The open pit of 1-m-t annual capacity is under construction with overburden operations already under way. One of the three planned boardinghouses and a canteen have been already commissioned.
According to Boris Nikishichev (Mechel Mining, CEO), in 2010 up to 200 thousand t of coal will be produced at Elga open pit and1 m t—in 2011, balance drilled proved reserves of Elga coal reaching 2.2 bn t.