The Russian mining and steel producing group Mechel has announced the commencement of a new long wall face No.21-1-3 in seam 21 at the Olzherasskaya-Novaya mine of its Southern Kuzbass coal mining subsidiary.
Mechel has invested about $100 million in the construction of the mine.
The new long wall face will have a monthly production of 150,000-180,000 mt of coal.
"The commissioning of the new long wall face will increase the mined volume of GZhO (gas, fat, and meager) grade of coal and will provide Mechel's Kuzbass Center Processing Plant with high grade raw material," Mechel Management CEO Vladimir Polin has commented.