Russian steel producer Metalloinvest Holding (Metalloinvest) has announced that its iron ore producing subsidiary Mikhailovsky GOK (MGOK) has resumed the production of pellets, starting from January 11, 2009.
The temporarily suspension of pellet output was due to decreased demand in the context of the crisis in the mining and metallurgical sector, as well as in the world economy.
During the production stoppage, MGOK continued to deliver pellets from its stocks. Meanwhile, it carried out repair works at the calcining machines of its palletizing plants, in order to increase their reliability and to optimize gas and electricity consumption during the working process.
Currently, MGOK has put into operation one of its two calcining machines, while the pellet production plan for February exceeds the level for January. Pellet and other iron ore production is to be delivered to Russian steelmakers Ural Steel and Kosaya Gora Iron Works, as well as to steel producers from Slovakia, Iceland and China.