Ukraine's MGOK reduces manganese ore output 5% in Sept amid labor shortage

MOSCOW. Oct 12 (Interfax) - Marganetsky GOK (MGOK), Ukraine's largest manganese ore miner and processor, mined 29,500 tonnes of ore in September, which was down 4.85% from 31,003 tonnes in August.

However, MGOK exceeded its mining target by 3,173 tonnes in September, Ukrainian media reported, citing the company.

"Mineshafts showed a good result, despite the fact that each one suffered from a shortage of workers," the company said.

Shaft No. 3/5 exceeded its target by 38%, producing 4,140 tonnes. In the last week of September the mining crew worked on relocating face equipment and "in October work began on mothballing the shaft to preserve mining equipment," the company said.

Shaft No. 9/10 produced 9,423.1 tonnes of ore, more than the targeted 8,500 tonnes, although all month the crew had to deal with frequent equipment breakdowns, move equipment and retimber mine workings, the company said.

Shaft No. 14/15 had the highest target, 14,900 tonnes, but produced 16,010 tonnes, MGOK said.

A rotary complex was being repaired all of September, so the target for conveyor overburden removal at the Grushevsky open-pit mine was not met, the company said.

MGOK reduced manganese concentrate production by 41.2% to 324,000 tonnes in 2022. MGOK, which mines the eastern section of the Nikopolskoye manganese deposit (Grushevsko-Basansky sector), has four shafts, including one under construction, the Grushevsky open-pit mine and a processing plant.