According to the preliminary data, in the first eight months of 2011 Ukraine registered a 5.6 percent growth year on year in its finished steel product output to 20.334 million mt, an 8.4 percent increase in its crude steel output to 23.153 million mt and a six percent rise in its pig iron production to 19.107 million mt.

The country's production of metallurgical coke went up by 6.7 percent year on year to 13.026 million mt during the first eight months of 2011. In January-August 2011, Ukraine produced 43.576 million mt of iron ore concentrate and 52.783 million mt of iron ore - up 2.3 and 3.0 percent respectively compared to the same period last year.

In August alone, Ukraine produced 2.529 million mt of finished steel products - up 4.6 percent, 2.990 million mt of crude steel - up 8.3 percent, 2.537 million mt of pig iron - up 8.9 percent, all compared to July. In August, Ukraine's production of coke increased by 5.6 percent compared to July, rising to 1.657 million mt