Ukraine ups iron ore exports 16.5% in 2 mths

Ukraine ups iron ore exports 16.5% in 2 mths

Ukraine raised iron ore exports tentatively 16.5% year-on-year in January-February to 3.611 million tonnes, a source at Ukrrudprom, the association of Ukrainian mining enterprises, told Interfax.

Iron ore concentrate exports nearly doubled to 929,900 tonnes, pellet exports fell, by 4.2% to 1.419 million tonnes, and sinter ore exports rose, by 9.9% to 1.262 million tonnes.

February iron ore exports came to 1.788 million tonnes overall, including 490,700 tonnes of concentrate, 643,100 tonnes of sinter and 654,400 tonnes of pellets.

The Poltavsky GOK mining company was the largest exporter of pellets.

Iron ore exports rose 4.7% to 20.821 million tonnes in 2007.

Ukrainian steelmakers increased iron ore imports 58.2% year-on-year in January-February to 790,200 tonnes, including 421,000 tonnes in February.

Concentrate imports rose 13.7% to 348,600 tonnes, sinter – 43.9% to 218,000 tonnes and pellets – 440% to 223,700 tonnes in the two months, including 180,300 tonnes, 125,300 tonnes and 115,500 tonnes in February.

The Ilich, Alchevsk, Enakiyeve and Dzerzhinsky steel mills imported iron ore in the two months.

Ukrainian iron ore imports grew 76.2% to 3.55 million tonnes in 2007. Ukrainian scrap metal exports grew 1.6% year-on-year in the two months to 80,900 tonnes, UAVtormet, the Ukrainian scrap metals association, told Interfax.

Scrap yards collected 1.017 million tonnes of scrap in the two months, including 573,300 tonnes in February. Ukrainian steel mills received 936,200 tonnes of scrap in January-February.

Scrap metal exports fell 7.8% in 2007 to 688,300 tonnes.

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