Liebherr R 9350 E Electric Excavator Joins Assarel-Medet’s Copper Mine Fleet in Bulgaria

On 24 March, an R 9350 E was delivered to the Assarel copper mine in Bulgaria’s Pazardzhik province, for Assarel-Medet, Bulgaria’s first and largest copper mining company. The Liebherr electric excavator in the 300-tonne class is the fifth unit supplied by Liebherr-Export and Alki-L, Liebherr’s exclusive representative in Bulgaria.

The representatives of Alki-L, Liebherr-Export and Assarel-Medet on 20 April 2026 in Colmar, France, attended the handover ceremony for the R 9350 E in face shovel configuration. Following a blessing for good health by Stavrophore Archpriest Atanas Manolov, vicar of the Panagyurishte Diocese, and Priest Angel Zhelyazkov, Assarel-Medet executive director Nikolay Peltekov, and Alki-L manager Krasimira Tzaneva broke the customary champagne bottle against the R 9350 E’s bucket.

Electric power for large-scale mining 

The R 9350 E was selected by Assarel-Medet for its operations at Assarel because it emits zero greenhouse gases during operation while supporting productivity, durability and easier maintenance.

“We continue to implement modern mining equipment from leading global manufacturers to ensure our sustainable development through higher production efficiency and workplace safety. I congratulate our colleagues at Assarel mine who have the pleasure of working with the new machine, and I thank everyone who contributed to the success of this investment.”

Said Peltekov, Executive Director of Assarel-Medet

The R 9350 E runs on a 1,200 kW electric motor, which reduces vibration and noise, supports longer life for key components, and maintains strong efficiency in extreme temperatures. The manufacturer also states that the motor is designed to last for the machine’s entire lifespan, helping reduce operating and maintenance costs.

“This 300-tonne machine is a symbol of not only technical excellence – thanks to Liebherr’s dedication to continuous improvement – but also of the long-standing cooperation between Liebherr and Assarel-Medet. In recent years, the world has faced numerous challenges, and the fact that we can all come together like this shows how important a good partnership between companies is.”

Stated Raphael Goeppel, Liebherr-Export’s general manager for earthmoving and mining equipment

The face shovel is fitted with a custom 17 m³ bucket, sized to maximise productivity in material loading at the Assarel mine.

Together for more than 30 years

Cooperation between Assarel-Medet, Alki-L and Liebherr-Export began more than three decades ago, in 1993, when Assarel-Medet took delivery of its first Liebherr unit, an L 506 wheel loader, for work at the Assarel mine in the Sredna Gora mountains. The fleet has since expanded to 28 machines, ranging from wheel loaders and dozers to wheeled excavators, a specialised tracked machine for welding work, and large mining excavators powered by diesel or electricity. Thanks to Alki-L’s service support and its mine and central repair operations, several units have exceeded 130,000 operating hours and remain productive.

“Delivering this R 9350 E is not just a business achievement; it is a reflection of the exceptional relationship we have built with Alki-L and Assarel-Medet over time. When partners genuinely work together with a common goal, great things happen. We are incredibly proud of this moment and truly excited about everything the future holds for our collaboration”

Added Goeppel

The R 9350 E strengthens Assarel-Medet’s electrified loading fleet and extends its long-running cooperation with Liebherr and Alki-L.

Liebherr R 9350 E Electric Excavator Joins Assarel-Medet’s Copper Mine Fleet in Bulgaria published on The HeavyQuip Magazine.