GEOTECHMIN’s subsidiary Geostroy AD has completed the construction of a new primary crushing unit (KET-3) at “Ellatzite” mine. 

In the course of time, every large mine starts extracting ores at bigger and bigger depths. This increases ore transportation distances, thus making fuel expenses higher and lowering economic efficiency. “Ellatzite” mine was facing similar problems and to solve them GEOTECHMIN’s specialists developed two new projects: construction of a new primary crushing unit in the inner contour of the mine and driving of a new tunnel with installed rubber-belt conveyor for ore transportation.

With the construction of the new KET-3 the distance for ore transportation has been shortened. This, in its turn, will reduce the emissions of СО2 with 30 %. According to the data provided by Ellatzite-Med and Geostroy experts, the savings from ore transportation will be about 11,575,200 ton-kilometers per year. This will save 1,852,032 l of diesel fuel for the same period of time. With the implementation of this project GEOTECHMIN meets the requirements of the EU and the Kyoto Protocol for reduction of the adverse effects of the greenhouse gas emissions on the climate.

In just one month KET-3 has achieved its design technical indicators. Now the facility operates in a continuous three-shift regime with a productivity capacity of 1800 tons per hour.