Serious pollution concerns, some of the pictures on Google Earth show some of the rather crude and outdated practices concerning this mine. Also most of Russia nickel is produced here.
"...Nickel ore is smelted on site at Norilsk. The smelting is directly responsible for severe pollution, generally acid rain and smog. By some estimates, 1 percent of the entire global emissions of sulfur dioxide comes from this one city. Heavy metal pollution near Norilsk is so severe that mining the surface soil is now economically feasible, as a result of acquiring high concentrations of platinum and palladium through pollution."
Pollution
Links: en.wikipedia.org
By: nico