Hitachi Construction Machinery recently received a package order for eight machines, combining an electrical motor-driven type ultra-large hydraulic excavator with trolley assist dump trucks for a key gold mine in Turkey. This is significant in being the first major trolley project outside of Africa for some years and highlights the cost advantages of the technology in mines where it is applicable.

The order was received from Tüprag Metal Madencilik Sanayi ve Ticaret AS, an affiliated company of Eldorado Gold, the Canadian gold miner and owner of the Kişladağ mine, which has the largest gold production volume in Turkey. The order consists of one EX5600 electric motor operated hydraulic excavator and seven EH4000AC rigid dump trucks, which will use the latest IGBT inverter from Hitachi. The EH4000 AC rigid dump trucks will operate under a trolley assist system, taking power through installed cables on a slope using  a pantograph. The main driver for this technology is fuel cost saving.

In Kişladağ, two EX3600 ultra-large diesel hydraulic excavators, delivered in 2006 by Hitachi Construction Machinery, have already been operating successfully and their reputation and high operation rate are cited as a factor in achieving the new order. The new fleet is scheduled to be shipped from the beginning of 2013. In addition to this contract, about 40 further machines are expected to be delivered going forward, including EX5600s and EH4000ACs. The additional orders are expected to be delivered between the end of 2013 and the end of 2016.