Raspadskaya to invest in production expansion

Raspadskaya Coal Company (Raspadskaya), the second largest coking coal producer in Russia and a subsidiary of the country's steelmaker Evraz Group, has announced its investment program for the years 2007 through 2010. Raspadskay's targeted investment program for 2007-2010 totals $327 million. The company's investment program includes an overall modernization of its production capacities, which is to lead to an increase in annual capacity of GZH and ZH grade coking coal to eight million metric tons at its Raspadskay mine; expansion of production capacity up to three million metric tons a year by 2010 at Raspadskaya's MUK-96 mine; expansion of production capacity up to three million metric tons per year starting from 2007 at the company's Razrez Raspadsky mine; and an increase in production capacity of K grade coking coal up to three million metric tons per annum at its Raspadskaya Koksovaya mine. In addition, Raspadskaya is to reduce its preparation costs and expand annual production capacity up to 10.5 million metric tons at its Raspadskaya Preparation plant.