“Vorkutaugol” JSC (Vorkuta, Russia):

Sukharev E. S., Head of Press-Cutting Service, e-mail: info@vorkuta.severstalgroup.com

“Vorkutaugol” JSC is one of Russian major coal producers and a part of the Severstal Resources. It is a part of one of the world’s leading steel and steel-related mining companies – “Severstal” JSC. “Vorkutaugol” JSC is one of the biggest and most important companies in Komi Republic in the north of Russia. This year, facilities of “Vorkutaugol” JSC will receive the investment of approximately 6.9 bln. rubles. Key investment projects include the completion of the first stage of modernization at the Pechorskaya Central Coal Cleaning Plant, which will increase the annual mined rock processing capacity by 35% to 9.5 mln. tonnes to the end of this year (in 2012, this Plant processed more than 7 mln. tonnes of mined rock), and further modernization of the company's coal cleaning facilities. Alexey Mordashov reviewed the second stage of modernization at Pechorskaya. Next year, its completion is expected, which will increase the annual processing capacity of the Central Coal Cleaning Plant up to 11.5 mln. tonnes of mined rock. This year, major projects of “Vorkutaugol” JSC include the construction of an inclined shaft at the Zapolyarnaya mine linking to the Pechorskaya Central Coal Cleaning Plant. According to the project design, all coal, produced by the mine, will be transported via the inclined shaft to the coal cleaning plant, eliminating any intermediate stages such as raising the product up, using skip shafts and railway handling. The completion of the inclined shaft at Vorgashorskaya mine — another key project of “Vorkutaugol” JSC — will enable the efficient exploration of the mine’s south-western section which holds Zh-rank, higher-value coking coal. Total investment in this project cost will exceed 1.5 bln. rubles. It is anticipated that the Vorgashorskaya mine will have already reached the coal seam this year, which will be soon followed by preparation of the longwalls for product extraction. The other projects, reviewed as a part of 2013 investment program of “Vorkutaugol” JSC, include a project of modernization of machinery and mining equipment, further improvement of health and safety and capital construction projects. The company plans to invest as much as 2.9 bln. rubles in the longwall equipment and machinery. In addition to the machinery procurement, “Vorkutaugol” JSC will continue to focus on health and safety projects, where approximately 200 mln. rubles will be invested by the company this year.