The company – part of the Euroasian Resources Group – has expanded its fleet of Hitachi mining equipment to 14 rigid dump trucks and four mining excavators.

The EH1100-5 features several advanced technological features to satisfy the requirements of Hitachi’s quarrying and mining customers. The new truck has been designed to offer a more comfortable and safer operating environment, easier access for service and maintenance, and higher levels of productivity than previous models.

Shubarkol Komir took delivery of the EH1100-5s to complement its existing line-up of six EH1100-3s. Operator Kanat Kazhibekov has three years’ experience of driving both models and commented: “The best thing about the EH1100-5 is the overall comfort in the cab. The heated seat and mirrors are ideal for the extreme working conditions at this site, and there is more than enough leg room. There is good access to the cab and the monitor is user-friendly – there is more information available and it’s easier to find the required functionality.

“I use the monitor most for basic details, such as the fuel and lubricant levels, and the weight of the loaded materials. The rear camera enhances my view of the site and it comes on automatically when reversing. The machine performs really well in all conditions. The braking system is excellent, even if the haul road is slippery or if I have to stop suddenly. When fully loaded, the auto-transmission is invaluable – it is more comfortable for me than a manual transmission and it helps me to feel less tired after a 12-hour shift.”

Shubarkol Komir is one of Kazakhstan’s largest semi-coke and thermal coal producers with 2,700 employees. The mine produced 10.3Mt of coal in 2015, an increase of more than 70% since 2010. Its total measured and indicated resources are estimated at 1.5 billion tonnes, with large seams measuring at depths of between 30 and 100m, and a low stripping ratio of 3m³ of overburden per tonne of coal.

Turkuaz Machinery has been working with Shubarkol Komir since the first delivery of an EX1900-6 ultra-large mining excavator in 2009. Since that time, its dedicated service team has helped to keep the mine’s Hitachi machines running 24 hours a day and make excellent cost savings for the remote coal mining operation. The overburden and coal are extracted by four Hitachi excavators: the EX1900-6, and an EX3600-6 and two EX3600-6Es. These materials are loaded on to a fleet of Hitachi rigid dump trucks, with four EH3500ACIIs in addition to the EH1100-3s and EH1100-5s.

Shubarkol Komir’s President, Tuleugen Akbayev, said: “We are very satisfied with the Hitachi equipment. The number one benefit that these machines bring to our business is reliability, which is of course vital to our operation.”