The London Metal Exchange (LME) announced it will suspend the listing of a nickel brand produced by Nornickel's Finnish plant, effective October 3. The LME did not provide a reason for the suspension, but sources indicated it is linked to the LME's responsible sourcing campaign rather than Russia-related sanctions.

The suspension impacts deliveries of nickel cathodes and briquettes from Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta Oy, one of Europe's largest nickel refineries, with an annual capacity of 65,000 metric tons. Nornickel produced 209,000 tons of nickel in 2023.

The LME, owned by Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, stated in January it would suspend or delist 10% of its listed metals brands until producers submit responsible sourcing reports. Harjavalta is yet to complete its routine responsible minerals audit, which is expected by the October 3 deadline.

In April, the LME banned all Russian aluminum, copper, and nickel produced from April 13, complying with US and UK sanctions over Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. However, Nornickel's Finnish plant was not affected by that decision.