Heavy-lift freighter operator Antonov Airlines has carried 40 tonnes of mining equipment from France to Argentina via Brazil.

Cargo included a large semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) mill head, which was split into four parts sections and transported on an AN-124-100 chartered by Dynami Aviation.

Antonov Airlines said the aircraft type was selected for the operation because it can accommodate more than 700 cubic metres of “unusually shaped cargo”.

Additionally, it responded quickly to ensure the flight met a “strict deadline”, allowing operations at the mine to continue as normal.

Olha Danylova, commercial executive at Antonov Airlines, commented: “The four pieces of cargo were loaded and unloaded using the AN-124-100’s onboard cranes and will be used in the creation of new tunnels at a mine near to Comodoro Rivadavia.

“We thank our esteemed partner Dynami Aviation for its professionalism and dedicated team which always contribute to a successful transportation.”

Jérémy Sigaul, operations manager at Dynami Aviation, added: “Airfreight was the only way to safely transport this mining equipment and remain within the customer’s timeframe to limit any impacts on mining operations.”

Antonov Airlines said it has seen an increase in demand for charters for mining projects in 2021.

This year, it has completed three flights — carrying mining equipment weighing 370 tonnes — from Australia to Latin America in March, as well as two flights — carrying a sum of 216 tonnes — from Turkey to Burkina Faso and Liberia in April.

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