Otelu Rosu, Romania — March 27, 2012 – Mechel OAO (NYSE: MTL), one of the leading Russian mining and metals companies, reports that smelting production at Ductil Steel Otelu Rosu plant in Romania has resumed.

Operations at Otelu Rosu’s smelting workshop, which were temporarily halted due a contingency situation following a malfunction in the technological process at the electric arc furnace, resumed on March 24. The workshop resumed operating as normal on March 26.

All of the incident’s effects were eliminated as a result of measures implemented at the plant.

Mechel-Steel Management OOO’s Chief Executive Officer Andrey Deineko noted: “Thanks to our eliminating the malfunction’s consequences in the shortest possible time, the halt’s effect on the annual steel production plans can be considered as insignificant.”