Czech coal miner OKD completes overhauls of mining shearers for 66 million crowns

Coal mining company OKD is completing the overhaul of the last of three mining shearers. Their refurbishment, costing 66 million crowns in total, will enable the company to meet its planned production target, while making the machines more reliable and efficient. OKD spokesperson Barbora Černá Dvořáková informed ČTK of this today.

The refurbishment of each of the three remotely controlled, 60-tonne shearers, which cut through coal and are used to extract it from longwall faces at the ČSM Mine, took approximately two months. „During refurbishment, each shearer is dismantled literally down to the last bolt so that every component can be inspected. Worn parts, such as arms, winches and travel units, are then replaced with new ones or repaired. The overhaul also covered the electrical wiring,“ said Radim Mikula, an OKD mechanic responsible for repairs to mining machinery.

The spokesperson clarified that OKD workshops handled the smaller repairs. The refurbishment of larger units, including the manufacture of the required components, was carried out by the Polish branch of German company Eickhoff, the manufacturer of the mining shearers used by OKD.