Metalloinvest, a leading global iron ore and HBI (hot briquetted iron) producer based in Russia, has announced its operational results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2012.
In Q4 2012, the company’s iron ore, pellet and HBI/direct reduced iron (DRI) shipments amounted to 7.3 million mt, remaining at the same level as in Q4 2011.
In 2012, Metalloinvest’s iron ore output declined by 0.9 percent year on year to 39.8 million mt. The slight reduction was caused by maintenance work carried out during a period of falling prices in Q4 2012. Iron ore shipments decreased by 1.7 percent year on year in 2012, falling to 12.5 million mt.
Pellet production amounted to 22.6 million mt in 2012, up one percent year on year, while pellet shipments to external customers increased by 3.3 percent year on year to 14.1 million mt.
Last year, Metalloinvest’s hot metal and crude steel production decreased to 2.1 million mt, down 15.2 percent year on year, and 5.6 million mt, down 3.5 percent year on year, respectively, resulting from major maintenance and repair work at the plants.
According to Metalloinvest's statement, in 2012, due to long-term contracts with domestic customers, Russia became the main market for the company with a 50.8 percent share of total iron ore product shipments, amounting to 14.8 million mt in absolute terms and representing 62.8 percent year-on-year growth.