UrBC, Yekaterinburg, September 10, 2019. The first set of self-propelled mining equipment arrived at EVRAZ Holding’s Tashtagol Iron Ore Mine as part of a large-scale mine reconstruction project, EVRAZ Holding Siberia’s Corporate Communications Center reports.

A drilling rig, a production drilling unit, and a load haul dumper have been commissioned at 280 meters below the ground. Three more units will get delivered onto the site before the end of the year. The company intends to complete its fleet of SP vehicles with twenty primary and twelve ancillary units by 2021.

‘The rubber-tired self-propelled mining equipment has excellent terrain-crossing capacity, manoeuvrability, and mobility parameters, which means transfer from one section of the mine to another would be uncomplicated. These special-purpose units boost productivity at every stage of iron ore production, reduce the product’s prime cost, and make the miners’ work safer,’ the company says.

According to EVRAZ, switching from the more conventional mining techniques to the use of SP equipment has meant highly skilled miners were needed for the job. Over a hundred workers at Tashtagol Mine underwent special training and can now serve as the operation crew for the new vehicles and machines.