The subsidiary of Uralelectromed – “Proizvodstvo polymetallov” (Polymetal manufacture) – has started producing fuel briquettes to be used as fuel for mine furnaces.
The prime cost of 1 ton of briquettes of coke breeze and dust is twice as low as that of coke.
According to the subsidiary chief engineer Oleg Belyaev, this is a good alternative to the expensive coke, while their qualitative characteristics are identical.
“By substituting some 30% of coke with briquettes we will be able to save on energy carriers purchases, which will in turn decrease the prime cost of copper”, he said.
The company started using briquettes on regular basis at all the three mine furnaces and intends to get up to 700 tons of briquettes per month. (Ukrainian metal)