for the third stage of the crushing and conveying system, RUB 100 million for the underground transport tunnel, over 3 billion for the auxiliary shaft 1 and around RUB 700 million for upgrades to operating units at the processing plant.

Ore extraction began at the Oleniy Ruchey open pit in 2012, and approximately 50 million tonnes of ore have been produced since then. According to the project design, open-pit mining was scheduled for completion in 2023. However, following an additional exploration survey, NWPC decided to extend the operating life of the open pit until 2030. The company is currently developing additional apatite-nepheline ore reserves totalling 18 million tonnes at the pit’s flanks. Each year, NWPC delivers new equipment to the pit and optimises cargo transportation, reducing the distance that rock has to travel.

In autumn 2017, the underground mine started to deliver ore. Over eight years of construction and shaft sinking, NWPC has extracted nearly 15 million tonnes of ore. Construction of the crushing and conveying complex began in 2018. The first and second stages of the complex were launched in 2020 and 2023 respectively. The third stage, which moves ore from a depth of 140 metres to the surface, was completed earlier this year. To date, these conveyors have delivered over 9 million tonnes of ore. As the underground mine continues to develop, the construction of the crushing and conveyor complex will extend to a depth of 600 metres.