Russia's Raspadskaya mine that collapsed yesterday suspends coal-mining - authorities

KEMEROVO. Oct 6 (Interfax) - The Yerunakovskaya-8 mine, part of PJSC Raspadskaya , where a rock fall occurred early on Sunday morning, has suspended coal production, the Kemerovo Region Ministry of Coal Industry told Interfax.

A ministry spokesperson did not specify the duration of the suspension. "An investigation and repairs to the mine support are underway," he said.

Raspadskaya Coal Company (RUC), which manages PJSC Raspadskaya's assets, previously told Interfax that "the situation has not affected the company's operations" and declined to comment on whether coal mining and development were continuing at the mine.

The rock fall from the roof of the mine occurred at 5:30 AM local time, or 1:30 AM Moscow time, on October 5. Rescuers brought all 151 workers to the surface, and there were no injuries.

The Yerunakovskaya-8 mine is the newest underground mining facility of the Raspadskaya Coal Company, having been commissioned in 2013. The mine's balance reserves total 300 million tonnes of coal, and its design capacity is 3 million tonnes of coal per year. Yerunakovskaya-8 produces grade Zh coking coal.

PJSC Raspadskaya consolidates the enterprises of a single complex for the extraction of coking coal, including the country's largest mine, Raspadskaya; the Raspadsky open pit mine; the Raspadskaya-Koksovaya mine; as well as Mezhegeyugol; and the Alardinskaya, Osinnikovskaya, Uskovskaya, Yerunakovskaya, and Yesaulskaya mines, respectively.