Severstal announced a new coal face, with estimated resources of more than 1.16 million tons of coking coal, has been commissioned at OAO Vorkutaugol’s Komsomolskaya mine in Russia. Investment in the project will total approximately 715 million rubles, and leading-edge equipment has already been installed at the breakage face. OAO Vorkutaugol is part of the Resources division of OAO Severstal, one of the world’s leading steel and steel-related mining companies.

Yuri Konov, Director of the Komsomolskaya Mine, commented, "Our business’ development relies on developing and preparing new faces. We are confident that putting a new coal face on stream on time will enable the mine to successfully meet this year’s objectives."

The new coal face is estimated to have 1.16 million tons of coking coal of grade Zh (2Zh). When capacity is reached, its monthly raise will total up to 75 thousand tons. Mining operations at the new coal face are to be completed by August 2013. This is the penultimate coal face on the mine’s Northern Block, whereafter, upon developing this coal face and the final face, 912-s, mining operations will move to the Southern Block, where development started earlier this year. The Southern Block’s reserves total approximately 8.8 million tons of coking coal of grade Zh (2Zh).

An innovative approach to preparing the new face enabled equipment to be re-installed and mining to safely commence within the shortest possible time period. New technology using a combination of a cutting-and-loading machine and a self-propelling mine car helped make preparation more efficient.