CIS' export of crude iron ore increases

Total Ukraine's and Russia's crude iron ore exports increased 33 percent month on month to 3.6 million tons in March 2006. In March 2006, Ukraine exported 1.8 million tons of crude iron ore, including 633,000 tons of sintering ore, 353,000 tons of concentrate and 783,000 tons of pellets. Russia, in the same period, exported 1.8 million tons of crude iron ore, including 53,000 tons of sintering ore, 526,000 tons of concentrate, 1.06 million tons of pellets, and 149,000 tons of briquettes. In the first quarter of 2006, Russia and Ukraine exported 9.5 million tons of crude iron ore, which is 6.5 percent lower than the same period of last year.