Rustavi Metallurgical Plant

a large Soviet metallurgical plant located in Rustavi, Georgian SSR. Construction of the plant was begun in 1941 but was interrupted by the Great Patriotic War (1941–45); it was resumed in 1944 on a new, larger site. The plant began partial operation in 1947, and steel production was begun in 1950.

The construction of the Rustavi Metallurgical Plant was facilitated by the availability of raw materials, including coking coal from mines at Tkvarcheli and Tkibuli, iron ore from deposits at Dashkesan, and manganese ore from Chiatura, as well as refractory raw materials and fluxes. Modern equipment has been installed at the plant. The plant produces coke, sinter, pig iron, steel, rolled items, and hot-rolled and cold-drawn steel pipes. In 1974 the production of steel increased by 26.1 percent, the production of rolled items by 48 percent, and the production of pipes by 49.3 percent relative to 1960 levels.