Serbia mining: In MB “Kolubara” overhauls of overburden systems are underway, Excavators are preparing for winter

Published on 15. November 2013., Mining

Regular annual servicing and replacement of worn equipment are guarantees of the smooth production on four “Kolubara” mines for the next season. Despite of difficulties in connection with the components supply, most of the work is carried out as it was planned.

During the hottest summer months, besides defy almost unbearable weather conditions and maintain a high level of production, employees on four mines of Mining Basin “Kolubara” need to carry out a regular annual equipment maintenance and renewal to ensure its reliable work in the season that comes. Repairs that are carefully planned, both technically and financially, are conducted out the heating season. Experts who deal with these issues for years say that, especially when it comes to equipment that has been used for decades in exploitation, the preventative maintenance is necessary condition for system stability, which produces 30 million tons of lignite per year.

This year’s investment overhauls have begun in early April, when officially started the excavators and stackers servicing on coal systems. Besides the usual checks and replacement of worn components, on the “rodent 7″ has been replaced a complete bucket wheel reducer , which due to outdated technology in previous years caused numerous delays in the work of one of the largest mine machine . In the same ” jobs package , on the “rodent 1” on the Field “B ” for the first time after installation , were replaced paths by which travel wheelchair for working bridge lifting . The first phase of the overhaul was completed in the second half of July, when were done all tasks that had been scheduled on the machines that dig coal.

The servicing of overburden systems is underway, precisely of the second ECS (excavator, conveyor, and stacker) on the Field “D”. On this system is checked and revitalized the equipment of “rodent 3” and it is scheduled that works be completed on 23^rd August. After that, it will be worked on the First A system on which “rodent 4” digs overburden. The First and Second ECS system servicing of “Tamnava -West field” is also underway. A significant part of the job is left for the second half of September, when it is turn on investment repair of the Fifth system on the Field “D “, which is the largest overburden system and whose operational readiness is directly dependent on the largest coal mine “Kolubara “. On this system the “rodent 9” and “stacker 6 ” dig, on which this year is provided an extraordinary job. Namely, because of the impossibility of further supply of reserved components and after all other revitalization possibilities were exhausted, it was done the reconstruction project of the stackers’ control system. This work was designed and a tender for the equipment procurement was completed, but given that one of the bidders appealed, the process has been returned to the procedure so that the new components installation is suspended until the situation formally is resolved.

Radovan Maksimovic, coordinator of overhauls planning and electric system maintenance oin MB “Kolubara”, despite the difficulties, is satisfied with the work done so far.

– We do everything that we can that ordered equipment arrives in the warehouses on time , because without it we could came to the risk that one of the most  important mine system would be unable to respond to challenges in the coming winter season – said Maksimovic . – Besides delays in the mentioned work, on the regular weekly meetings at which supervisors and contractors summarize what was realized from the planned activities, it was noted that, in the case of carbon systems, defect list was filled by almost 100 percent. Even though the funds allocated for this purpose was limited, we succeeded to implement most of the planned activities and to prepare equipment for the new production challenges by diversion and maximum use of “Kolubara Metal” capacities.

Source; Serbia Energy/RBK/EPS