OREANDA-NEWS. OJSC Mechel, one of the leading Russian mining and metals companies, announced it had commissioned new self-propelled drilling rigs at the open pit mines of its subsidiary - Southern Urals Nickel Plant OJSC. The commissioning of the new equipment will enable Mechel to increase its nickel ore mining efficiency while reducing production costs.

The new Russian-made self-propelled drilling rig, UKB-5S, was commissioned at the Sakharinsk open pit mine at the Southern Urals Nickel Plant OJSC this month. A similar unit was delivered to the Buruktal open pit mine administration last week.The cost of commissioning two UKB-5S drilling rigs was more than RUR12.0 million (approximately US$480 thousand). Designed capacity of each unit is approximately 400 running meters per month.

The new drilling rigs will allow the plant to carry out independent operational exploration while obtaining data for reliable planning and managing quality of mined silicate-nickel ore. The new equipment will help the miners define more precise boundaries of ore bodies, volumes and quality of mineral reserves.The commissioning of the new self-propelled drilling rigs was implemented in line with Mechel mining subsidiaries' technical re-equipment program. Mechel OJSC intends to invest approximately US$1.2 billion in its mining segment during next 5 years.