MOSCOW, January 21 - RAPSI. The Moscow Commercial Court has accepted Russian nickel giant Norilsk's withdrawal of its claim to nullify a decision by the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use to grant development licenses for federal-level deposits, the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) Monday.

A Norilsk representative told the court that the company would be withdrawing its claim after the government invalidated the tender through a resolution issued on December 30.

However, the company believes the watchdog committed multiple violations in the context of the licensing procedure, such as ignoring the requirement to include representatives of the relevant federal executive bodies in the bidding commission. It also ignored the requirement to uphold the interests of national security and to allow locally elected authorities to have a say in cases where mineral development may affect the environment or the well-being and socioeconomic interests of local residents, the company added.

As a result, the commissions' decisions were invalid, according to the company.

The watchdog's commissions announced on June 18 that they had awarded to the Russian Platinum Group licenses to explore and develop nickel, copper, cobalt, and associated products in the southern area of the Norilsk-1 deposit in Taymyr.

Norilsk Nickel is a diversified ore mining and smelting company, and the world's leading nickel and palladium producer. It operates industrial facilities in the Norilsk industrial region and on the Kola Peninsula in Russia, as well as in Finland, the United States, Australia, Botswana and South Africa.