Severstal' : Vorkutaugol receives certificatio for a ew fiished product

May 23, 2018

JSC Vorkutaugol, one of the largest coal mining companies in Russia and a subsidiary of PJSC Severstal, received quality certification for a new grade of coal concentrate -1Zh. The Company also confirmed the quality of three of its other finished products - coal concentrate grades K, 2Zh and GZhO.

The evaluation was carried out by experts from the Eastern Research Coal Chemistry Institute in Ekaterinburg. They studied the technological chain of Vorkutaugol's Pechorskaya Central Enrichment Plant (CEP) in detail and examined samples in the laboratory. As a result, the new concentrate has now been certified for supply to consumers.

Eduard Kabanov, Head of Production at Pechorskaya CEP, said:

'We [first experimented with] enriching the 1Zh grade in 2017, when the south-west deposit block of Vorgashorskaya mine was opened. In this time we have gained the experience to produce the high-quality finished product we have today'.

1Zh grade refers to fat coals and is used in metallurgy. 1Zh grade coal has the third-highest calorific value, after grades K and 2Zh, out of the four concentrates produced by Vorkutaugol.

Natalia Zvyagina, Vorkutaugol's chemical analysis and control expert, said:

'Compared with GZhO grade coal, which Vorgashorskaya mine has been producing since it was launched, the 1Zh grade has a smaller percentage of volatile matter, increased carbon content, higher rates of caking index, plasticity and coking ability'.

The tests to determine the technological value of the new grade were carried out at Cherepovets Steel Mill. Coking at the laboratory showed that the 1Zh-graded concentrate can improve the strength of coke by up to 15 percent. In addition, using grade 1Zh Vorgashor coal in the fusion mixture instead of grade GZhO reduces the coke's sulfur content.