OREANDA-NEWS. Vorkutaugol, part of OAO Severstal, one of the world’s leading steel and steel-related mining companies, announces that it will commission 11 new coal faces across all five of its mines during 2014. Nine of these new coal faces will commence production during the first half of the year.

The Severnaya mine is currently installing equipment ahead of the scheduled commissioning of a new face at the Chetvertiy seam in May. The mine is also finishing coal extraction at the face of the Moshniy seam and will commission a new coal face at that seam in June.

The Vorkutinskaya mine commissioned a new face at the Chetvertiy seam in January. Whilst difficult geological conditions initially delayed production, owing to the hard work and skill of the mine’s employees it is now due to extract 30−35 thousand tonnes in April and May.

The Vorkutinskaya mine is also preparing to commission a giant face at its Troynoy seam: its length is c.317 meters and it has a seam thickness of 2.8 meters. Even though geological difficulties initially hampered the equipment installation phase, employees have overcome the issues and the mine’s leading-edge equipment is now being installed. The first coal extraction at the face is planned for the end of April.

Alexander Vovk, Production Director of Vorkutaugol, commented: “We expect that production at Vorkutinskaya mine will continue at a good pace during May, which is positive news for the performance of the company as a whole.”

Despite a slight delay due to geological issues, a new face at Chetvertiy seam has recently been commissioned at the Zapolyarnaya mine. Production at another face – at the Troynoy seam — is planned to begin in May.

The Komsomolskaya mine is completing the production phase at the face of its Chetvertiy seam and is beginning to re-install equipment at its next breakage face. The new longwall will commence production by August. The commissioning of another face at the Troynoy seam is planned for September.

The Vorgashorskaya mine has recently commenced production of a new face at the Moshniy seam. Production at the 243−c face will end and shift to the next face (at the same seam) in April.

Alexander Vovk continued: “Whilst geological challenges, especially at the Zapolyarnaya, Vorgashorskaya and Vorkutinskaya mines, have significantly affected Vorkutaugol’s production in the first quarter of 2014 we are confident that in May and June the situation will stabilize and the company will progress according to plan.”

Owing to the commissioning of these new faces, Vorkutaugol is expected to produce more than 13 million tonnes of coal in 2014 (compared to 12,2 million tonnes in 2013).