GOLD PRODUCTION UP, GROWTH RATES DOWN

MOSCOW, February 2 (RIA Novosti) - Gold production in Russia (mining plus production of by-product and reclaimed gold) in 2004 went up by 2% and reached about 180.52 tons, but growth rates sank, chairman of the Russian Union of Gold Industrialists Valery Braiko said. "The production of reclaimed gold is mainly attributed to the increased output," Mr. Braiko said.

According to him, in 2004 practically 97% of gold were produced in 11 main gold mining regions. "Seven of them increased the production and four decreased it," Mr. Braiko pointed out. The Khabarovsk Territory and the Amur Region were the leaders in gold production, and the Magadan Region showed the smallest decrease, he said.

As for the gold mining enterprises, 23 leading companies ensured 64% of the gold output in Russia.

At the same time Mr. Braiko said that the main problem in the gold mining industry remained the same, the reproduction of the minerals supply.

In 2005 the gold production (mining plus the production of by-product and reclaimed gold) will grow by 1.4% and will reach 183 tons, Mr. Braiko forecasted.

He expects 161 tons of gold to be produced in 2005 and the output of by-product gold to stand at 10.5 tons and that of reclaimed gold - at 11.5 tons.