Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant Reports 0.6% Production Increase for the 12 Months of 2008

Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant announces its production results for  2008. CZP produced 166,064 tn of SHG zinc and zinc based alloys, an increase of 0.6% as compared to the same period of 2007 (165,007 tn). 51.5% of zinc sales (by tonnage) were made on the domestic market.

CZP’s subsidiary, Nova Zinc LLC, operator of Akzhal zinc and lead mine in Kazakhstan, processed 1330,5 thousand tn of ore in January – December of 2008, 3.8% more than for the same period of 2007 (1281,8 thousand tn). Average zinc content in the ore for the twelve months of 2008 was 2.67% with average lead content of 0.54%, compared to 2.54% and 0.46% respectively a year ago. Production of zinc in zinc concentrate for the twelve months of 2008 increased 7.8% to 32,348 tn over the prior year result of the same period of 30,002 tn. Lead in lead concentrate production increased by 20% to 5,747 tn (vs. 4,785 tn in January – December of 2007).

CZP’s subsidiary, The Brock Metal Company Limited (the leading UK supplier of zinc and aluminum die-casting alloys) sold 25,470 tn of products January through December 2008, 14.6% less than for the same period of 2007 (29,823 tn).