Yakutian "Black Diamonds" Are About to Hit Asian Markets: Premium Quality Coal for Steel Manufacture
Mining of a unique premium-grade coal is being developed in the south of Yakutia. In contrast with traditional steam coal, premium grade is used to produce high-quality steel. The company hasn't reached full capacity yet, but several long-term contracts have already been signed.
Dmitry Kaystro has seen the underground treasure.
Here it is — "black diamond" — coking coal of Yakutia. Depth is low. The oxygen content and the absence of solar radiation make it truly unique. Therefore coking coal of Yakutia is so highly appreciated all over the world.
At the Denisovskiy mining and processing plant — one of the two belonging to the Kolmar coal mining company — commissioning works are almost completed. The plant intends to produce annually 20 million tons of coal by 2021.
Sergey Tsivilev, SEO, Colmar: "The result of our work is on this conveyor. It is an export quality concentrate. Thanks to it, consumers in the Asia-Pacific market felt our coal, and it became interesting for them. Thanks to this, we signed a long contract".
Coal began to be mined in southern Yakutia in the 1930s, during the first youth construction projects. And in 1975 the city of Neryungri was built. 2 mining and processing plants, mines, social facilities in the modern history of the region were built in just 3 years. In December 2017 Prime Minister Medvedev gave start to the construction of Inaglinskaya concentrating factory with a capacity of 12 million tonnes of washed coal per year.
Artem Levin, Deputy CEO, Kolmar: "The factory will allow to produce good coal, concentrate, for any market — both for Russian and for export".
The closest goal of Kolmar company is the conquest of Southeast Asian markets. Largely because of this strategy, the territory of advanced development Southern Yakutia was formed in the Neryungrinsky district in December 2016. The main goal is the extraction and processing of coal to supply it to the Russian market and to the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. Сoal will be transported by rail to the Vanino port which is being constructed in the Khabarovsk region. Coal will be transported from there by sea to the markets of the Asia-Pacific region. Chinese partners actively participate in Kolmar's projects.
Hu Kan E, Beijing CATIC Industry Ltd: "We want to share our experience with our Russian colleagues. We will build a modern factory here. It will become a symbol of cooperation".
Kolmar not only builds modern factories, but also does everything in order to create the most comfortable conditions for people who work there. New districts, hospitals and sports facilities are being built in Neryungri.
Sergey Tsivilev, CEO, Kolmar: "Modern workplaces are being created. When there are good social conditions for life, the youth remains. And this is our main task, to make this city again a city of young people".
Planning horizon of the company is designed for half a century. The coal mining holding plans to create more than 4,000 new jobs in the coming years.
Dmitry Kaystro, Andrey Baraukhin, Victor Vinogradov for Vesti from Yakutia.