The Russian steel and iron ore producer Metalloinvest Holding (Metalloinvest) has announced that its mining subsidiary Mikhailovsky GOK has started the seasonal production of dry iron ore products, with its Lebedinsky GOK subsidiary to begin dry concentrate production from October 25.
Concentrate and sintering ore with a low moisture content does not freeze during shipment in winter, and thus no additional costs are needed for unloading. There is high demand for dried ore among steelmakers in the Urals and Siberia in winter time.
Accordingly, this year new electronic control equipment was installed at Mikhailovsky GOK's crushing and sorting mill, fully eliminating manual labor. In addition, the plant is currently implementing the modernization of its drying drums system. The upgrade of the drying complex of Lebedinsky GOK was carried out in 2008, following which the complex capacity increased from 30,000 mt to 100,000 mt of dry concentrate per month. In 2010, within a long-term investment project, Metalloinvest is to continue the plant's modernization, which will include the upgrade of the existing facilities and the construction of new capacities. As a result, the concentrate moisture content is to decrease to two percent.
Concentrate drying at Metalloinvest's mining and processing plants is provided from October to April.