OREANDA-NEWS. Mikhailovsky GOK (part of Metalloinvest) has taken delivery of a new locomotive and set of dumpcars. The NP-1 series locomotive has already come into operation as part of plans to meet production targets. It is the first of the three planned purchases of electric quarry locomotives this year as part of Metalloinvest's programme to develop mining transport complex.

The programme to develop mining transport complex, which is being implemented at both of the Company's mining and processing plants (Lebedinsky GOK and Mikhailovsky GOK), entails the use of more productive equipment, and therefore, an increase in loads transported by locomotives.

The growth in Mikhailovsky GOK's raw materials requirements is largely due to the implementation of major investment projects at the plant. Metalloinvest is currently constructing Pellet Plant #3 at Mikhailovsky GOK, and has begun an experiment to produce oxidised quartzite concentrate at its crushing-and-sorting plant. The construction of new production facilities will require additional iron ore resources.

The Managing Director of Mikhailovsky GOK Sergey Kretov commented: “The acquisition of the electric locomotive is another step of Metalloinvest's large-scale programme to upgrade the mining equipment at its plants. The plant has received dump trucks with load capacities between 160-180 tonnes and an excavator with a 23 cubic metre bucket from leading manufacturers of quarry transport. The first workmen at this plant could only have dreamed of such equipment, which will also allow us to more comprehensively utilise the mine deposit, and increase the volumes of ore that we extract and process.”

The planned acquisitions of 10 open pit mine electric locomotives and 100 dumpcars for Mikhailovsky GOK and Lebedinsky GOK form part of Metalloinvest's 2014 investment programme. In 2013, mining and processing plants also received six 180-tonne Caterpillar dumptrucks, a trial model of the 220-tonne BelAZ and a 160-tonne BelAZ. Hitachi EX 5600E - 6 LD excavators with a 23 cubic metre bucket were recently delivered to both plants and are currently being set up. In addition, there are plans this year to purchase six excavators with 10-15 cubic metre buckets for the GOKs as part of the programme.