In 2024, Central Mining and Processing Plant (CMP, Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro region), a part of Metinvest Group, implemented a number of energy efficiency projects and increased the percentage of natural gas substitution with biofuels from 50% to 53%.
According to the company, the pelletizing plant ended the year and started 2025 with high productivity and operational improvements based on the results of last year’s work.
It is specified that the high rating of the plant’s performance was ensured, in particular, by the implementation of the production program. In 2024, the plant’s utilization rate remained at 100%, and the shop operated at its maximum capacity of up to 298 tons of pellets per hour. In total, the plant produced about 2.2 million tons of high-quality products last year. The mill ships its pellets to domestic customers and to the European market.
During the year, the pelletizing plant implemented a number of investment projects to ensure stable production. In March and November, the OK-324 roasting machine complex was overhauled twice.
The specialists restored the refractory masonry of the kiln and repaired six nozzles. A smoke exhauster shaft rotator was installed, which significantly reduced its operating time during scheduled maintenance at the plant. The installation of the mechanism reduced energy consumption and increased the reliability of the equipment. To reduce the environmental impact and improve energy efficiency, two drip traps on two smoke exhausters were partially replaced and the flues on the other two smoke exhausters were repaired. All this ensures the reliability of the entire equipment complex.
The key areas of the plant’s operation that the team focuses on are specific costs, such as gas and electricity, as well as such expenditure items as biofuel, bentonite, etc. As a result of systematic work, the plant implemented a number of operational measures last year. For example, the installation of a shaft rotation mechanism for the D-3 smoke exhauster and the automation of closing the D-6 smoke exhauster guides contributed to energy savings.
Andrey Zhilkinsky, head of the pelletizing plant at Central GOK, noted that timely repairs, along with equipment modernization and automation of certain processes, allow the company to maintain a stable production rhythm, meeting all the requirements for the quality of iron ore and the volume of customer orders.
“On the other hand, time requires us to look even more closely at all processes and focus on developing measures that would save our key cost items, contributing to the sustainability of the plant. Therefore, the plant’s team continues to develop and implement innovative solutions and rational ideas to optimize the use of resources in the production process and improve production efficiency,” summarized the plant’s head.
Central GOK is one of the five largest producers of mining raw materials in Ukraine. It specializes in the extraction and production of iron ore concentrate and pellets.
CGOK is a part of Metinvest Group, whose major shareholders are System Capital Management (SCM, Donetsk) (71.24%) and Smart Holding Group (23.76%). Metinvest Group’s management company is Metinvest Holding LLC.
