SSPU increased output by 15% in January of 2005

/REUTERS, Almaty, Tatyana Seroshtanova, February 11, 05/ - Sokolovsko- Sarbayskoye production unit (SSPU), major supplier of raw stuff for Magnitogorsk and Chelyabinsk steel plants in Russia, in January increased raw iron ore output by 15.3% in comparison with January of 2004 to 3.2 m. tonnes, company has informed. "In January the plant refined 3.196 m. tonnes of raw ore that was more by 15.2% than by the same period of last year", - the press-release says. Since the beginning of the year company produced 1.357 m. tonnes of commercial iron ore production, including 0.451 m. of commercial concentrate, iron ore fluxed pellets - 0.837 m. tonnes. This is more by 16.4% than in similar period of 2004, the press-release says. In January company increased ready goods shipment to consumers. "January's indicator totaled 959,000 tonnes that is 100.9% in cmoaprison with similar period of last year", - the message says. SSPU intends to increase commercial ore output up to 16.5 m. tonnes in 2005 from 14.8 m. in 2004. Main consumers of SSPU's production are Magnitka and Chelyabinsk metallurgical plant (which is among the Steel group Mechel), Kazakhstan Mittal Steel Temirtau JSC and China. SSPU also deals with extraction and manufacturing of magnetite ores, commercial dolomite, fluxed limestone, speckled clay, haydite clay and building stone. [2005-02-11]