Russia increases steel output

Russia increases steel output

Russia's Federal Statistics Service disclosed that the country's finished steel output rose 0.4 percent year on year to 44.8 million metric tons in the first ten months of 2005. Furthermore, steel pipe production increased 6.9 percent year on year to 5.5 million metric tons. Iron ore output dropped 3.6 percent year on year to 78.1 million metric tons while coke output fell 8.1 percent to 26.3 million metric tons. However, coal production rose 4.7 percent to 240 million metric tons.