Metal Expert reported that Alchevsk Steel Works continues cutting the output of pig iron. Thus, in September, the production of this material decreased 31% from the month before, to 247,000 tonnes. The target figure for October has been 190,000 tonnes but a source in the plant’s office said that it can be decreased further, to 120,000 tonnes. At this moment, the plant is producing some 2,800 tonnes to 3,000 tonnes of the material daily.
As per report, for cutting the pig iron output, the plant alternatively stops all the blast furnace units. While working at full capacity, the blast furnace shop at Alchevsk is able to produce 4.72 million tonnes of pig iron a year or 390,000 tonnes per month. The sinter output in October will depend on the actual figure of pig iron production. In September, production of sinter was cut 12% from the month before, to 322,000t.
Due to the decrease in production of pig iron and sinter, the plant is also planning to cut the purchase of iron ore materials this month. The ultimate figure of purchases has not been determined at the moment, and is subject to permanent corrections. This month, as well as in September, the materials will be sourced exclusively from domestic market. The shipments of pellets from Russia’s Mikhailovsky GOK were suspended as early as in August, while in July the plant had bought some 10,000 tonnes of this material from MGOK. Also in August, Alchevsk stopped buying HBI from Lebedinsky GOK.
In September, the shipments of iron ore concentrate from Ukrainian supplier Metinvest Holding decreased 20% from the month before to 222,000 tonnes, pellet shipments 58%, to 80,000 tonnes; the shipments of pellets from Poltavsky GOK were cut 30%, to 57,000 tonnes. However, the purchases of sintering ore in September decreased insignificantly by 3%, to 40,000 tonnes. At the same time, the outside purchases of sinter were stopped altogether. Also, the plant is gradually cutting the purchases of steel scrap. The material is being bought only for immediate melting; the stocks are not being replenished. In September scrap supplies were cut 40%, to 52,000 tonnes. The size of the stock was 25,000 tonnes.
