A lignite excavator weighing several hundred tons crossed a main road in the district of Leipzig this morning. The mining company Mibrag was moving the large machine from the Schleenhain mining field to the Peres mining field, where the bucket wheel excavator will be used for coal extraction in the future. Everything went smoothly, said spokesman Ingo Köcher. The B176 between Großstolpen and Neukieritzsch was fully closed for the careful drive along the main road. According to Mibrag, the 18-metre high excavator weighs 940 tons. To prevent damage to the road surface, the road was protected with rubber mats and a thick layer of earth. Mibrag will then hand the road back swept clean, said Köcher. The closure will be lifted at 6.00 a.m. on Thursday morning. The excavator will be on the road for a few more days until it reaches its final position in the open-cast mine.
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