Ural Mining Metallurgical Company (UMMC), one of the top Russian producers of copper, zinc and other precious metals is equipping copper-zinc miner Uchalinsky GOK, one of its key mining enterprises, with a set of mine-hoisting equipment designed by Russian manufacturers. By November 2021, Uralmashplant JSC (part of the UZTM-KARTEX Group) will supply the mining complex with three mine hoists machines for construction and operation of new Skipo-Kletevaya mine which is exploiting the Novo-Uchalinsky deposit.

The first hoist, a bucket mine hoist 2.6 x 2.2, was ordered by Shakhtostroitelnoe Upravlenie Ltd (a mine construction contractor) and was commissioned in September 2020. This is a brand new product for Uralmashplant, specifically intended for construction the of Skipo-Kletevaya mineshaft. According to Andrey Vyatkin, Chief Designer of Materials Handling and Crushing Equipment, the mobile machine was designed in compliance with the customer requirements & consists of pre-assembled individual transportable units. Such a design allows for reduced labour intensity, and lower shaft construction and mounting costs. Commissioning of the mine hoist 2.6 x 2.2 will speed up shaft sinking to 55-60 m per month.

Uralmashplant will also manufacture two more mine hoists machines for the Skipo-Kletevaya mineshaft at the Novo-Uchalinsky copper-zinc deposit. “The first one will be used for ore hoisting, and the second one will be used to lower and lift employees, materials, rock, etc,” comments Ilias Akhmedianov, Chief Engineer of Uchalinsky GOK JSC.

The underground mine construction at Novo-Uchalinsky deposit is a strategic project of UMMC included in the list of high-priority projects of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Novo-Uchalinsky ore deposit reserves amount to approximately 116 Mt.