An approach to ensuring sustainable operation of mining companies by adapting parameters of the mining system to changing external and internal factors
Vadim Yu. Zalyadnov1, Sergey E. Gavrishev1, Igor V. Zyryanov2
1 Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, Magnitogorsk, Russian Federation
2 Mirny Polytechnic Institute (branch) of North-Eastern Federal University, Mirny, Russian Federation
Mining Industry Journal (Gornaya Promyshlennost) №5/ 2026 p. 244-250
Summary: Surface mining of mineral deposits is characterized by increasingly complex mining-geological and mining-engineering conditions, against a backdrop of high volatility in prices and demand for the raw materials produced. To offset negative factors and ensure sustainable operation of mining companies, it is essential to periodically update organizational and technological plans for developing the mineral deposit by adjusting parameters of the mining system. For this purpose, the study examines an engineering solution for organizing and creating areas within the open-pit mine’s working zone with design parameters adapted for utilization of low-power equipment, including hydraulic excavators with the bucket capacity of up to 5–6 m³. The paper demonstrates the impact of geometric specifications of the hydraulic excavators on the parameters of the mining system. The authors discovered that as the geometric (linear) parameters and the unit output of the hydraulic excavators increase, their absolute output increases, while their specific output per 1 m³ of the bucket capacity decreases. Accordingly, the efficiency of excavating a block using excavators with smaller bucket capacities will be higher than when using excavators with larger bucket capacities, provided that the total bucket capacity of all the excavators being compared is equal. For a number of ore and coal deposits, the proposed engineering solution allows for flexible control of the open-pit output, the range of commercial products and services, as well as the quality and volume of the reserves involved in mining, even in conditions of changing external and internal factors.
Keywords: efficiency of excavating an open-pit block, open-pit working area, bench height, highwall slope angle, equipment concentration, hydraulic excavator, excavator bucket capacity, open-pit mine output, quality of mined raw materials
For citation: Zalyadnov Vadim Yu., Gavrishev Sergey E., Zyryanov Igor V. An approach to ensuring sustainable operation of mining companies by adapting parameters of the mining system to changing external and internal factors. Mining Industry Journal (Gornaya Promyshlennost). 2026;(5):244–250. https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2026-5-244-250
Article info
Received: 22.05.2026
Revised: 06.07.2026
Accepted: 15.07.2026
Authors info
Zalyadnov Vadim Yu. – Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, Mining Department, Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, Magnitogorsk, Russian Federation; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gavrishev Sergey E. – Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, Head of the Mining Department, Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, Magnitogorsk, Russian Federation, Magnitogorsk, Russian Federation; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Zyryanov Igor V. – Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, Department of Mining Engineering, Mirny Polytechnic Institute (branch) of North-Eastern Federal University, Mirny, Russian Federation; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2943-0138; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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