“Construction of main reinforced concrete structures for the coal storage bunker equipped with stamping machines is being completed, and installation of conveyors and machines for feeding stamped charge into the oven is underway,” NLMK said in a statement.

In stamp charging, briquettes of compacted coal are pushed into coke ovens horizontally. NLMK is equipping the No. 5 oven battery with the technology in an effort to reduce costs and improve coke quality.

The project, which also includes advanced offgas collection and cleaning systems, is estimated to cost the equivalent of US$68.9 million. Germany’s HuDe GmbH is supplying the equipment.