The Ukrainian mining and steel producing company Metinvest Holding (Metinvest) has announced that it has commissioned the first hydraulic excavator at its iron ore subsidiary Severniy GOK (SevGOK).
The new excavator, which cost $5.75 million, has been acquired within the framework of Metinvest's strategic program aimed at improving performance efficiency of its mining subsidiaries.
According to the company's specialists, the new HITACHI ЕХ 3600 hydraulic excavator, made in Japan, can reload around 240,000 m3 of rock mass per month, which is 40 percent higher compared to the productivity of conventional excavators which are currently operated at SevGOK.
The commissioning of the second similar hydraulic HITACHI excavator at SevGOK is planned by the end of 2009.
Metinvest's SevGOK has an annual production capacity of over 13.3 million mt of iron ore concentrate, and over 11 million mt of pellets.