Mechel Announces Launch of Construction of Grinding-Mixing Complex for Portland Blast-Furnace Slag Cement Production

The Russia-based firm Mechel OAO has announced the start of construction of a portland blast furnace slag cement production with 1.6 million metric ton capacity by its Mechel Materials OOO subsidiary. The construction is held on the premises of Chelyabinsk, Russia metallurgical plant.

The main raw material will be blast furnace slag produced by Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant OAO, which will result in non-waste production of pig iron at the facility. This complex will be the first Russian facility producing portland blast-furnace slag cement of a certain grade.

Portland blast-furnace slag cement is widely used for production of reinforced concrete goods and constructions that require curing as well as production of constructions used in humid conditions or hot workshops, and building of ground and underground constructions which are exposed to hostile conditions. This material is widely used in construction industry and proved its efficiency while building hydroelectric power plants and workshops of steel and heavy industries.
The commissioning of a grinding-mixing complex is planned for the second quarter of 2012.

"The commissioning of the complex for Portland blast-furnace slag cement production will allow us to arrange cost-effective production based on slag, produced by Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant, which is a by-product in pig iron production, says Oleg Matyushenko, CEO of Mechel Materials. Employing this method will help both utilization and rational use of waste products from blast-furnace workshop at Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant, which will allow for additional synergy."