Metallurgical Industrial Complex of Nizhniy Tagil (part of Evraz Group) has almost completed upgrading its fifth cokery that had to be put out of operation in July 2005. According to the company’s spokesperson, they have already managed to do refractory masonry and started reinforcement. The builders now have to assemble the anchor columns needed to preserve the solidity of the structure and complete the technological rigging. This is predicted to take about one to two months and the final upgrading of the cokery is to take place in the second half of 2006.

The improvements will allow the cokery to work in a more organized way and go automatic; some new conveyers and the dust-free coke delivery system will be introduced as well. This cokery is designed to be environmentally friendly and the quality of the coke (the major fuel source for blast furnaces) will be much better than before. All this is believed to reduce production costs in the blast furnace shop.