CIS iron ore production rises in Jan-Sept

According to the data released by Rudprom - Association of Russian Iron Ore Producers - for the January-September 2006 period, Russia increased iron ore production by 8 percent year on year to 77.29 million metric tons. In particular during the period in question, Russian enterprises produced 4.03 million metric tons of agglomerate- down 5.4 percent, 74.3 million metric tons of concentrate- up 6.8 percent and 28.66 million metric tons of pellets- up 9.2 percent, compared with the same period of last year. Ukraine and Kazakhstan also saw increases in their iron ore production during the same period. During the first nine months of 2006, iron ore production in Ukraine rose by 6.7 percent to 54.17 million metric tons, while iron ore production in Kazakhstan indicated a 13.6 percent increase to 13.82 million metric tons. In the first nine months of 2006, combined CIS iron ore production (including the figures from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan) increased by 8 percent to 145.27 million metric tons.