A 20-tonne SDLG L968F wheel loader is spearheading a new coal mining operation run by the Yurtsever Group in the foothills of the Ilgaz mountain range, 60 km south of the Black Sea town of Kastamonu in Turkey.

The machine, which was supplied by Turkish SDLG dealer Ascendum Makina last August, is busy clearing overburden and shifting the 50 tonne of coal produced every day at the 4,000 sq m site.

Having commenced operations on the site in May 2016, the Group has so far only established a relatively small-scale coal mining operation. However, production is expected to grow six-fold within the next 12 months, as site Director Mehmet Aydas explains.

?On this site, which sits at about 900 m above sea level, we have both open cast and underground mining possibilities,? he says. ?So far production has only been from the vein of coal underground as we are still preparing the open cast pit; this will come on line after the winter.?

The best machine for the task
?We?re using the SDLG L968F wheel loader to clear overburden from the open pit as well as handle the coal that?s coming up from 50 m underground,? says Aydas. ?Despite the varied workloads and different demands placed on the machine, it has not missed a beat and we?re very happy with the decision to turn to SDLG. The machine and support we?ve had from the dealer has been 100 per cent.?

The L968F, which is fitted with a 3.6 cu m capacity SDLG rock bucket, boasts Z-bar linkage offering up to 210 kN of breakout force, which Aydas believes is more than enough to get the job done.

Furthermore, the 20 tonne class wheel loader is fitted with SDLG?s VRT200 rigid-axle transmission converter and synchronised four-speed transmission, which has been developed to enhance stability, traction, reliability and efficiency. When this is combined with the machine?s 191 kW engine, it can drive up inclines of up to 28?. This feature is much appreciated by Aydas considering the mountainous landscape in which the mine is set. ?What?s more, when it comes to stopping, the hydraulic wet disc brakes have proved equally effective and reliable,? he adds.

Versatility in extreme conditions
During summer, the region sees temperature of over 30?C, while in the winter it can drop to below -25?C. ?We have up to five months of snow, and sometimes it can reach depths of over 75 cm, so as well as handling production, the L968F is also tasked with snow clearing duties,? says Aydas. ?What we?ve seen since taking delivery of this machine is that it clearly has the capabilities and reliability to keep production going whatever the weather throws at us.?

Business as usual Regardless of the time of year or ground conditions, regular duties for the L968F wheel loader include loading trucks and feeding the hopper for the sorting plant. ?We sort the extracted coal into dust: lumps between 12-25 mm and lumps between 25-80 mm,? explains Aydas.

?While our whole output is used for generating commercial power at various companies within a 200 km radius, our customers have different requirements so we sort on site to maximise efficiency and quality.? Coal mined by the Yurtsever Group is already powering the likes of a salt factory, a wheel manufacturer?s plant and a brick factory. As production capacity increases, the list is sure to grow.