Ecology
Coal Loading Station
In carrying out its work, the Kiyzassky Open-Pit Mine pays particular attention to environmental issues. Because mass transportation of coal by land can negatively affect nature, the company has built a coal loading railway station near the mining site.
The modern automated loading complex is specially equipped to minimize the environmental impact of coal loading. The facility has been furnished with six TF10 EmiControls dust suppression units – a unique innovation with no analogues anywhere else in the country that has already proven its worth. Their nozzles spray a fine mist above the wagons so that coal dust settles quickly. This highly efficient system is capable of treating all coal during loading, so a minimum of dust is released into the atmosphere.
The new equipment makes the coal loading process as safe as possible for the environment. The phased implementation of a program to improve the station will have a positive impact on the environmental situation. There are also five dust suppression plants at the station, as well as a noise- and dust-absorbing screen, 250 meters in length and 10 meters in width. Additionally, 5,000 pyramidal poplars have been planted alongside the station. A unique Brent dust suppression plant reduces dusting when loading coal into wagons as well.
As an integral part of its environmental management system, the company constantly monitors environmental indicators and regularly observes blasting operations with the participation of independent experts.
‘Green Machines’
The Kiyzassky Open-Pit Mine has a comprehensive program aimed at minimizing its operations’ environmental impact that focuses on introducing eco-friendly machinery in its production processes while constantly expanding its fleet of ‘green machines’. Today, three EKG-12K electric excavators manufactured by IZ-KARTEX, which is part of Russia’s UZTM-KARTEX Management Company, are in operation at the mine. The domestic EKG-12K is a modern and technologically advanced excavator with a bucket volume of 12 m3. In conjunction with heavy-duty dump trucks, the excavator ensures that mining operations are efficient, which reduces the cost of excavating rock mass by up to 20% compared to imported diesel analogues. The EKG-12K is equipped with an advanced control system that makes it possible to fully control the operation of the excavator’s main driving motors and equipment, which improves efficiency and safety. The use of an excavator with an electric motor has a beneficial effect on the environment, as it emits no harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
In February of 2023, the company commissioned the first Sany hybrid dump truck in Russia, which is simultaneously powered by a diesel engine and rechargeable batteries. The 150-tonne- capacity Chinese-made vehicle operates in a mixed mode – two electric motors with a total capacity of 2,600 kW/h are simultaneously powered by high-voltage batteries with a capacity of 380 kW/h and two diesel engines with a rated power of 565 horsepower. When the truck is braking, its electric motor works as a generator, replenishing the energy in the battery. Thus, it is able to charge itself when descending. If necessary, the batteries can be quickly charged at Kiyzassky Open-Pit Mine thanks to a new electrical substation at the site. This innovative system will significantly reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere and reduce the cost of operating dump trucks by saving fuel. The Kiyzassky Open-Pit Mine is a pioneer in utilizing such equipment, which shows excellent production results. The company currently employs five identical Sany dump trucks at the mine.
At the end of 2023, methane-powered SHACMAN X3000 and FAW J6 dump trucks were put into operation, with 12 new vehicles placed at the disposal of the contractor serving the mine. These 32-tonne-capacity trucks transport coal from the warehouse to the coal loading station. By the end of 2024, there will be 30 vehicles like this operating at the mine.
The main advantage of using natural gas for engine fuel over diesel and gasoline is its environmental friendliness, as it reduces the emission of toxic pollutants by several times – carbon monoxide by 2-3 times, nitrogen oxides by 2 times, hydrocarbons by 3 times, and smoke by 9 times. At the same time, no soot forms at all. The commissioning of such dump trucks makes it possible for the Kiyzassky Open-Pit Mine to successfully implement its long-term policy of preserving a healthy environment.
Another big advantage of methane is safety. According to Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations’ Classification of Combustible Substances by Degree of Sensitivity, compressed natural gas falls in the fourth and safest class. Methane is half the weight of air and quickly dissolves into the atmosphere if leaked.
Replenishment of Bioresources
Tree Planting
More than 10,000 trees have been planted by Kiyzassky Open-Pit Mine’s employees since the company began its activities. Seedlings of spruce, pine, cedar, larch, birch, snowberry, lilac, and other species have been planted in the Myskovsky Urban District, as well as on the territory of the coal enterprise. In addition, 5,000 pyramidal poplars have been planted near the coal loading station. Trees effectively absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which has a beneficial effect on the environment.
Compensatory Reforestation
Compensatory reforestation is part of the environmental policy of the regions provided for by the national Ecology project. According to the Forest Code of the Russian Federation, enterprises engaged in industrial activities are obliged to reforest an area equal to the area of forest lands that they have exploited for business purposes.
The Kiyzassky Open-Pit Mine began implementing its compensatory reforestation program in 2019 and has planted trees on an area of 427.5 hectares thus far. Coniferous forests have been restored in the Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo, Myskovsky, Krapivinsky, Chebulinsky, Izhmorsky and Guryevsky Districts, with a total of 1,500,000 trees planted.
Release of Fish in Siberia
The Kiyzassky Open-Pit Mine takes measures to replenish the biodiversity of Siberia’s rivers (the Tom and Ob) every year. At its own initiative and expense, the company has been releasing grayling fry into the Mras-Su and Tom Rivers in the Myskovsky Urban District since 2022. In total, the Kiyzassky Open-Pit Mine has released more than 300,000 fish into Siberia’s waters since 2018, including valuable breeds like muksun, grayling, white salmon, and peled.
Eco-Events
‘Fresh Lessons’ Eco-Education Project
In 2021, the Kiyzassky Open-Pit Mine launched the Fresh Lessons ecological and educational project in Myski. As part of this initiative, the coal company conducts environmental lessons in the city’s schools, where children learn about conscientious consumption and eco-volunteering, and also take part in tree planting on their schools’ grounds. More than 1,000 schoolchildren have already participated in the project. In addition, ecological and charity fairs are regularly held for kids, where children exchange items that can be given a new lease on life.