Russian iron ore exports drop 8.5 percent in Q1

Russian exports of iron ore dropped 8.5 percent year on year to 4.95 million tons in the first quarter of 2006. In the given period, Russia exported 1.24 million tons of concentrate, down 40.6 percent, 3.22 million tons of pellets, up 12.5 percent, 146,000 tons of sintering ore, down 27 percent, and 315,000 tons of briquettes, up 29 percent compared to the first quarter of 2005. To non-CIS buyers was exported 4.3 million tons of iron ore, about 86.9 percent of the total iron ore exported, in the first quarter of 2006.