Tashragolskiy and Abakanskiy subsidiaries of Evrazruda JSC (Russian ore maker and part of Evraz Group) have been testing the new anchoring technologies consisting in replacing the old organic steel anchorage with the modern polymerous steel kind in the areas where mine working is most intense and there is greater risk of bolting going loose.

The greatest advantage of this polymerous steel anchorage consists in being able to take a much greater load than the organic steel one, which allows for much improves safety of mine working in the areas where the rock is less stable than elsewhere. Besides, even though the costs of both kinds of anchorage are approximately the same, the new kind is going to last two or three times longer.

The experimental testing will have been finished by the end of 2006, with Kazskiy subsidiary of Evrazruda joining the first two subsidiaries in the nearest future. If the results of this experiment prove impressive, the polymerous steel anchorage will be introduced in the other subsidiaries of the company, including those that deal in underground winning, reports the spokesperson for Evrazruda.