Russia 2008 gold output up 13.3 pct on yr-lobby
MOSCOW, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Russian gold output rose by 13.3 percent to 184.49 tonnes in last year from 162.84 tonnes a year ago mainly on the back of increased mine output, the country's main industry lobby said on Friday.
This is above the Russian Gold Industrialists Union earlier forecast of an 8 percent overall rise after five years of decline.
Output from mines rose by 13.1 percent to 163.89 tonnes in 2008 from 144.85 tonnes in 2007, a union statement said.
Output achieved by refining gold from scrap rose by 22.9 percent to 8.14 tonnes from 5.87 tonnes. Production of gold as a by-product of other metals rose 2.8 percent to 12.46 tonnes from 12.12 tonnes, it said.
Most Russian gold is mined in the country's east.
Krasnoyarsk in eastern Siberia -- home to top miner Polyus Gold's (PLZL.MM: Quote, Profile, Research) (PLZLq.L: Quote, Profile, Research) main mines -- was the country's largest gold-producing region in 2008.
It was followed by the Siberian Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the far eastern Amur region, union data showed. (Reporting by Aleksandras Budrys)
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