Coal production was 20 million tonnes from January to September this year, favouring production of coking coal.

Coking coal output was 12.4Mt and thermal coal production was 8.3Mt.

“Consolidation of Yakutugol OAO enabled us to significantly increase our coal output and coal concentrate production,” Mechel chief executive Vladimir Polin said.

“Due to our acquisition of Romanian producer Ductil Steel in spring 2008, we also increased steel product output and strengthened our positions in the promising eastern European market.”