According to preliminary data issued by the Ukrainian Association of Ore-dressing Enterprises (Ukrrudprom), in the first five months of this year the Ukrainian steelmakers' imports of iron ore fell by 20.4 percent to 1.304 million mt, while Ukrainian mining companies' iron ore exports rose by 38.5 percent to 12.967 million mt, both compared to the same period last year.
In particular, in January-May this year, Ukraine's exports of iron ore concentrate increased by 32.8 percent year on year to 5.68 million mt, its exports of pellets went up by 19.4 percent to 4.413 million mt, while its exports of sintered ore climbed by 61.3 percent to 2.236 million mt. In addition, during the period in question, Ukraine also shipped 638,700 mt of agglomerate, of which there were no exports during the same period last year.
In May this year, Ukrainian mining companies exported 3.005 million of iron ore - up 24.4 percent month on month, including 1.444 million mt of iron ore concentrate, 968,000 mt of pellets, 521,000 mt of sintered ore and 72,300 mt of agglomerate.
On the other hand, during the first five months of the current year, Ukraine imported 852,900 million mt of iron ore concentrate - down 31.5 percent year on year, 398,600 mt of sintered ore - down 53.4 percent year on year, and 52,900 mt of pellets - down 53.3 percent year on year. However, Ukrainian steelmakers did not import any agglomerate in the first five months of this year.
Ukraine's main importers of iron ore in January-May this year were Ilyich Iron and Steel Works of Mariupol (967,200 mt of iron ore - up 2.5 times year on year), Dneprovsky Iron and Steel Works named after F. Dzerzhinsky (232,600 mt of iron ore - down 66 percent year on year), Alchevsk Iron and Steel Works (59,600 mt - down 85.5 percent), and Dnepropetrovsk Iron and Steel Works named after Petrovsky (25,000 mt of pellets - down 81.5 percent, with no imports in May).
In May, Ukraine imported 117,800 mt of iron ore, including 24,100 mt of iron ore concentrate, 93,700 mt of sintered ore.
In January-May this year 2010 Ukraine produced about 32.2 million mt of iron ore - up 37.2 percent compared to the same period last year.