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Mechel Announces Suspension of Mining at New-Olzherassk Mine
02/29/2012 - Mechel OAO announced the temporary halting of coal mining at Southern Kuzbass Coal Company OAO’s New-Olzherassk Underground mine’s long wall face # 21-1-7 due to coal self-heating.
Mechel OAO announced the temporary halting of coal mining at Southern Kuzbass Coal Company OAO’s New-Olzherassk Underground mine’s long wall face # 21-1-7 due to coal self-heating.
Mining operations were suspended when high levels of carbon monoxide were registered in New-Olzherassk Underground mine’s long wall face # 21-1-7, which is proof of coal self-heating.
Southern Kuzbass Coal Company OAO’s experts are working on measures to eliminate self-heating. Resumption of mining will be determined once the project for eliminating self-heating has been completed. In the interim, the company is using remote sampling to provide prompt information on the gas situation in the production area, which is injected with nitrogen-based foam. The mine infrastructure, including its transport, ventilation system, dewatering, power facilities and roadheaders, is in working condition and safe.
The company noted that suspension of the mine’s long wall face # 21-1-7 will not cause a delay in coal deliveries to customers, since there is enough coal at the New-Olzherassk Underground mine warehouse to ensure uninterrupted deliveries within the company’s existing contractual obligations.
This year, New-Olzherassk mine has mined over 250,000 tonnes of coal. Coal produced at the mine is mostly used to produce PCI.
Mechel, one of Russia’s leading companies, conducts business in four segments: mining, steel, ferroalloy and power. Mechel unites producers of coal, iron ore concentrate, nickel, ferrochrome, ferrosilicon, steel, rolled products, hardware, heat and electric power, and its products are marketed domestically and internationally.
