In February JSC Apatit fulfilled the production program – 2 334 000 tons (February 2003 – 2.155 million) of apatite-nepheline ore were produced, which is 7 200 tons over the scheduled target. The apatite concentrate production reached 723 700 tons (in February 2003 – 666 100 tons) while the target figure was 720 000 tons.
The apatite concentrate shipments amounted to 719 400 tons while the target figure was 719 200 tons. Nepheline concentrate production amounted to 89 200 tons (February 2003 - 83 800), 88 380 tons were shipped to customers while the target figure was 88 300 tons.
The railway unit also exceeded the target figure of ore transportation to the factories.
Ore chute # 6 repair is still underway in the Central mine. The works are expected to be completed by the end of March.
This March the company will produce 748 000 tons and ship 753 000 tons of apatite concentrate. The nepheline concentrate production and shipment target is 83 400 tons.
According to the schedule in 2004 JSC Apatit will ship 8 750 000 tons of apatite concentrate. The nepheline concentrate production and sales target figure is 1 049 000 tons. The Apatit miners will have to extract 28.5 million tons of apatite-nepheline ore.
This year plan is complied based on the company development feasibility study for the next 20 years (of which rcc.ru has already reported). The feasibility study emphasized that the steady apatite concentrate production level of 8.5 million t/y would permit the company not to deplete the phosphorus ore natural reserves before new pits and underground levels are put on stream. The increased extraction level planned for 2004 was caused by growing demand from the domestic agricultural chemical producers for apatite concentrate.
In order to satisfy the growing requirements of the Russian chemical sector Fosagro company, which also includes JSC Apatit, made a decision to cut the export concentrate shipments by 0.5 million tons and increase its production up to 8.74 million tons. This decision is in line with the Fosagro corporate strategy, which is aimed at satisfying the domestic market demand.
