Bassol to up salt output 20% in 2014 - authorities
ASTRAKHAN. Dec 3 (Interfax) - OJSC Bassol in Astrakhan region, Russia's largest salt producer, plans to boost salt production 20% year-on-year in 2014 to 1.2 million tonnes, Industry Ministry spokesperson Tatiana Karimova told Interfax.
"Production will increase by 200,000 tonnes. This will be possible thanks to upgrades at the company and changes to salt production and transportation processes," she said.
The company is switching to salt production technology that will have a positive impact on the environmental situation at Lake Baskunchak, the ministry said.
"This will have a positive effect on the ecology, water balance and recoverability of the lake. This technology envisages working on layers of up to 8 meters. The processed sections will be restored in 40-60 years," Karimova said.
The fine layer technology will enable salt to be produced in such a way that the company can return to the processed sections in three years, providing the opportunity to focus production in a relatively small territory for several decades.
RusSalt Ltd., a Cyprus-based company, owns Bassol.