Mechel Bluestone began washing coal at its newest prep plant for the Keystone operations near Keystone, W.Va. The K2 plant, worth $12 million, can process annually up to 3 million tons of run-of-mine coal. Annual production volume at the first stage is expected to exceed 1 million tons. The plant can efficiently recover high-quality low-volatile coking coal from high reject material common to thin-seam mining operations. The launch will allow Mechel Bluestone to double its production of low-volatile coking coal.
“The plant was built to meet all modern requirements; its every production process is highly computerized, including computer-aided coal quality control. The Keystone low-volatile metallurgical coal is of a very high quality and is in great demand throughout the world. Our plans to step up coal production required us to boost processing volumes as well,” said Boris Nikishichev, CEO, Mechel Mining Management Co.
