Russian coal producer Yuzhny Kuzbass, a subsidiary of Mechel, has set a definitive expiration date for two of its key underground operations. The Lenin mine is slated for operational suspension in 2027, followed by the permanent shuttering of the Olzherasskaya-Novaya mine in 2029, according to Metals & Mining Intelligence. In practice, both assets had already reached a virtual standstill in coal extraction by the close of 2025. Lenin's economically recoverable reserves are nearly exhausted. Olzherasskaya-Novaya primarily produces thermal coal, and underground thermal coal mining in Kuzbass is currently uneconomic.