RESEARCH PROJECTS

-    Science & Research projects in energy sector in Macedonia:

• Studies and Main projects (energy and mechanical part) for open mines and thermo power plant Bitola and Oslomej;
• Studies and Main projects for heating district systems;
• Power Increasing of the turbo sets TPP Bitola (from 210 to 225 MW);
• Reconstruction of condensing turbo set in OHIS to back-pressure regime;
• Over 50th studies for diagnostic of problems on equipment in TPP;
• Studies and Main projects for usage of high and low temperature sources;
• Studies and main projects for briquetting plants for Macedonian lignites;
• Study for revitalisation of TPP Negotino and usage as power supplier for greenhouse production;
• Study for usage of wind energy in Macedonia;
• Studies and Main projects for open mines for thermo-power plant Bitola and Oslomej;
• Main project for transportation equipment in open pit of  TPP Oslomej;
• Studies and Main projects for open mines in Macedonia;
• Feasibility studies and projects in collaboration with foreign companies;
• Over 50th studies for determination of problems in energetic and mines.

Intensive scientific-research studies have been undertaken in the last few years in order to develop a complex continual extraction technology by application of semi stationary and mobile crushers in the field of hard metal deposits, especially the perspective cooper deposits.
Preliminary studies on information obtained from many projects from the past period have been completed in order to establish design criteria for new mine development project and expansion of existing pits. In addition, a feasibility study on the collected information for some current mining operations has been carried out, too. The particularly good results have been accomplished in the co-operation with some open pit mines and other mining organisations in the Republic.
For instance, at the Suvodol coal mine and Bitola Thermo Power Plant a part of the project for 4 million tons  (6 million tons in the second phase) has been completed. A modern extraction technology applying continuous mining by bucket wheel Excavator-belt conveyor system, including spreaders, was designed.
The Institute’s consultants, together with the Suvodol mining staff were assigned in order to solve the problems and find solutions on some current extraction technology difficulties as:

• to carry out systematic analysis and define the optimal micro technology parameters on block extraction by DPs 2000 dragline in order to improve the bench stability and accomplish the optimal techno-economical effects,
• to estimate again the additional technical data in order to determine the basic mining and technological parameters that would outline the northern boundary of the open pit,
• to estimate again technical criteria in order to introduce new modern technological phases by application of drilling and blasting operations for fragmentation of very hard rocks on the mine overburden. These, from one side would reduce the shutdown of the basic equipment and would increase the production capacity and economical effects, from the other side.

            For the Oslomej coal mine at Kichevo a part of mine development project with an annual production of 1 200 000 tons of coal has been completed and the mine put into production.
A particular attachment in co-operation with the Oslomej mine staff was given to a further extension of the mine capacity by a coal reserves increase project that would provide and extend the Oslomej mine and thermo power plant life.
An extension of coal extraction operations towards north is expected by adding to the Oslomej coal mine the new discovered small coal deposits at Popovjani and Stragomishte.
In addition, the consultants of this Department have assigned to prepare feasibility studies for smaller mine coal deposits such as Berovo and Piskupshtina with 80 000 to 100 000 tons of coal annually. Each has provided and increased the energy potential of the Republic and satisfied the increasing demand of energy by the industry and other small consumers.
In the last few years, the Institute staff was assigned to undertake a complex study in order to estimate the feasibility of a few newly discovered coal deposits at Delchevo, Berovo, Istevnik-Pancharevo in the Eastern part of the Republic. The goal of this research is to define the optimal method for opening these deposits and rational utility of the extracted coal.
The involving of Department for Surface Exploitation had a particular meaning in opening and exploitation beginning of open pit Rzhanovo with projected ore capacity of 1 100 000 t/y.
In the period from 1978 to 1979 was carried out the Feasibility study and main projects. In 1994 was prepared the additional mining project, for K.750, which grows the exploitation period of the deposit. In this moment was carried out the investigation and project works with aim to consider the possibilities to exchange the existing conventional truck haulage of overburden with combined haulage with trucks and conveyors.
In the period 1991-1992 the investigation activities carried out in collaboration with Bureau of Mines (BUMINGS - USA) had a particular meaning. These activities was carried out on the field of investigation for usage of combined haulage technologies in deep open pits with hard ores (open pits Rzhanovo, open pit Buchim and others), under a name “ Possibilities for introduction of complex technology for continuous transportation in deep surface open pits exploitation for hard ores”.
The co-operation on the Buchim cooper project was mainly conducted in the stage of development by preparation of some technical phases of the mine development. When the mine was put into production, the co-operation was directed towards the evaluation of some additional extractive methods. In addition, a feasibility study was conducted on the Vrshnik cooper ore body, which provided the increase of exploitation of the ore reserves. Similarly, a feasibility study was conducted on the small cooper deposits at Bunarjik and Borov Dol, including activities carried out on the cooper mine expansion possibilities, even on small lower cooper grade deposits characterised by complex geological and mining conditions for extraction.
The extraction of lower grade cooper deposits may be rational only by introduction of new extractive methods such as continuous mining technology applying semi-stationary and mobile crusher and belt conveyor systems.
Assignments ware also undertaken on Usje cement open pit mine, at Skopje, with a annual production of 1 200 000 tons of marl. In fact the old conventional extraction method was gradually modified by introduction of new modern mining equipment with rippers and high capacity bulldozers.
In addition, primary crushing is carried out on the benches while the old conventional system for material transportation from mine to the factory was carried with conveyor system.
In the field of non-metallic mineral extraction, which include marble, limestone, clay, sand, etc., new extraction technologies were introduces also. The Institute has established a successful co-operation with Usje Cement factory at Skopje, Crvena Dzvezda factory at Pehchevo and Kiro Kjuchuk factory at Veles.

            Surely there are certain possibilities for applying these technologies on some of the large surface mine pits in Republic of Macedonia.