Moscow, RUSSIA – July 19, 2004 – Mechel Steel Group increased output of all its main products in the first half of 2004, as compared to the same period of last year.

Product	1 H 2004, thousand tons*	1 H 2004, as compared to 1 H 2003, %
Steel	2 857.5	22.4
Rolled Products	2 574.3	27
Pig Iron	1 856.9	17.7
Coke	1 462.3	11.8
Hardware	291.3	71.3
Wire	199.9	68.1
Nails	19.4	84.5
Ropes	26.7	33.4
Calibrated Steel	24.2	39.2
Stampings	26.4	175.9
Coal	7 305.6	7.6
Coal Concentrate	6 335.9	11.9
Iron Ore Concentrate	1 895.3	-
Nickel	6.4	3.3

*All the information on the enterprises’ production presented in the press release is related only to the period of their operation within Mechel Steel Group.

Mechel Steel Group manufactures steel products at Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant and Izhstal in Russia, Industria Sarmei and COST in Romania.

Rolled products are manufactured at Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant, Izhstal, and Beloretsk Metallurgical Plant in Russia, and Industria Sarmei and COST in Romania.

Pig iron and coke are produced at Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant.

Hardware is produced at Beloretsk Metallurgical Plant, Izhstal, and Vyartsilya Metal Products Plant in Russia, Industria Sarmei and COST in Romania, and Mechel Nemunas in Lithuania.

Stampings are produced in Mechel Steel Group at Urals Stampings Plant.

Mechel Steel Group produces coal at Southern Kuzbass Coal Company.

Iron ore products and iron ore concentrate are manufactured at Korshunov Mining Plant. Sinter is produced at Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant.

Commercial nickel in Mechel Steel Group is produced at Southern Urals Nickel Plant.

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Irina Ostryakova,
Director of External Communications
Phone: 7-095-258 1828
Fax: 7-095-258-1838
irina.ostryakova@mechel.com

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Mechel is a Russian metals and mining company, uniting producers of steel, rolled products, hardware, coal, iron ore concentrate, and nickel. Mechel products are marketed domestically and internationally.