SSPU to increase ore output to 40 m. tonnes in 2005

/REUTERS, Almaty, Tatyana Seroshtanova, January 13, 05/ - Sokolovsko- Sarbayskoye production unit (SSPU), major supplier of iron ore raw stuff for Magnitogorsk steel combine in Russia, intends to increase raw ore output in 2005 up to 40.000 m. tonnes from 35.832 m. in 2004. "Demand for iron ore raw stuff in the world causes growth of its production volumes. Within 12 months of 2004 miners extracted 35.832 m. tonnes of iron ore that is 107.9% relative to similar period of 2003", - SSPU's message says. In 2004 industrial complex manufactured 35.818 m. tonnes of raw ore that was more by 7.8% than in similar period of last year. As a whole commercial iron ore output grew in 2004 by 5.8% in comparison with the last year to 14.8 m. tonnes, including commercial concentrate - 5.3 m. tonnes, iron ore fluxed pellets - 9.5 m. tonnes. Ore shipment in 2004 grew by 5.4% by 2003, the message says. The venture extracts and manufactures magnetite ores, commercial dolomite, fluxed limestone, speckled clay, keramzite clay and building stone. The extracted ore is manufactured at the venture's factories with receipt of commercial iron ore goods: concentrates and pellets. SSPU's goods was delivered to Magnitogorsk steel combine, Chelyabinsk metallurgical plant (which is among the Steel group Mechel) and to China. Total volume of exported goods totaled 14.734 m. tonnes of commercial ore. According to Kazakhstan stock exchange's data as of January 1 of 2004, The Committee of State property and privatization owned 39.5 % of company's shares, Central-Asian Trust Company LLP owned 58.89% of shares. [2005-01-13]