The deal confirms a long-term partnership agreement signed in November last year.

The mining dump trucks are acquired on behalf of Yakutugol Holding Company OAO and Korshunov Mining Plant OAO on lease contracts signed with Sberbank Leasing ZAO.

Mechel said the new trucks had higher cargo turnover and efficiency than their predecessors as a result of structural improvements.

In a statement to the market released yesterday, Mechel said the trucks would be delivered to various plants before the end of 2012’s second quarter.

Yakutugol will receive eleven trucks of 220-tonne, 130t and 55t capacity for transporting overburden and coal, which will be used at Nerungrinsk open pit and Elga coal complex.

The Korshunov mining plant will operate four 130t trucks, which will be used to transport soil and iron ore at the Korshunovsk mine.

Mechel chief executive officer Igor Zyuzin said the trucks played an instrumental role in the company’s operations.

“BelAZ trucks are widely used at our mining plants and have proven themselves well,” Zyuzin said.

“As such, the 10-year agreement with Belarus Autoworks, which guarantees us supplies of these trucks in the amount we need, is highly important for us, especially considering the growing production volumes at the Elga deposit.”

Mechel’s business is segmented into mining, steel, ferroalloy and power and it produces coal, iron ore concentrate, nickel, steel, ferrochrome, ferrosilicon, rolled products, hardware, heat and electric power.

Mechel has a sizeable presence in the US as well, owning more than a dozen active surface and underground coal operations through several subsidiaries including Double Bonus and Dynamic Energy.