Together with JSC "Kuzbasskaya Toplivnaya Company" driver of BelaAZ -75306 Alexander Vereshchagin from the very beginning. He remembers how from a small workers' tent camp grew an entire "coal mining" city, with four sites, two enrichment plants and repair and production buildings.
The driver of the giant dump truck has dedicated a huge part of his life to coal mining at the Vinogradovsky open pit, and this is worthy of deep respect. For driver Alexander Vereshchagin, BelAZ is not just a vehicle, but a loyal assistant.
In his youth, the miner dreamed of taking part in the opening of a new coal mine. And that's almost what happened. Having become one of the first employees of the enterprise, Alexander, as a driver of a BelAZ quarry dump truck, over the course of 25 years observed the formation of a powerful coal mining enterprise in the "Karakan" expanses.
"In the first days of the mine, there was a small booth with one door and a window in the middle of the clearing. There were four BelAZ trucks, an excavator, a bulldozer and a water heater to wash the cars. Strangers gathered: drivers of special equipment and a mining foreman, they did not know each other. But from that moment on, they became like one family, because in the field, mutual assistance and support are the most important thing.
While there was no laundry, one of my colleagues came up with a way to wash dirty vests. We tied dirty clothes to a wire on the bushes and dipped them into the local river. Splashing around in the stream, the clothes were washed to such an extent that no powder was needed!"
The driver says that there were no technical roads at the very beginning, so the first overburden was transported off-road on a 40-ton truck: "It was a bit scary, because the machine was new to me to operate. But I gradually adapted. And the conditions began to improve. One of the mechanics got hold of a military tent somewhere.
They installed a small lathe and a potbelly stove inside, and an improvised repair base was created. After some time, the first repair bay was built, then the second. Then they built the administrative complex building. New equipment was constantly purchased. That is how the production grew."
Over these 25 years, Alexander Vereshchagin has experienced many different events, but the thought of leaving for another enterprise has never occurred to him.
"I was lucky with the team from the very beginning," reflects BelAZist, "there have always been understanding and caring people in the brigade, and I myself don't see any point in running "back and forth. I remember the times when the prestige of our enterprise thundered throughout the region and those wishing to get a job at our Vinogradovsky open pit literally lined up in a huge queue on the street.”
The BelaAZ driver speaks with great respect about the former director of the mine, Igor Nikolaevich Mikheev, who headed the open pit mine for more than 10 years and now heads the prospective development service at the company. "A really good manager, who you could turn to on an urgent issue literally around the clock. I can talk to people in the same language as my employees. A real man!"
Aleksandr has been working on a 220-ton BelAZ for over ten years: "I've been driving this machine for six years. Before that, I drove another one for about seven years. Of course, over time you get used to the equipment as if it were your own, because we live here most of our lives. The BelAZ cabin is like a second home."
Alexander notes: for the work to go smoothly, it is important to ensure that all the characteristics of the transport are in optimal condition. Attention to detail and careful handling are the secret to the long service life of BelAZ.
"No matter how good the equipment and components are, a lot depends on the driver. You can use even "golden" tires, but they can be ruined in a couple of days. The tire pressure must be within the normal range and not lower. Now digital devices help us control all parameters: sensors, cameras, control panels... The equipment itself tells me where the fault is. If I can fix it myself, I stop right away, fix it, and tell the dispatcher. And if it's a serious matter, I call in the mechanics. In general, BelAZs are now convenient dump trucks: stable and easy to operate."
The equipment itself tells me where the fault is. If I can fix it myself, I stop right away, fix it, and tell the dispatcher. And if it's a serious matter, I call in the mechanics. In general, BelAZs are now convenient dump trucks: stable and easy to operate."
The old-timer of the enterprise did not recall any special mining signs and rituals for all miners, but he himself adheres to a small tradition: "When I go to work, I always put on my shoes strictly from the left foot. First the left boot, then the right one, and only then do I leave the house. Why is that?! I just decided that it was a good tradition."
Alexander is the successor of a strong mining dynasty: his father and grandfather were excavator operators, his brothers were also miners. Therefore, it is not surprising that his son also became a miner:
"My son first graduated from the Prokopyevsk Mining College, then from a branch of the Moscow University, also in the mining specialty. But after receiving his diplomas, he went to work as an excavator operator. And he has been working as one to this day, for 19 years now. By the way, he became a prize winner in a professional skills competition. Everything is going well in the profession!"
By the way, the 25th anniversary of the Company is not the only anniversary in Alexander's life. This year he and his wife will celebrate 40 years of marriage. It is safe to say that thoroughness in life choices and reliability of personality are significant character traits of a miner.
Alexander believes that the mining profession in Kuzbass is still a reliable business. Therefore, on the quarter-century anniversary of the enterprise, Alexander wishes all colleagues more reasons to be happy about work, so that each open-pit worker goes to work with a calm heart and "burning" eyes.
