AMKR increases ore output ahead of production restart

ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih (AMKR) will increase production of iron ore concentrate to 500,000 tonnes in April in preparation for resuming steelmaking, the company tells Kallanish.

“We are talking about plans for a gradual increase in iron ore concentrate, which is directly related to the company’s plans to systematically restore the production of AMKR,” the enterprise claims.

AMKR Mining and Processing Plant No2 has continued running throughout the Russian invasion of Ukraine, although it reduced production due to disruptions in logistics routes and the shutdown of blast furnaces, mining department deputy director general for production Volodymyr Tesliuk indicated on social media.

“We have reoriented production and, while previously concentrate was shipped to Europe in the amount of about 200,000 tonnes/month, in March we already shipped 320,000t, up 40% from before the war,” he noted. “Blast furnaces No.6 and No.8 will be launched in April. We also want to increase shipments of iron ore concentrate to Poland.”

The Kryvyi Rih-based enterprise is in a more favourable condition than most large exporters because, even before the war, it did not ship concentrate through seaports, but by rail in the direction of Poland, Tesliuk added. “Plans to further increase concentrate supplies to Europe at AMKR are due to the fact that ArcelorMittal plants are located in the EU,” he observed.

AMKR hopes that if hostilities end in May, it will be able to reach 80-90% of pre-war production.

Earlier, the plant announced it is preparing to resume production this month after a forced shutdown in March due to the Russian invasion (see Kallanish passim). AMKR said it will resume its operations step by step, prioritising the safety of its employees who are still working under the constant threat of air raids.

Because the ports of Odesa and Mykolaiv are still blocked, the company must switch to transportation by rail and establish new supply chains for coal and other critical materials, AMKR says.

Svetoslav Abrossimov Bulgaria