On June 26 Pobuzhye Ferronickel Plant ceased using the anthracite coal in its manufacture.

According to the company CEO Oleg Bespalov, PFK consumes some 20-22 thousand tons of power-generating coal per month. At the same time it needs only 1.5 thousand tons of anthracite per month.

“Anthracite is our main problem. We’re pondering various suppliers from Kazakhstan and SAR. But in South Africa prices are high, around $115 per ton. While the Kazakh coal is $95-97, let it be $100 per ton at the Nickel-Pobuzhskaya station. And these $15 give us the increase of $17 while processing”, he said.

It is logistically more advantageous to buy coal from Kazakhstan, but the problem is of transit through Russia, as not all private operators are allowed into Ukraine.

“Foreseeing the shortage of power-generating coal, in April we made a 2-months reserves, some 30 thousand tons, but we consume 20-22 thousand tons”, Bespalov said.

PFK does not see any sense in importing coal from Colombia because of its high price, and from US because of its low quality. (Ukrainian metal)

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