TY - THES

T1 - Evaluation of different options for productivity optimization at Uralkali mine no. 4

AU - Vallant, Thomas Kurt Robert

N1 - embargoed until null

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - Uralkali is a potash producing company in the Ural Region of Russia. The company is operating two underground potash mines using full face (URAL 20 – Kopeisk Machines) continuous miners to cut the ore. The material haulage behind the cutting machines utilizes a bunker car and one shuttle car. The shuttle car dumps the material through an ore pass hole onto the main conveyor belt lines. Uralkali has purchased one Sandvik MF320 Borer Miner in the year 2006, which is already in production using the same haulage transport system as described above. In 2008 Uralkali purchased 5 more MF320 Borer Miners, which will be delivered between 2010 and 2011. Since these new machines can achieve a much higher advance rate than the previous used production machines, the haulage system must be adapted to handle the increased production rate and as such deliver an improved performance in mining each heading. The previous production machines have been the Russian manufactured URAL-20 Borer Miners with a maximum production rate of 7 t/min compared to the MF320 Borer Miner which has a maximum production rate of up to 15 t/min. The objective of this project is to compare the following haulage methods: Current haulage method Using two shuttle cars instead of one Using a continuous haulage Installing a fixed conveyor belt In addition risk assessments for the different types of haulage systems will be conducted. The outcome of this project is to find the safest and most economically viable haulage solution for Uralkali.

AB - Uralkali is a potash producing company in the Ural Region of Russia. The company is operating two underground potash mines using full face (URAL 20 – Kopeisk Machines) continuous miners to cut the ore. The material haulage behind the cutting machines utilizes a bunker car and one shuttle car. The shuttle car dumps the material through an ore pass hole onto the main conveyor belt lines. Uralkali has purchased one Sandvik MF320 Borer Miner in the year 2006, which is already in production using the same haulage transport system as described above. In 2008 Uralkali purchased 5 more MF320 Borer Miners, which will be delivered between 2010 and 2011. Since these new machines can achieve a much higher advance rate than the previous used production machines, the haulage system must be adapted to handle the increased production rate and as such deliver an improved performance in mining each heading. The previous production machines have been the Russian manufactured URAL-20 Borer Miners with a maximum production rate of 7 t/min compared to the MF320 Borer Miner which has a maximum production rate of up to 15 t/min. The objective of this project is to compare the following haulage methods: Current haulage method Using two shuttle cars instead of one Using a continuous haulage Installing a fixed conveyor belt In addition risk assessments for the different types of haulage systems will be conducted. The outcome of this project is to find the safest and most economically viable haulage solution for Uralkali.

M3 - Master's Thesis (University Course)

ER -