Farewell to a giant: RK 5000 bucket-chain excavator from ČSA mine heads for scrap after 43 years

16 May 2026, 07:54

Farewell to a giant: RK 5000 bucket-chain excavator from ČSA mine heads for scrap after 43 years

The RK 5000 bucket-chain excavator was considered a technical marvel in its day and proof of the exceptional standard of Czechoslovak engineering. This massive colossus standing at the foot of the ČSA mine is one of two units ever built worldwide, and the only surviving one still in working order. Due to its size, the Czech Republic's largest excavator had to be assembled directly at the ČSA mine. It is now marking 43 years of existence, but will be sent for scrap in the coming months.

From the outset, the excavator was intended to mine overburden directly above brown coal seams, removing overlying rock with high hardness and varied grain sizes. Assembly, overseen by engineers from the then VÍTKOVICEPRODECO company, took almost three years. The excavator was such a success that, in the early 1990s, consideration was even given to producing an even larger excavator designated RK 5000.1, which would have surpassed its predecessor in technical reliability and ease of maintenance. Plans to build this machine ultimately remained only on paper [1].

Translation disclaimer

This article is a machine translation of the Czech original and has not yet been fully reviewed. In case of any doubt, please refer to the Czech version.

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