Igor Sechin (Russia, vice PM) invited coal producers to consider plausibility of such temporary restriction due to disaster at the biggest Russian coal mine, Raspadskaya, Interfax informs quoting a source in Sechin’s office.
The receipt of Sechin’s letter is confirmed by an official from a federal body and by an officer of a steel-making company.
According to Rosinformugol’, in 2009, 51.6 m t of coal concentrate were produced in Russia, including 83 per cent (42.8 m t) delivered to domestic customers. Monthly average production of Raspadskaya yielded .505 m t, so suspension of the mine operations may cause up to 4 m t shortage of coal, Russia lacking any deep-water ports to import coal.