VNII GALURGII JSC

VNII Galurgii JSC is a research and development institute in the sphere of exploration, mining and processing of mining chemical feedstock, which has incorporated scientists and designers in Perm and Saint Petersburg.

Established in 1931 on the base of Salt laboratory of the Academy of Sciences of USSR, the institute has performed a big complex of research works on studying geology, hydrogeology, geomechanics of salt and potash deposits: in Belarus, the Ukraine, Ural, Siberia and the republics of Central Asia, has developed techniques of underground highly mechanized mining of potash ores, underground leaching of potash and salt deposits.

Based on fundamental research on studying solubility of water-salt solutions of different composition, physical-chemical rules of flotation separation of salt minerals, the institute has developed techniques of chemical and flotation processing of potash ores of chloride and chloride-sulfate types, carnallite ores and sedimentary salts of big salt lakes.

Production facilities of following companies were constructed under the techniques and projects of the institute:

• for production of potash chloride containing KCl 95-98% by chemical and flotation methods: Uralkali PJSC, Belaruskali OJSC, Dekhkanabadskiy potash fertilizer plant in Uzbekistan;

• for production of potash-magnesium fertilizers: Stebnikovskiy potash plant and Kalushskiy chemical and metallurgical plant in the Ukraine;

• for production of dressed carnallite (raw material for production of magnesium metal): Uralkali PJSC;

• for production of salt, sodium sulphate and phosphate fertilizers: in Russia – Baskunchakskiy and Yar-Bishkadakskiy brine fields, Kingiseppskiy ore dressing phosphate complex, Kuchuksulphate OJSC; in Belarus – Mozyrsalt OJSC; in the Ukraine — salt mine Nr. 4 of the State enterprise Artyomsol; in Turkmenia — Karabogazsul’fat;

• the institute has carried out an assessment of possibility to start exploitation of Nepskoye potash deposit in Russia.

In different years VNII Galurgii performed research and design works for foreign partners: Bulgaria (Mirovskiy brine field), Libya (production of magnesium metal and chlorine), China (production of synthetic carnallite), Iceland (production of carnallite from marine water), Egypt (production of magnesium oxide), Jordan and Iran (production of potassium sulfate), Iraq (production of magnesium oxide). Applied to Karlyukskoye deposit (Turkmenia) the institute has developed a technique of КСl production with basin processing of brines from underground sylvinite leaching.

At present VNII Galurgii consists of 14 research laboratories, 24 design departments involving more than 500 employees, among them there are 7 Doctors of Science and 26 Candidates of Science.

The most important projects of the institute since 2010:

• Usolskiy potash plant. Mining complex. Underground complex. Construction of shaft bottom.

• Construction of ore mining and dressing plant in Talitskiy block of Verkhnekamskoye potash-magnesium salt deposit.

• Verkhnekamskoye potash-magnesium salt deposit. Ust-Yayvinskiy mine. Surface complex.

• Modernization of 1-3 process trains of granulation department of sylvinite dressing plant of potash processing plant and mine Solikamsk-2.

• Reconstruction of solution department of А and В lines of the plant and associate objects of potash processing plant and mine Berezniki-4.

• Modernization of reagent preparation department of sylvinite dressing plant of potash processing plant Berezniki-3.

• The rest area for development of Licence block of Uralkali PJSC for Verkhnekamskoye potash-magnesium salt deposit. Polovodovskiy potash plant. Ore mining and dressing plant.

• Ore mining and dressing plant for mining and dressing potash salts with capacity 2.3 million tons/year 95% KCl of Gremyachinskoye deposit of Kotel’nikovo district of Volgograd region. Construction of the priority facilities of surface and underground mine complexes.

At present the institute carries out research on safe mining potash ores, detail study of geology, hydrogeology, hydrogeology of Verkhnekamskoye potash-magnesium salt deposit, stimulation of potash and carnallite ores processing, decrease of power consumption, development of new flotation reagents, adding refractory potash ores into processing, increase of potash fertilizers quality in accordance with the world market requirements.

VNII Galurgii JSC is a member of the government commission on prevention of negative effects of technogenic accident caused by the mine flood of Verkhnekamskoye potash-magnesium salt deposit in Berezniki.

The institute is a member of the standing working group on complex monitoring at the Government commission under the auspices of the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision.

Among the staff members of VNII Galurgii JSC there are people whose achievements have won different national awards: The Cavalier of Badge "The Mining Fame" of 3 ranks, the Title of honour "The Honoured builder of the Russian Federation", the Title "The Honourable builder of Russia", the Title of honour "The Honoured chemist of the Russian Federation", the Title "The Honoured inventor of the Russian Federation", the Title of honour "The Honoured scientist of the Russian Federation".

VNII Galurgii JSC provides its own postgraduate education services thereby it realizes education activity and training of academic personnel of top-qualification.

High quality and shortest terms of performance of design and research works are guaranteed by availability of highly-skilled specialists, high-tech equipment, software and hardware packages, application of advanced information technologies.