MECHEL ANNOUNCES BLAST FURNACE COMMISSIONING AT ITS CHELYABINSK METALLURGICAL
PLANT SUBSIDIARY


Moscow, Russia – April 6, 2009 – Mechel OAO (NYSE: MTL), one of the leading
Russian mining and metals companies, announces that blast furnace No. 4 was
officially commissioned today at its Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant subsidiary
(CMP). The furnace was temporarily delayed last November due to its third
category capital repair.
Blast furnace No. 4 was delayed in November of last year, in connection with the
plant’s revised production programs and planned lower output. The unit was used
for its capital repair while it temporary stayed idle. The renewed furnace will
produce about 3,000 tones of pig iron daily. Until the commissioning of blast
furnace No. 4, the plant’s workshop operated with two blast furnaces, whose
daily capacity was over 7,500 tonnes of pig iron, and ensured the operation of
the plant’s steel melting workshops in accordance with the available orders.
Preparation for the capital repair was performed on a tight schedule. Blocks and
components required for the repair were manufactured at CMP’s subsidiary,
Spetsremzavod OOO.
During the capital repair, the unit’s power equipment, including the coolers and
cooling system, and the main runners at the cast house were replaced. In
addition, the blast furnace top equipment was renewed, charging system equipment
was revised and installed, and the air heaters block was repaired. New technical
solutions were applied while replacing the blast furnace lining using
refractories made by Mayerton. The main feature of the completed reconstruction
was the new cooling system equipment as 233 coolers in aggregate were installed
during the repair.
“The implemented measures will provide a 10% increase in the actual productivity
of blast furnace No. 4 and extend its overhaul life, which will positively
influence the economic performance of the Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant’s
blast furnace workshop. The completed reconstructions and capital repairs of the
equipment will allow CMP to give maximum effective response to the growing
demands for metal products and ensure future production consistent with the
market needs,” Mechel OAO Senior Vice President Vladimir Polin commented.

***
Mechel OAO
Ilya Zhitomirsky
Phone: + 7 495 221 88 88
ilya.zhitomirsky@mechel.com
***
Mechel is one of the leading Russian companies. Its business includes four
segments: mining, steel, ferroalloy and power. Mechel unites producers of coal,
iron ore concentrate, steel, rolled products, ferroalloys, hardware, heat and
electric power. Mechel products are marketed domestically and internationally.
***
Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other
forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial
performance of Mechel, as defined in the safe harbor provisions of the U.S.
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We wish to caution you that
these statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may
differ materially. We do not intend to update these statements. We refer you to
the documents Mechel files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission, including our Form 20-F. These documents contain and
identify important factors, including those contained in the section captioned
“Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in our
Form 20-F, that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those
contained in our projections or forward-looking statements, including, among
others, the achievement of anticipated levels of profitability, growth, cost and
synergy of our recent acquisitions, the impact of competitive pricing, the
ability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals and licenses, the impact of
developments in the Russian economic, political and legal environment,
volatility in stock markets or in the price of our shares or ADRs, financial
risk management and the impact of general business and global economic
conditions.