Russian miner & steel maker Metalloinvest recently outlined its CAPEX activities at Uzbekistan International Mining Forum. Metalloinvest's most significant investment projects are aimed at increasing sales margins, improving operational and managerial efficiency, and sustainable development.

The Company is changing the mining patterns of its open-pit mines by switching to cyclic flow technology. The construction of two phases of the crushing and conveyor facility at Andrey Varichev Mikhailovsky GOK's open pit mine will enable an operational cost reduction of 5%. Implementation of cyclic flow technology at Lebedinsky GOK’s open pit mine will reduce mining costs by 18%. Completion of the construction of the concentrate beneficiation facility at Mikhailovsky GOK and implementation of the concentrate flotation technology at Mikhailovsky GOK and Lebedinsky GOK will make the Company the third in the world to attain a similarly high concentrate quality, with 71% iron content and 1-1.5% silicon content.

The reconstruction of blast furnaces at Mikhailovsky GOK, Lebedinsky GOK and Alexey Ugarov OEMK will reduce energy costs by 3-7%.

A plan for the reconstruction of HBI-1 Plant at Lebedinsky GOK has been developed, the implementation of which will result in a 10% increase in productivity through the introduction of oxygen injection.

A new HBI plant in Zheleznogorsk and a fourth HBI unit at Lebedinsky GOK are currently under construction. Both projects have completion dates in 2024-2025. Total HBI production will increase from 4.6 to 9 million tonnes per year.

Digitalisation of key production processes is one of the key areas of modernisation at Metalloinvest enterprises. The Company implements mining information systems at Mikhailovsky GOK and Lebedinsky GOK, as a result of which the mining department located in Moscow will be able to monitor and manage mining operations jointly with the enterprises in the regions, from the distribution of short-term tasks to the medium- and long-term assignments. Previously, a mining management system was implemented, with dump trucks and excavators linked by a single automated system, allowing to direct machinery to the right area. Overall, this has resulted in an increase in open pit mine productivity of around 11%.

Metalloinvest Shares Modernisation Experience at Mining Forum

Strategic Research Institute

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