Russia's Kuzbass cuts coal output 3.2%, ups exports 2.3% in 11M

KEMEROVO. Dec 18 (Interfax) - Russia's Kemerovo region, home to the coal-rich Kuznetsk coal basin or Kuzbass, produced 174.5 million tonnes of coal in January-November 2025, down 3.2% year-on-year, the region's Coal Industry Ministry said on Telegram.

The ministry said 94.1 million tonnes was exported, up 2.3% year-on-year, of which 49.3 million tonnes to the east, up 0.04%, 30.2 million tonnes northwest, down 3.2%, and 13.2 million tonnes to the south, a 29.4% increase.

Overall coal shipments by rail fell 2.2% to 154.6 million tonnes.

Coal processing at Kuzbass coal industry facilities including washing plants, seasonal washing plants and crushing and screening plants, fell 7.7% during the reporting period to 132.4 million tonnes, and 68.2% of the mined coal was processed.

The ministry also said 87,900 workers were directly involved in coal mining and processing, 3,600 fewer than a year previously - reports have said there were 88,600 for January-September. "This figure does not include personnel at ancillaries," the ministry said. It has been reported that 94,000 people were employed in coal mining in the region in January-August.