Shaft No.2 Sinking at Ust-Yayva Started

02.07.2014

Uralkali (LSE: URKA; the Company), one of the world's largest potash producers, continues development of the Ust-Yayvinsky block of Verkhnekamskoye field.

  • Sinking operations of skip shaft No.1 designed for production of sylvinite ore are in progress. More than 130 meters has been already sunk. The completion of the shaft No.1 is planned for December 2016.
  • Sinking operations of the shaft No.2 designed for the transfer of people and cargo have been launched. The shaft of 8 meters in diameter and 430 meters in depth is due to be completed in spring 2017.
  • The foundation for the 6.3km belt conveyer to the Berezniki-3 plant is being constructed.

According to the schedule, the construction of vertical shafts for the new mine should be completed by the end of 2018.


Vladimir Konovalov, head of the Ust-Yayvinsky mine construction project:

- At the moment we are through a very important construction stage, i.e. shaft sinking operations. We have already started sinking of the second shaft. All works are executed 247 in accordance with the cycle scheme and the passports developed using the well-proven technology.


Alexey Chuyan, construction site manager of Deilmann-Haniel Shakhtostroy LLC:

- A great experience accumulated by our company when constructing similar objects all over the world is successfully applied at the Ust-Yayvinsky mine. 250 workers are engaged in the vertical sinking. They are professional shaftmen, miners, equipment mechanics, electric engineers and other technical specialists.


About the project

The development project of the Ust-Yayvinsky block of the Verkhnekamskoye deposit includes the construction of a new mine with two mine shafts with a capacity of 11 million tonnes of ore per year (2.8 million tonnes of potassium chloride). In December 2011, Uralkali signed a contract with Deilmann-Haniel Schachtostroj for construction of shafts at the Ust-Yayvinsky mine. The contract includes the development of working documentation, construction of temporary structures of the surface tunneling system, shaft sinking and the development of communications infrastructure. The sinking of shaft No.1 started in 2013. The mine will produce first ore in 2020 and will enable Uralkali to make up for the depleting ore reserves of the Berezniki-2 mine.


Uralkali (www.uralkali.com) is one of the world's largest potash producers and exporters. The Company's assets consist of 5 mines and 7 ore-treatment mills situated in the towns of Berezniki and Solikamsk (Perm Region, Russia). Uralkali employs ca.11,300 people (in the main production unit). Uralkali's shares and GDRs are traded on the Moscow Exchange and London Stock Exchange, respectively.

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