Russian zinc companies to double output by 2010
Russia's zinc industry plans to double its zinc metal production over the next 3 to 5 years, having produced 236,000 metric tons in 2006, the commercial director of Russia's Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant (CHZN.RS) said Wednesday.
In addition, the industry hopes to double or treble its zinc concentrate production in the next 3 to 5 years from a 2006 production figure of 162,000 tons, Berislav Galovich told the Metal Bulletin zinc conference in Madrid.
Russian domestic zinc consumption is meanwhile expected to rise to 300,000 tons during the next 3 to 5 years, up from 174,000 tons consumed in 2006, he added.
Demand has increased mainly due to the expansion of continuous galvanizing capacity, Galovich noted.
Chelyabinsk recently commissioned a new furnace which will enable its smelter to boost annual zinc output by 18,500 tons from the 148,384 tons produced in 2006. The smelter intends to increase its annual zinc output to 200,000 tons by 2010.
