Uralkali to Build a New Mine

25.11.2009 — News

THE PERM KRAI.

Specialists of OOO Burovaya Kompaniya Evrazia (BKE) began drilling a key well at the Ust-Yaivinsk area where the fifth potassium mine of JSC Uralkali will be located. The first stage of the construction comprises project development for the two shafts and equipment installation in the shafts.

Sergey Dyakov, deputy Director General of Uralkali told RusBusinessNews that the shaft is the first and foremost part of the mine's structure. For the design to be correct one needs to study the composition and properties of the occurring rocks in every detail. Thus the key well is drilled to the full depth of the shaft. Coring operations run in parallel. Data analysis clarifies the exact structure of the underground "sandwich".

After the 500 meter deep well is drilled and the rock composition is studied, specialists of the Dailmann-Haniel (Germany) will decide on the optimal type of timbering for the future shaft. It is known that the diameter of the shaft will be 8 meters. Shaft sinking will be performed by drilling and blasting and by rock freezing to overcome water-bearing formations.

The second stage is the detailed planning of the underground part. The mine to be built will have the calculated mining capacity of 11 million tons of ore a year and approximately 33 working miner complexes. The Galurgia Institute is doing the design of the underground part.

The third stage - construction of the surface facilities - comprises laying of the service lines, provision of electric power supply, construction of administrative and utility facilities and the ventilation units.

The works on all three stages are designed in parallel. After completion the Gipronikel Institute will merge the three projects into one. Only after the project undergoes expert assessment the mine construction will start at full speed.

"This is going to be the largest construction project in the Perm Krai for the past twenty five years", says Vladimir Shanin, Production Director of JSC Uralkali. "We pay attention to every detail having taken the world research potassium experience into account. This goes for the operational safety of the new mine first of all. We have selected the best subcontractors and design institutes".

The Ust-Yaivinsk area has 1 billion 300 million ton worth of sylvinite ore resources. These resources will keep the mine running for approximately 50 years.