
For the first time Uralkali has celebrated the Miner’s Day as a consolidated company.
46 employees of the consolidated company Uralkali received high professional awards. Two employees of Uralkali - Vladimir Skorobogatov and Alexey Ovsyannikov – were honoured with titles “Honourable Miner”. Three mining machine operators – Nikolay Gladkikh, Alexey Kovalev and Vladimir Doshchennikov – became full cavaliers of the highest miner's award – Order of "Miner's Glory”. 19 miners and mine constructor were awarded with “Miner's Glory” of the II and III degrees. 22 more employees received Certificates of Honour and Letters of Gratitude of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation. Awards were distributed on a gala party, and the performance of the TV-project “People’s Artist” finalist Marina Devyatova became a gift for miners.
Just before the Miner’s Day the results of a professional skill competition among the teams of mining machine operators were drawn. Ten teams from five mines of the company in the cities of Solikamsk and Berezniki were declared winners. A total of 140 miners took part in the professional skill competition. Winners and the best employees were honoured during celebrations in the “Uralskiye Samotsvety” country resort. Miners celebrated in the recreated atmosphere of a national Park for Recreation and Leisure of the middle of the XX century, they recollected those years' favorite entertainments and songs. Sportsmen of “The Athletes of Russia” Federation prepared special exhibition performances for miners.
Mining traditions of Uralkali are set up by veterans. There were miner's parties in the Councils of Veterans of every mining operation, and gala celebrating of the Miner’s Day for veteran miners took place in “Uralskoye Razdolye” country resort.
Eugeny Kotlyar, Director of Operation of OJSC "Uralkali":
The Miner’s Day is one of Uralkali's major professional holidays. More than five thousand people work underground extracting ore, delivering miners to underground sites, servicing mining equipment. Underground miners are our “golden reserve”. Five mines of the merged company ensure reliable supplies of ore to seven processing plants. Potash fertiliser output depends on mined ore tonnages. Over 20 million tonnes of ore was mined in Berezniki and Solikamsk mines in H1 2011 only. New targets are in front of us. I am sure that the most challenging production targets are well within the range of combined Uralkali's miners.