Ukraine's UMCC Titanium resumes operations at Irshansk plant

MOSCOW. April 2 (Interfax) - Ukraine's UMCC Titanium has resumed production of processed titanium raw material at its Irshansk Mining and Processing Plant (IMPP).

"IMPP's processing plant No. 3 has resumed operations. Commissioning work and preparation of process equipment were carried out yesterday," the company said in a press release on Tuesday.

The plant is expected to produce 15,000-20,000 tonnes of finished concentrate to fulfill current and potential contracts with U.S. and European customers, the company said. All of the plant's personnel have been called in to work.

Concurrently, management is working out a plan to launch mining operations at the company's open-pit mines and they are expected to resume in the coming months.

UMCC first deputy CEO Yegor Perelygin said earlier that the company has begun selling concentrate in Italy, Spain and Germany, and that it is systematically expanding its export markets. The company shipped more than 102,000 tonnes of ilmenite concentrate last year.

UMCC, which manages the Volnogorsk Mining and Metallurgical Plant and IMPP, previously sold its products to more than 30 countries.