Polyus

Polyus gold mining company emerged in 1980 as a cooperative of miners created by Hazret Sovmen who was appointed by the government to develop gold mining in Krasnoyarsk region. Under his leadership gold mines were set up in the most northern districts of Krasnoyarsk region and even on an Arctic Ocean island.
In 1983 Polyus begun its way to becoming Russia’s largest gold producer as it took part in developing the giant Olympiada mine some 600 km north from Krasnoyarsk.

Early in 1990 Polyus was turned into a closed joint stock company and in 1994 it acquired production license for Olympiada mine. In 1996 the first ore processing plant was built. The construction of the second plant was launched in 2001. The plants process oxide and sulfide ores respectively. Sulfide ores are treated with biooxidation technology which was first time applied in the Far North conditions at Olympiada mine.

In fact, Olympiada project constitutes a technological breakthrough that brings Russian gold mining industry to international standards. Since the launch of Olympiada rock gold production in Russia became dominant over placers.

Today Polyus accounts for almost 85% of gold output in Krasnoyarsk region and is the largest gold producer in Russia. This was achieved through a unique synergy of advanced technology, rich reserves, and quality management.

In 2001 and 2002 Polyus won the prize for Dynamic Development from the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

Also in 2002 Polyus won the Russian National Olympus prize in Industry; Production category.