Vanadium Ore Mining and Processing Enterprise of Kachkanar (part of Evraz Group) assessed the performance of Test Tower (installed in the processing plant) over four months. The Test Tower determines the fineness and the iron content of ore and operates around the clock. The tests are taken every ten minutes, fully covering the ore flow; every two hours, ore samples are transferred to the central lab where the experts carry out their full chemical analysis. The data are then filed into the company’s computer database. This facility allows the enterprise to perform online and obtain reliable

The investments placed by the natural persons onto the deposits of Sverdlovsk Gubersnkiy Bank grew by over 80% in October 2006 compared with the beginning of the year. The amount of money in natural person accounts came to more than 2.2bn RUR on October 1, 2006 (compared with 1.19bn on January 1, 2006). This figure places Sverdlovsk Gubersnkiy Bank ahead of many other regional banks. The bank’s Deposit and Payment System Administration reports that this growth has to do primarily with offering the clients the conditions they like; the range of deposits can satisfy the needs of very different

‘The reduction of gasoline prices at the filling stations of YekaterinburgNefteProduct occurred on Tuesday, October 24. No. 80 now costs 15.5 RUR per litre (a .5 RUR drop), No. 92 costs 18.3 RUR (1.2 RUR drop), No. 98 comes to 20.9 RUR (a decrease of 1 RUR), No. 96 is sold at 19.5 RUR (a drop of 1 RUR). Diesel fuel is sold at 17.4 RUR (a drop of .6 RUR),’ the company’s Marketing Director Vladimir Drugov said to UrBC representative. ‘Cheaper gas was brought about by the decrease in oil prices and by the market opportunities at the moment; another factor is seasonal fluctuations affecting the

The Federal Antimonopoly Service in Sverdlovsk Region started a lawsuit against SverdlovEnergoSbyt concerning the alleged violation of antimonopoly legislation, reports the spokesperson for TENCOM Group. The spokesperson says that some of the consumers living in Novouralsk are supplied with electricity at prices that do not coincided with the tariff menu designed by the Regional Power Engineering Committee. Besides, SverdlovEnergoSbyt, the supplier, provides wrongful information on the tariffs of an independent supplier Novouralsk Power Supplier Ltd. through mass media and letters it sends to

Over 1,500 graduates of Technological Institute of Nizhniy Tagil (subsidiary of Ural State Technical University) are currently employed by Metallurgical Industrial Complex of Nizhniy Tagil (part of Evraz Group). The enterprise has been supporting the college for many years as part of its social partnership program. In the middle of October 2006 (on the eve of the foundation day of the Institute), thirty-four best students in their final years of study received Evraz fellowships. These fellowships amount to 9,000 RUR per term (this is the highest figure among all local colleges). The nominees

Ural Airlines began the international safety auditing procedures. So far, the company’s employees have undergone IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) preparatory training program facilitated by the expert of a British auditing firm Captain Colin Penny and started the gap-analysis. To date, Aeroflot has remained the only Russian company holding IOSA certificate, reports the spokesperson for Ural Airlines.

On October 26, 2006, Chelyabinsk Region’s first innovation exhibition called South Ural State University - Flight and the Second Regional Exhibition of Innovations and Investments will welcome their visitors. The exhibitions will last for two days. First Deputy Governor Vladimir Dyatlov will conduct the first opening ceremony. The opening of the Second Regional Exhibition of Innovations and Investments will take place in SouthUralExpo, the exhibition center. The exhibition will present over 50 innovation projects and scientific and engineering ideas designed by representatives of 11 colleges,