MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. Mechel lowered steel production by 2% year on year to 3.49 mln metric tons, the Russian mining and metals company reports.

Coal production in the reporting period fell by 8% to 10.36 mln metric tons, Mechel said. Pig iron production dropped by 2% at the same time to 3.16 mln metric tons.

Coking coal concentrate sales fell by 21% to 3.12 mln metric tons in view of the production decline in the Neryungrinsky open pit, driven by the need for extra overburden removal efforts.

Steam coal sales plummeted by 28% to 2.32 mln metric tons in consequences of constraints at the railroad infrastructure of the Eastern Range and because of declined needs of one of key accounts in the domestic market, the company noted.

Iron ore concentrate sales lost 31% to 1.03 mln metric tons. Coke sales gained 3% to 2.22 mln metric tons.