As part of the modernisation of production at its PJSC Gaisky GOK underground copper mine in Russia, Ural Mining Metallurgical Company (UMMC) has invested in a new fleet of Caterpillar 45 t class AD45 trucks, the first of which are currently being commissioned. In 2020 the mine produced 8.3 Mt of ore but is ramping up to 9 Mt/y for full year 2021. Gaisky is located 280 km east of Orenburg near the northeastern border with Kazakhstan. The mine has already received 10 new mobile equipment units this year alone.
“Powerful loading and hauling equipment is used at depths of 1,280 – 1,310 m where mining and tunnelling works are actively being carried out and there is a need to transport large volumes of rock. On the lower horizons, a new entire production infrastructure is being created, which is part of the projects Rudny-2 and Porodny-2. And machines with such a large carrying capacity are a good help in our work,” says Gaisky GOK’s Nikolay Zatsepin.
According to UMMC, the equipment of this brand has long established itself as reliable and productive. “The only thing you need to get used to is the large dimensions of the machine,” says operator Maxim Strogin, “and in management it does not differ from those dump trucks on which I have worked with before, in particular the 30 t MT436V. A comfortable working environment is provided by a soundproofed cabin with a low noise level, built-in air conditioning system, and a fully adjustable suspension seat. The Cat Electronic Monitoring System (Cat EMS) provides continuous data on machine operating parameters.”
Vladimir Korpachev, Chief Mechanic said Caterpillar is constantly improving its machines, which always meet the requirements of safety standards at the highest level. “The machines feature an ergonomic operator’s cab designed for comfortable, safe and efficient daily operation. The combination of excellent handling, precise and highly efficient braking system, an environmentally friendly and powerful engine, highly durable structural elements of the structure will obviously contribute to meeting performance indicators.”
The main ventilation unit of the new Gaisky mine shaft “Severnaya Ventilatsionnaya 2” provides ventilation of the horizons located below the 1, 000 m mark. Along with the deepening of shafts and construction of new ones, numerous excavation works are also underway plus new crushing and conveyor facilities and dozens of other underground works are being built.
