21.

GENERAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES

General, administrative and other operating expenses are comprised of the following:


	Years ended December 31,
	2013		2012			2011
Personnel and social contributions		271,591		306,169			313,118
Office expenses		43,666		44,581			53,208
Depreciation		27,717		21,862			21,599
Consumables		23,054		16,980			22,278
Audit and consulting services		22,941		27,537			28,856
Banking charges and services		17,109		17,107			16,428
Social expenses		16,090		20,773			44,490
Fines, penalties		13,619		4,409			4,609
Rent		11,446		10,258			12,276
Business trips		6,109		7,633			10,409
Mitigation of accidents consequences		5,504		4,388			17,786
Insurance		4,700		7,180			7,878
Disposals of property, plant and equipment		4,711		(5,311	)		(7,057	)
Settlement of litigation		—		16,608			—
Contributions to Mechel Fund		—		—			8,201
Obligation for stream mitigration		—		—			8,364
Other		35,578		34,589			20,801

Total general, administrative and other operating expenses		503,835		534,763			583,244

Contributions to Mechel Fund included founder contributions to the pension fund made by a number of the Group’s entities in the total amount of $8,201 during the year ended December 31, 2011, which based on the management’s interpretation of the Russian legislation do not meet the definition of an asset.

Obligation for stream mitigation in the total amount of $8,364 during the year ended December 31, 2011, represents the cost of removal of the negative environmental impact of the BCG Companies’ mining operations according to Compensatory Mitigation Plans submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Settlement of litigation in the total amount of $16,608 during the year ended December 31, 2012, represents an accrual for a lawsuit settlement between Suncoke and the BCG Companies for failure of performance of its obligations under contracts to supply coal to Suncoke in 2008.