“The acquisition of Yakutugol by Mechel, cost structure optimisation, and modification of the mining operation’s plan to increase coking coal production resulted in the growth of coking coal concentrate output and significantly changed this segment’s sales structure and economics," Mechel CEO Vladimir Polin said.

The company produced 14 million tonnes of coal in the first half of 2008, comprising 8.4Mt of coking coal and 5.6Mt of thermal coal.