At Mátrai’s Bükkábrány mine in Hungary, the world’s largest compact bucket-wheel excavator, Sandvik PE100, extracts lignite with an annual capacity of around 12 million cubic metres. Simon Csaba, maintenance department chief at Mátrai, fondly remembers the excavator arriving on site.

Why did you choose to work in the mining industry?
Ever since my childhood I’ve been fascinated by mechanics. That’s the reason I chose a technical direction both in secondary technical school and at university. I had the fortune to do my university summer training here in the Bükkábrány mine. It was a very positive experience, and there was never any question of where I wanted to work when I finished my studies.

What are your responsibilIties at the mine?
I’m chief of the maintenance department at Mátrai’s Bükkábrány lignite mine. It’s my job to oversee the operation and the maintenance of all the machines in this mine. I’m also responsible for establishing new acquisitions on site.

What kind of relationship do you have with Sandvik?
I first met Sandvik as a project leader when we bought two Sandvik machines for the Bükkábrány mine in 2007. We installed a Sandvik PE100, the world’s largest compact bucket-wheel excavator, and a PB100 beltwagon. Since then it’s been an ongoing partnership.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
It’s surprisingly varied. Every day brings fresh challenges, although some of the work is routine. In my line of work I get to meet an interesting mix of companies and people. My colleagues are highly skilled, and I’ve made a lot of friends.

Photo: Måns Berg