Raspadskaya suspends mining after fire at Russia’s largest coking coal mine

• Shutdown raises concerns over Russian coking coal supply
• Raspadskaya’s raw coal output declines 12% y-o-y in H1CY’26

Raspadskaya PJSC has suspended mining operations at its Raspadskaya mine, Russia’s largest coking coal mine, following a fire in a dismantling chamber overnight on 30 September, according to local media reports.

All 305 workers underground at the time were safely evacuated, with no injuries reported, according to Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations. The fire was extinguished by the mine’s own crews, while mine rescue personnel subsequently monitored the underground gas environment.

Operations at the coal mine have been suspended, the ministry said in a separate statement, though no timeline was given for their resumption.

The incident marks the second disruption to Raspadskaya PJSC’s mining operations this year: in May, coal mining at its Alardinskaya mine was suspended after elevated carbon monoxide (CO) levels were detected.

Separately, on 17 September, a court ordered a 90-day suspension of preparatory work at another section of the Raspadskaya mine, citing a violation of the mine’s ventilation regime.

Raspadskaya is one of Russia’s leading coking coal producers and exporters, supplying domestic steelmakers as well as international markets, particularly in Asia.

The company operates an integrated portfolio of coking coal assets, including Raspadskaya, Russia’s largest underground coal mine, and the Raspadsky open-pit mine, alongside several other mining and coal-producing operations.

Raspadskaya produced 7.9 million tonnes of raw coal in the first half of 2026, down 12% from a year earlier, according to its financial results.

The extent of the incident’s impact on the coking coal market will hinge on the duration of the mine’s suspension.

Note: The article is published as part of a content sharing agreement between Mysteel Global and BigMint.