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03 December 2013
JSC PIMCU launches a project to boost mining volumes of brown coal at the Urtuisky open pit
Under the production diversification programme, Priargunsky Industrial Mining and Chemical Union (JSC PIMCU), the largest asset within ARMZ Uranium Holding Co. (JSC Atomredmetzoloto), initiated a project on Optimization and Logistics of Open-Pit Coal Mine aimed at boosting mining volumes of brown coal at the Urtuisky open pit.
According to Sergey Shurygin, Director General of JSC PIMCU, it is expected to mine approximately 3 mln tones of coal at Urtuisky. JSC PIMCU’s production diversification programme envisages, among other things, an increase in coal production and sales volumes up to 4.25 mln tones in 2014 and 4.5 mln tones in 2015.
Currently, within the framework of this project, a haulage track has been extended at a coal-storage area and new hoists have been commissioned. As a result, capacity of each loading spot increased from 20 to 30 cars. LLC Urtuiskoye Motor Fleet started to receive new vehicles, including six BelAZ heavy-duty dump trucks. In 2014, it is planned to purchase seven more open-pit dump trucks and an electrohydraulic excavator with bucket capacity of 15 m3, as well as to install a new crushing station.
“The mining plan for 2014 has been drafted taking into account the use of new equipment. It will enable us to fulfill preparatory development operations and mine coal in the defined volumes,” noted Yuri Kuzmin, head of the Urtuisky open cast mining office.
The total of more than 300 mln roubles will be invested in the Optimization and Logistics of Open-Pit Coal Mine project in 2013. Mining volumes boost also means creation of new jobs. For example, vacant positions at the open cast mining office are that of machine engineers and excavator operators.
Along with that, implementation of social projects targeted at improving work conditions for employees of the open pit will continue at Urtuisky. At the moment, construction of a new administration and amenity facility is proceeding to completion and an in-house canteen and a conference hall are being built.
