Opening of an unique Viru Chemistry Group´s (VKG) Transport Conveyor for Ores

18.04.2014

On April 11th 2012 was the grand opening of an external worm conveyor, which is unique in Europe. The conveyor connects the Ojamaa oil shale mine and oil plant, which is owned by VKG Mines Ltd.

The official ceremony took place in Ida-Viru County on the territory of Ojamaa oil shale mine and the opening band was cut through by the Minister of Environment Keit Pentus and Ida-Viru County’s six municipals and city government leaders.

All the quests at the opening ceremony were given the exclusive opportunity to observe about 13 km long worm conveyor’s starting point, start-up and oil shale transportation.

The productivity of the conveyor is 700 tons of oil shale per hour and up to 3.2 million tons per year. This compares with 100 constantly working trucks or 50 railway carriages. Although there can be found similar conveyors in the world, but not the kind, which contains so many curves and has so small radiuses. The new conveyor will be serviced and maintained only by 14 people. Transportation of raw materials has no dust and emissions, also the local roads are not loaded and there is particularly no noise.

In the planning process of the worm conveyor was involved the general public, conservationists and hunters. The entire conveyors route contains specially designed tunnels for small animals and bridges for large animals, to ensure that all forest residents have the opportunity to cross the conveyor.

Amhold performed the following services: engineering-technical and environmental surveys, service and maintenance roads (including traffic management and infrastructure systems) and the design works for conveyor’s embankment (including foundations) and the design works for conveyor bridges, tunnels and trestles foundations.

The Project Manager of the design was Jaan Aru. The total cost of the project was nearly 14 million Euros.

Main Contractor of the conveyor’s construction works was German construction group ThyssenKrupp AG, for the mounting was responsible Viru RMT Ltd (subsidiary of Virumaa Chemistry Group - VKG). General construction works were performed by a construction company Lemminkäinen Estonia Ltd.