The mine haulage shop No.1 at Northern Iron Ore has begun the year with effective resource utilization and plans for creating a new refueling station and conducting major overhauls of mining equipment. In 2025, Metinvest will allocate over UAH 62.5 million to upgrade and maintain the equipment of the mine haulage shop.
Today, the mine haulage shop operates at its maximum capacity, with 37-38 dump trucks working each shift, just as before the war. The shop's main operational task is transporting rock mass from the open pit to the crushing plant's receiving pits. The division transports 1.5 million cubic meters of rock mass monthly.
Under current conditions, enhancing efficiency is key to the shop's stable operation. Specialists emphasize that one focus area is researching the durability and performance of large-size tyres. As of today, the dump trucks of the mine haulage shop No.1 use Michelin tyres (with a lifespan of 84,000 km) and Maxam tyres (80,000 km). This year, there is a prospect of gradually transitioning to Bridgestone tyres, which have better specifications. Additionally, tyre pressure monitoring by mechanics and drivers helps extend their lifespan. These and other measures will increase the lifespan of large-size tyres to 95,000 km – at least a year of operation under optimal conditions. Another effective measure is the resumption of in-house tyre repairs, including both actual repairs and cosmetic work.
Together with the Pershotravnevyi open pit, the mine haulage shop No. 1 systematically works to reduce diesel fuel consumption. The condition of open pit roads directly affects tire durability, so miners continuously focus on maintaining them in proper condition.
One of the planned projects is the construction of an additional refueling station at the -193 m level, where the DF-3 receiving pit is located. A refueling point for technological transport is planned here, reducing the previous route distance by 3.3 km.
Last year, specialists from the mine haulage shop No. 1 completely overhauled the undercarriages of three Cat D9 and Cat D10 bulldozers. They repaired the chassis of Liebherr bulldozer, restored KTA-50 engines for two dump trucks, and replaced an old engine with a new for another vehicle. Additionally, the shop crew restored six dump truck cargo platforms using their own resources. Similar repairs are planned for this year.
"Executing the capital repairs programme is a key condition for reliable machine operation in open pits, ensuring their maximum efficiency and extending the service life of mechanisms. In total, it is planned to allocate over UAH 62.5 million for equipment restoration and maintenance in 2025. Ultimately, these measures will ensure the stability of the ore extraction and overburden removal process from the open pit," emphasized Serhii TYRLYCH, head of the mine haulage shop No.1 at Metinvest's Northern Iron Ore.
