Governor Andrey Chibis met with the staff of the Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company as part of a working trip to Monchegorsk. Opening the meeting, the head of the region handed over Letters of Thanks from the Governor of the Murmansk Region to the staff.
Welcoming the workers, the head of the region recalled that during a working visit to the Murmansk region, First Deputy Government of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov supported several key projects for the further development of our region. Among them is the production of raw materials for lithium-ion batteries.
The Polar Lithium company intends to implement a project for the development of the Kolmozersk lithium deposit, the largest in Russia, located in the Lovozersk district. Lithium ore reserves here amount to 75 million tons, or 18.9% of Russian reserves of this metal. At the moment, the shareholders are considering the option of building a mining and processing complex in two stages. Currently, the project is supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, and is also included in the list of main activities for inclusion in the plans for the integrated socio-economic development of Monchegorsk as a reference settlement of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation.
"The Kola MMC has the necessary infrastructure and the prospect of mastering the full cycle of production of cathode active material. Kazan and Moscow were considered for the placement of production, but we managed to ensure that it was located in Monchegorsk. In fact, a new production facility will appear here, which means new professional competencies that will be able to ensure the future of the children who live here today," said Andrei Chibis.
Professionals immediately raised the issue of recycling lithium-ion batteries, because the toxic substances contained in them are very dangerous to the environment. The Governor stressed that the tasks of environmentally friendly battery recycling will be included in the technological plans at the design stage of the mining and processing complex.
Continuing the environmental theme, the company's employees touched upon the topic of recycling car tires. Andrey Chibis replied that the regional government is working systematically to solve this problem. Tire delivery points have opened in Murmansk, an Ecotechnopark in Mezhdurechye also accepts them, and the issue of opening points in other municipalities of the region is being resolved.
Employees of the Kola MMC – residents of Monchegorsk thanked the governor for the program "Fortification". They also expressed their gratitude for the landscaping. According to people, Monchegorsk has changed just before our eyes.
One of the participants of the meeting expressed her wish to revive industrial tourism in production. Andrey Chibis supported the employee, stressing that this is very important not only for northerners and guests of the region, but above all for schoolchildren, because professional orientation is an important part of the educational process, and the Kola MMC has something to boast about in terms of the latest equipment and workshop facilities.
The participants of the meeting were also interested in issues of road safety, housing and communal services, and healthcare.
"I consider meetings with the teams of key enterprises in the region, enterprises that, without exaggeration, hold the economy of the Murmansk region on their shoulders, one of the most important parts of my work. Your vision of life in your hometown, its prospects, and the issues that need to be paid closer attention to are very valuable. The most interesting and useful of them will be reflected in the new five–year plan "To live in the North", because improving the quality of life of people in each municipality of the region is a priority task of the regional government," Andrei Chibis stressed.
/ Ministry of Information Policy of the Murmansk Region /