Ukraine’s pig iron production fell by 2pc to 20.06mn mt in 2019 and the output of total rolled metal decreased by 1pc to 18.38mn mt while iron ore production rose by 4pc to 75.71mn mt from the prior year, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Trade.
Steel smelting in Ukraine reduced to 20.84mn mt, down by 1pc from the prior year in 2019. Steel pipe production fell by 9pc to 1mn mt in 2019, coke production dropped by 7pc on year to 10.05mn mt and metal products settled at 188,000mt.
Iron ore production increased by 4pc to 75.71mn mt, production of iron ore concentrates grew by 5pc to 63.08mn mt. Mining enterprises lowered their production of prepared iron ore by 3pc to 51.67mn mt, comprising sinter production that lowered by 2pc to 30.91mn mt and pellets that fell by 3pc to 20.76mn mt.
Ukraine’s crude steel output in 2019 fell to 20.82mn mt, down 1.31pc from the prior year. Finished steel production lowered to 18.16mn mt, down 1.13pc from a year ago, according to World Steel.
Some major steelmakers in Ukraine temporarily suspended production amid lowered global finished steel prices in the second half 2019 coupled with decreased profitability and working capital issues. Ukraine’s major steelmaker Dniprovsky (DMK) resumed operations at one blast furnaces late December, after it had idled it in September 2019 to avoid heavy losses. DMK specialises in the production of cast iron, steel, rolled metal with a full metallurgical cycle to produce 5.6mn mt of sinter, 4.35mn mt of pig iron, 3.85mn mt of steel, 3.829mn mt of rolled metal per annum.