OREANDA-NEWS. June 5, 2008. Today, the Novobachatsky open-pit mine has been officially commissioned. The site will allow for the industrial development of two subsoil plots—Novobachatsky and Novobachatsky-3.

The total reserves of both plots amount to 15 mln tons of coal of grades “K", "KS", and "KO"; the production capacity will be 500,000 tons per year. The coal from the mine will go to the Belovskaya central coal preparation plant for processing and production of metallurgical coal concentrate.

The Novobachatsky open-pit mine, which is the first open mining enterprise incorporated in Belon Group, will start developing the Krasnobrodskoye field located in the Kemerovo region. The license to develop the Novobachatsky subsoil plot was obtained by Belon Group in 2004, and in early 2007 the Company received the license to develop the Novobachatsky-3 subsoil plot. During this time, Belon performed the geologic exploration, created the needed industrial and engineering infrastructure, and ensured compliance with environmental requirements. The open-pit mine is fitted with the cutting-edge high-capacity equipment produced by Hitachi and Caterpillar. The total investment in the construction of the Novobachatsky open-pit mine and in the precommissioning of the two subsoil plots amounted to RUB 1,238 mln.

The opening ceremony was attended by V. P. Mazikin, the First Deputy Governor of the Kemerovo region, V. A. Kovalyev, the Deputy Governor for Natural Resources and Ecology, Ye. A. Panov, the Chief of the town of Belovo, and G. V. Dashkov, the Head of the Belovo region. The guests were welcomed by President of Belon Group A. P. Dobrov, and Director of the open-pit mine A. P. Kononov.

The honorary right of cutting a red ribbon and giving a command to start coal production was given to Valentin Mazikin, who also noted the importance of the new enterprise for the whole mining sector of Kuzbass. Mr. Mazikin pointed out that labour productivity at the mine will be three times higher than the average Kuzbass open mining index, and will reach the monthly rate of 677 tons per worker.

Andrey Dobrov noted that the mine's development will not be limited to the commissioning of the two subsoil plots. “We are planning to launch the Novobachatsky-2 open pit in August, with the prospects to start the development of Prisalairskaya Polosa under the license which has been obtained by the Company this year,” said the President of the Group.

By the end of the year, the total coal production at the three subsoil plots, including the Novobachatsky-2 open-pit mine, is estimated to amount to 850,000 tons.