Crimean Soda Plant invested UAH 63 million in modern limestone mining technology

Bilogirski Vapniaky LLC, a subsidiary of Crimean Soda Plant JSC, invested UAH 63 million in a new environmentally safe technology of limestone mining on the Northern Baksan deposit.

 

It was announced by Dmytro Nechytailo, Head of Non-Core Business Department of Group DF.

 

“We are the first company in Ukraine to use a modern American and German technology of limestone mining,” said Dmytro Nechytailo. “This technology does not require the use of explosives during the process of mining rocks, as is the case with the classical drilling-and-blasting methods. Instead, the rock is removed in layers of 30-50 cm with the use of modern equipment. Introduction of this technology helped to significantly reduce the amounts of dust emitted during the mining process, as well as minimizing the environmental impact of mining operations,” added Dmytro Nechytailo.

 

According to Vladyslav Shmelkov, Chairman of the Board of Crimean Soda Plant JSC, this new technology was introduced through acquiring highly technological equipment. The process of limestone mining is as follows. Firstly, a Vermeer excavating and milling machine produced in the USA takes removes the rock in layers. Then, a Terex crushing and grading unit produced in the UK sorts and separates limestone into fractions. The finished product is packaged, transported to the warehouse, and shipped to customers.

 

Vladyslav Shmelkov added that this technology fully meets international standards in environmental protection and is widely used abroad. The environmental safety of this process was confirmed by expert reports of the KrymGIINTIZ Research and Development Institute.

 

“We have conducted an environmental impact study, and it confirmed that our limestone mining will comply with official regulations for the quality of air, water and noise,” explained Tatiana Orlova, chief of environmental operations department at KrymGIINTIZ.

 

Following the deposit development, Crimean Soda Plant will perform recultivation of affected land according to environmental regulations.

In September 2013, Group DF announced launch of a project for limestone mining at the Northern Baksan deposit. The total project budget is estimated at UAH 120 million. The limestone mined on the Northern Baksan deposit is a raw material for Crimean Soda Plant which mainly produces soda ash.

 

According to Group DF, implementation of this project helped create 100 new jobs, and the average monthly salary of Crimean Soda Plant employees increased to UAH 4,600. During the first 9 months of 2013, Bilogirski Vapniaky LLC paid more than 5.5 million in taxes and duties to budgets at all levels.