Iron ore mines run by Ukraine’s Metinvest raised output in January-September 2019. An industry source told Interfax that Northern Mining (Pivnichny GOK) produced 6.542 million tonnes of merchant iron ore pellets in the 9M, up 1% year-on-year, including 422,000 tonnes in September; and 9.147 million tonnes of iron or concentrate, up 13.4%, including 923,000 tonnes in September.
Central Mining (Central GOK) raised merchant pellet output 0.1% in 9M 2019 to 1.779 million tonnes and concentrate 1.8% to 3.259 million tonnes, including respectively 209,000 tonnes and 390,000 tonnes in September.
Inhulets Mining (INGOK) reduced concentrate output 0.9% in 9M to 8.351 million tonnes, including 918,000 tonnes in September.
The vertically integrated Metinvest’s main shareholders are System Capital Management (SCM, 71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%).
Ukrainian businessman Ihor Kolomoisky has proposed to increase the iron ore production royalty from 8.8% to 75%. “… If you export raw materials [from the country], then give back at least 75% from $80 per tonne – this is $60, and keep $20,” Kolomoisky said in an interview with the Censor.net ezine.
According to the businessman, these current royalty rates stimulate the export of raw materials.
“However, there is a second option – don’t sell ore right away!.. Produce steel – you have capacities, and instead of loading enterprises you reduce capacities, because now it is easier for you to sell ore, and not engage in production,” Kolomoisky said.
In addition, he stated the need for nationalization of the largest enterprises and the development of mineral resources.
“For the salvation of Ukraine, the universal nationalization of large state-forming enterprises plus the nationalization of the deposit development, that is, in several sectors, we need state capitalism,” the businessman said.
Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises are expected to increase steel production by 4% by the end of the year compared to 2018, up to 21.895 million tonnes.
According to background documents of Economic Development and Trade Ministry available for Interfax-Ukraine, a total rolled steel output will see 3% rise by the end of 2019, up to 18.937 million tonnes, when pig iron will see 0.4% down, to 20.748 million tonnes.
Such forecast was made following the performance indicator of January-July 2019, the ministry said.
The agency’s source in the ministry also said that under ongoing trends scrap metals supplies to the enterprises would decrease by 3%, to 3.238 million tonnes.
Besides, pipe output in 2019 may grow by 19%, to 1.144 million tonnes, coke output will drop by 5%, to 10.305 million tonnes, metalware output will drop by 1%, to 186,000 tonnes.
Meanwhile, the metal and mining enterprise can increase iron ore extraction by 4%, to 76.095 million tonnes, iron ore concentrate output by 5%, to 63.568 million tonnes, ready iron ore raw materials may increase by 1%, to 53.696 million tonnes. Sinter cake output will remain on the level of previous year with 31.706 million tonnes, steel pellets output will increase by 3% reaching 21.989 million tonnes.
Ukraine’s ore mining enterprises increased exports of iron ore and raw materials (IORM) in physical terms by 8.5% in January-July 2019 year-on-year, to 23.311 million tonnes. Export of IORM for the mentioned period in monetary terms grew by 28.9%, up to $2.92 billion, according to a customs statistics report posted by State Fiscal Service of Ukraine.
The bulk of iron ore was exported to China (27.07% of total imports in monetary terms), Poland (13.69%), and Czech Republic (10.52%).
In January-July 2019, Ukraine imported 108 tonnes of IORM worth $56,000 from the Netherlands(51.79% in monetary terms), Great Britain (39.29%) and Czech Republic (3.57%).
Ukraine’s ore mining enterprises increased imports of iron ore and raw materials (IORM) in physical terms by 33.6% in January-July 2019 year-on-year, to 775,935 tonnes.
Import of IORM for the mentioned period in monetary terms grew by 26.4%, up to $143.995 million, according to a State Fiscal Service of Ukraine customs statistics report.
The bulk of iron ore was imported from Ghana (74.74% of total imports in monetary terms), Russia (20.74%), and Georgia (3.95%).
In January-July 2018, Ukraine exported 18,983 tonnes of IORM worth $1.693 million to Czech Republic (30.38%), Hungary (28.43%) and Slovak Republic (23.29%), while through seven months of 2018 the country exported 29,491 tonnes for $2.144 million.
Canada’s Black Iron with assets in Ukraine has received a formal proposal from Ukraine’s government to lease to the company a plot of land connected to the Shymanivske iron ore project, the company has said in a press release. “The company has received a formal proposal from Ukraine’s government to lease to the company a plot of land connected to the company’s Shymanivske iron ore body for the location of the project’s processing plant, tailings and waste rock,” the company said.
The company said that this marks a significant milestone in the project’s development and further demonstrates Ukraine governmental support for the mine to be constructed.
The parcel of land being proposed is owned by Ukraine’s central government and is currently being used by the Ministry of Defense (MOD) for training purposes.
“Black Iron management is currently analyzing the suitability of this land from a social and technical standpoint. To secure rights to this land, Black Iron needs to agree on a compensation package with the MOD and Ukraine’s central government that is sensible for all parties. Discussions of this nature have already started with senior government officials including Deputy Prime Minister Kubiv with support from Canada’s Embassy to Ukraine,” the company said.
As reported, the Shymanivske project contains a NI 43-101 compliant resource estimated to be 646 Mt Measured and Indicated mineral resources, consisting of 355 Mt Measured mineral resources grading 31.6% total iron and 18.8% magnetic iron, and Indicated mineral resources of 290 Mt grading 31.1% total iron and 17.9% magnetic iron, using a cut-off grade of 10% magnetic iron. Additionally, the Shymanivske project contains 188 Mt of Inferred mineral resources grading 30.1% total iron and 18.4% magnetic iron.
CANADIAN BLACK IRON, IRON ORE, LAND PARCEL, PROCESSING PLANT
