A new 20 cubic metre excavator capable of producing 270,000 t of iron ore per month was recently launched into operation at Andrey Varichev Mikhailovsky GOK mine (part of Metalloinvest). The equipment has been purchased as part of Metalloinvest’s mining complex development programme.
The excavator produced by Russia’s Uralmashplant, part of UZTM-Kartex, is now the third with this bucket volume at the enterprise, though the new model has a number of additional features. In addition to this shovel, a Chinese 25 m3 WK-35 excavator from TYHI based in Taiyuan has been recently commissioned at the same operation while at the company’s other large iron ore mine, Lebedinsky GOK, another WK-35 has also gone into operation.
Dmitry Rogozhkin, Head of Excavation Section #1, Mine Manager at Mikhailovsky GOK, noted: “The excavator features an advanced control system and software, with the main parameters of the equipment displayed on monitors found in the excavator’s cabin, allowing the loading process to be controlled to a high level of precision. This information is more detailed in the new excavator than on previous models. The driver sees a picture from video surveillance cameras displayed on the screen and is provided information about the movements of other mining equipment in the quarry, the working condition of the mechanisms, and even the weight of the rock held in the excavator bucket.”
The mine management specialists took the initiative to make important improvements to the excavator’s design during its installation: the body was reinforced with additional brackets, and the undercarriage was raised to prevent the tracks from touching the side of the machine. All this will ensure the smooth operation of the excavator and will increase its service life.
The new equipment meets all safety requirements: the excavator is equipped with side view cameras, the seat in the cab is installed with air suspension in order to reduce the impact from vibrations, and there is a climate control and noise reduction system in place.
The modernisation of the mining and transportation division’s fleet is one of the key aspects of Metalloinvest’s investment programme. Also in 2020, aside from the shovels, Mikhailovsky GOK received two BELAZ dump trucks with a lifting capacity of 220 t, two BELAZ dump trucks with a lifting capacity of 240 t, and a TEM-18 diesel locomotive. Another WK-35 has also been commissioned at Metalloinvest’s Lebedinsky GOK iron ore mine.
