MMK-Ugol, a subsidiary of Russian steelmaker Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK), has decided to temporarily suspend coal extraction at its Chertinskaya-Koksovaya mine in the Kuzbass region due to unfavorable market conditions, according to local media reports.
The suspension was driven by several external factors, including a sharp decline in prices for coal concentrate, rising production costs and reduced demand for coking coal from steelmakers.
According to MMK-Ugol, for several recent quarters the production cost of coal at the Chertinskaya-Koksovaya mine exceeded market prices, making continued operation economically unviable.
In 2025, the mine produced more than 1.2 million mt of raw coal.
Part of broader challenges in Russia’s coal sector
The move reflects wider difficulties in Russia’s coal industry, which has faced pressure from declining export demand, logistics constraints and rising transport costs. Several mines in the Kuzbass coal basin, Russia’s main coal-producing region, have already reduced output or suspended operations in recent years.
MMK did not indicate when mining operations at the Chertinskaya-Koksovaya mine could resume, stating that future decisions will depend on improvements in market conditions.