December 2013

DECEMBER 2013 Informed and in-depth editorial on the world mining industry www.im-mining.com MINING TYRES ITALIAN TECHNOLOGY REMOTE MINES DRIVES AND CONTROLS OPERATION FOCUS: JSW Zofiowka Intelligence is the big differenced The key to success can be found in the relentless quest to enhance production efficiency while ensuring the best approach to health, safety and the environment. Our unique combination of equipment, services and intelligence ensures success for our customers in the mining, construction, oil and gas, pulp and paper, and other process industries. Our focus is on constant development – on more intelligent solutions that make a big difference. Discover more at www.metso.com Metso Intelligence_FullPg_International Mining.indd 1 10/14/2013 11:29:33 AM CONTENTS DECEMBER 2013 AROUND THE WORLD 3 The Leader 4 World Prospects 59 Classifieds 60 Forthcoming events DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 1 COVER: Stellar Industries The first Stellar® TM20165 was recently put into service in an open pit coal mine in the southwest of the US. The Stellar TM20165 is the world's largest truck- mounted OTR tyre manipulator. Capable of handling tyre and rim combinations weighing up to 20,000 lbs, it has over 24 ft of reach capability, and at this reach it has the capacity to mount and dismount outside as well as inside duals without repositioning the tyre manipulator truck. This feature is first of its kind. The TM20165 has a clamping span of 44 in up to 165 in, with continuous manipulator pad rotation and 315° body rotation. www.stellarindustries.com 10 OPERATION FOCUS: JSW Zofiowka Paul Moore visited the Borynia-Zofiowka-Jastrzebie mining complex near Rybnik in Upper Silesia, where owner JSW is well advanced in ensuring the supply of hard coking coal for the next 30 years of production. 16 DRIVES AND CONTROLS Robert Pell looks at the developments in drives and controls for mining equipment and recent installations. 24 OPTIMINE Paul Moore attended the second Optimine forum at the operations of KWSA Bobrek-Centrum mine in Bytom, Poland, to hear about how new technologies are being applied in underground coal mining. 26 HALL OF FAME NOMINATIONS II In the second of a two part article, John Chadwick outlines the story behind more of the shortlisted nominations to the International Mining Technology Hall of Fame. 32 ROCK TOOLS Robert Pell takes a snapshot of how developments in rock tools are leading to improved drilling productivity and accuracy. 36 REMOTE MINING The right approach to logistics, infrastructure and power is vital to the success of setting up remote mining operations, reports Paul Moore. 42 MINING TYRES Paul Moore reports that on the whole, the market for large mining tyres is mixed, with increased availability of larger sizes and lower spot market prices. Maintenance and service is another key area, with a lot of new products increasing efficiencies. 50 ITALIAN TECHNOLOGY Italian mining is mainly industrial minerals, being significant globally in feldspar (24% of world output), pumice (18%), gypsum (3%), bentonite (2%), lime (2%), and cement (1%). Its industrial sector accounts for about 24% of the GDP and includes some important suppliers to the mining industry, reports John Chadwick. 56 HIGH PROFILE – BIA OVERSEAS Paul Moore spoke to Eric Perben, General Manager at BIA Overseas, about its unique experience in supplying and supporting mining equipment in West and Central Africa. DECEMBER 2013 Informed and in-depth editorial on the world mining industry www.im-mining.com MINING TYRES ITALIAN TECHNOLOGY REMOTE MINESNEW HORIZONSDRIVES ANDCONTROLS OPERATION FOCUS:JSW Zofiowka 10 72 16 36 42 56 50 32 T urquoise Hill Resources, the Rio Tinto- controlled 66% owner of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold project in Mongolia, recently provided a status update relating to discussions with the Government of Mongolia, as well as the timing and availability of project financing. While progress has been made in continuing discussions, it is still not entirely clear when the wider underground project will be approved or when the expansion feasibility study will be finalised. The statement said: “All parties are working together to resolve all remaining issues, including the sharing of economic value from the project, clarification of initial development and construction costs, access to water, and the timing, completion and Oyu Tolgoi LLC shareholder approval of the feasibility study for the expansion of operations.” Given the delays, the company is also looking to raise another $2.4 billion from a rights offering, which is required to repay a bridging loan as well as maintaining other interim funding agreements with Rio Tinto. The government owns 34% of the project and has said parliamentary approval will be needed for further financing, meaning the final project finance plan will not be completed in 2013. On the plus side, work continues on the optimisation of the underground mine design and construction plan and finalisation of the feasibility study. Progress on the surface mining operations has been consistent. The Oyu Tolgoi concentrator has been achieving a throughput capacity of above 95% of during the third quarter of 2013 and is now operating at nameplate capacity of approximately 100,000 t/d. The surface operations continue to ramp up and are now expected to produce between 72,000 and 77,000 t of copper concentrate for 2013. In addition, by the end of 2013, Oyu Tolgoi expects 90% of its employees will be Mongolian nationals in line with investment agreement requirements. For some juniors active in the country, it is back to square one, after the government earlier annulled 106 exploration licences as part of a corruption investigation into former government officials accused of illegally issuing them in 2008 and 2009. It has been estimated that the move will hit 11 foreign and 67 domestic exploration companies. One of those affected is Kincora Copper, through the licences for its North Fox and Tourmaline Hills projects, though its flagship Bronze Fox licence is unaffected. For its part, the government regards progress with mining as steady, particularly with regard to discussions relating to a new Minerals Law, and its own flexibility in working with industry. In an interview with Elite Special Sections recently, Altangerel Bulgaa, the Ambassador to the US for Mongolia said of the changes to the regulatory and legislative framework for mining investment in the country: “In May 2012, the Parliament enacted Strategic Entities Foreign Investment Law (SEFIL) with the aim of tightening regulations regarding foreign participation in strategic sectors such as mining, banking and finance, media and telecommunications. Under the SEFIL, parliamentary approval was required, if the shareholding by a private foreign direct investor in a business entities operating in sectors of strategic importance exceeds 49% and the investment at the time is greater than 100 billion MNT [Mongolian Tugriks, equates to about $75 million]…the law was heavily criticised by investors and seen as one of the key factors in a fall in foreign investment in Mongolia. Therefore, the government proposed to amend the law in order to make foreign direct investment more transparent and simple. In April, the Parliament amended the law so that the threshold of 100 billion MNT has been removed. Also, privately-owned foreign companies are exempt from the scope of the law and only foreign state-owned entities need the Parliament’s approval for purchases of stakes of more than 49% of entities in sectors of strategic importance.” He added that in order to reduce the negative effects of the rapid growth in the mining industry on environment, the government is discussing adopting a new Minerals Law. A draft of the new mineral law has been initiated by the President of Mongolia and is now available for public consideration. Bulgaa concluded: “I know there have been concerns over the law and draft laws regarding foreign investment and in particular the mining sector. Some investors have raised concerns over Mongolia’s position on the Oyu Tolgoi project…but I am an optimistic person and there is nothing to worry about with regard to the investment environment in Mongolia. We maintain a strong democratic society with a readiness and capability to discuss any issue with our partners, and we will not take steps back – instead we look forward to a bright future and prosperity with the involvement of our foreign partners.” Paul Moore Editor [email protected] Publisher John Chadwick B.Sc. Min Eng Email: [email protected] Editor Paul Moore B.Sc (Hons), M.Sc. Email: [email protected] Assistant Editor Robert Pell B.Sc. (Hons) Email: [email protected] Editorial Board Professor Malcolm Scoble Robert E. Hallbauer Chair in Mining Engineering., University of BC, Vancouver Jeff Roschyk Vice President – Service, P&H Mining, USA Peter Knights BMA Chair & Prof. of Mining Engineering University of Queensland Stephen Stone West One Management Perth, Western Australia Dr. Andrew M. Robertson President, Robertson GeoConsultants Vancouver, Canada. Ed McCord Project Consultant Caterpillar Global Mining, USA Jason Nitz Mining Engineer Dr Terry Mudder Managing Director, TIMES Ltd, USA Simon Tarbutt Consultant, Santiago, Chile Dr. Mike Daniel Comminution Process Consultant CMD Consulting Pty Ltd Editorial Enquiries: Tel: +44 (0)1442 870 829 Fax +44 (0)1442 870 617 Advertising Sales: Phil Playle Email: [email protected] +44 1442 87 77 77 Advertising Production Lynne Lane Email: [email protected] Publishing Consultant Robin Peach Design & Production Trevor Sheldon Email: [email protected] Website: www.im-mining.com Annual Subscription Enquiries: Emma Smith Email: [email protected] Annual Subscription UK and Europe £160, €230 Rest of the world US$270 International Mining (ISSN No: 1747-146X) is published monthly by Team Publishing Ltd, GBR and is distributed in the USA by Asendia USA, 17B South Middlesex Avenue, Monroe NJ 08831 and additional mailing offices. Periodicals postage paid at New Brunswick NJ. POSTMASTER: send address changes to International Mining, 17B South Middlesex Avenue, Monroe NJ 08831 Printed by The Manson Group, St Albans © Team Publishing Ltd 2013 ISSN 1747 -146X DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 3 IM uses, as preference, SI units throughout, so, for example, all tonnes are metric unless otherwise stated. All dollars are US unless otherwise stated THE LEADER VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 12 Mongolia matters WORLD PROSPECTS 4 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 G E Mining launched new underground mining equipment at the China Coal & Mining Expo 2013 in Beijing in October. CEO Geoff Knox said the new technologies are providing innovative solutions to take mine operational performance to the next level, address environmental issues while driving economic growth. “China Coal was a successful show for GE Mining, everything we wanted people to be interested in, they were.” On display was GE’s Industrea LHD loader, a safe, purpose built vehicle with best practice ergonomic designs. The operator’s cabin can significantly reduce the risk of occupational working injury and increases operator visibility, combined with the advanced motion control. The LHD features a centre mount adjustable height cabin with a swivel seat to allow the operator to face the direction of travel and access to the cabin outside of the articulation zone, which greatly improves operator safety as compared with the traditional loader. Designed with multiple implement functionalities the unit has increased towing, lifting and carrying capacities. Its Tier 3 diesel engine system also minimises emissions in the confines of underground coal mines. “At GE Mining we are committed to delivering safe and productivity-enhancing mining equipment to our customers and addressing their needs under the most challenging environments,” Knox said. Also on show was the company’s new continuous miner. Built for low seam mining the new F330 can selectivity cut and load low-ash coal on the first swing. Knox said the F330 continuous miner is built to improve productivity. “By having the ability to perform a full-faced centre cut that offers 40% more cutting per lift, GE’s Fairchild F330 increases productivity while optimising ventilation and safety,” Knox said. The F330 continuous miner is centre-placed with true wet head cutters allowing room for air to sweep across the face and dilute dust and methane. “Its unique double helix shearer allows mine operators to follow the coal seam and stay out of the rock by engaging in full seam or selective mining of cleaner coal,” GE Mining reports. “The result is lower out-of-seam dilutions under the harshest conditions, which reduces maintenance costs and improve our customers’ bottom line.” Also attracting interest at the Expo was GE Industrea’s drill guidance system (DGS) which has been developed for in-seam directional gas drainage, dewatering and exploration. The DGS is operated entirely using a touch screen and the uphole computer which automatically displays the screens relevant to the current operation, enabling the operator to quickly access the specific functions required. “DGS is an accurate and reliable survey tool with international results to back it up. Over 1,500,000 m has been drilled using DGS systems throughout the world, in countries including China, Australia, Russia, South Africa and Japan,” the company says. GE’s Durathon™ battery technology, also on display, features a number of benefits that make the technology faster, cleaner and better than traditional batteries, including at least 30% more operating range. “The battery is 25% smaller and 50% lighter than traditional batteries,” according to GE Mining. “It’s also safer as it does not release hydrogen or other flammable gasses during normal operation.” GE is implementing the technology in its new powered scoop which it says will provide greater tractive torque, increased tram speeds, less heating from electrical drive, reduced motor and cable maintenance costs and twice the battery life of traditional 128 v DC powered scoops. “It’s exciting to combine GE’s breadth of engineering, propulsion and motor leadership with its energy storage expertise to benefit the mining industry in a significant way,” Knox said. www.ge.com/mining GE Mining launches new underground equipment � A s more mines go underground, the introduction of a new ramp design tool in the GEMS Tunnel Design Module vastly simplifies the current ramp design process by eliminating many small repetitive tasks, rolling them into one easy step. Offering a more agile workflow, GEMS users will also benefit from the ability to make changes throughout the design process, removing the need to start again when changes are necessary. Additionally, the Ramp Design tool saves time by selecting the most commonly used ramp styles from a range of pre-configured templates, allowing rapid evaluation and scheduling of the resource, enabling quicker overall mine design. Additional new features include: � Regrade-a-line feature allows specified grade parameters to be preserved when moving lines or segments to new positions, � Gradient Smoothing removes the need to manually digitise incrementally changing segments with the ability to merge intersections with an existing tunnel centreline so that line segments transition smoothly � Quick view options (XY,YZ,XZ buttons) allow the user to quickly navigate to axis-oriented views. “The new tools in GEMS are great – especially the quick views, which provide a more flexible and intuitive way to view data. The new Ramp Design and Regrade-a-line tools are also very helpful in reducing the time it takes to create ramp designs," said Samuel Amoh, Mine Planning Engineer, Dundee Precious Metals. GEMS provides collaborative geology and mine planning capabilities that support cross- functional teams involved in exploration, modelling, mine design, long-term planning, and production scheduling. InSite 4.4 aims to advance reconciliation capabilities for mining operations. The company says “InSite delivers advanced reconciliation tools to analyse the variance between planned and actual production, helping mines improve their operational efficiency, lower costs and gain greater confidence in their production data, resulting in better planning decisions.” InSite 4.4 offers further advances for mine operations managers, engineers and geologists to quickly and effectively reconcile large quantities of production data. Enhancements to Shift Management, Central Monitoring and the new Inspect and Correct feature, focus on helping users overcome the challenge of identifying variances and improving the reliability and confidence in their data between planned and actual production. This latest release makes it easier to justify and implement changes to models, engineering assumptions or operational processes to make plans more accurate and achievable. Major software releases from Dassault Systèmes- Geovia InSite 4.4 and GEMS 6.6 GE Mining's new LHD The new continuous miner 6 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 WORLD PROSPECTS N ews just in that missed the deadline for last month’s flotation article is that FloLevel Technologies, an innovator of level measurement products, has launched a new self-cleaning acoustic level and flow analyser for flotation cells. The company says “this new technology accurately measures pulp/slurry interface and froth height, as well as froth density and froth flow rate, to provide valuable process feedback to the control system. The accuracy of the FloLevel system will optimise the mineral recovery in flotation cells and significantly cut costs.” The new FloLevel array transducers are not affected by colour, density, dielectric, or by the type of mineral they are recovering. They are self-cleaning and self-checking. The transducers emit extremely high powered acoustic sound pulses independently into the cell at low audible levels. The pulse amplitude is great enough to cause a phenomenon called “rarefaction”, which causes cavitation to be produced from the array transducer diaphragms as they pulse. The cavitation bubbles oscillate in front of the diaphragm, which cause implosions that generate high energy levels. “We have focused on developing products that can work in very tough mining environments. Flotation cells have a history of scale and soluble build-up issues on any device that is installed in the pulp/slurry, froth areas. The FloLevel array transducers use ‘active’ ultrasonic cleaning to remove soluble and insoluble scaling and build-up. This means they will work consistently and accurately providing instantaneous feedback on ore characteristic changes”, says Robert Stirling, Owner and inventor of FloLevel Technologies. The system is easy to install from the top of the cell and easy to calibrate. It comes with an adjustable 316SS bracket, with flange mounting options and a colour display controller mounted in a stainless steel enclosure. It can be used for measurements in all types of cell, with depths greater than 6,000 mm and the resolution accuracy options available are 2, 15 and 25 mm. Various output capability options are available, like 4 x 4-20 Ma, Modbus, ProfiBus, Foundation FieldBus, DeviceNet, and Ethernet. www.flo-level.com Optimal mineral recovery in flotation cells “In order to improve data integrity and eliminate islands of information, Trafigura Mining Group (MATSA) implemented Geovia InSite. Timely, validated and correct production information is now available. Controlled reporting and data integration is automated and analysis of planned versus actual ore produced helps to ensure that the mine is operating within performance parameters. InSite introduces best reconciliation practises into our company allowing improvements to models, plans or processes, efficiency gains and improved product delivery,” stated Roberto Vargas, Advisor Mining Technical Solutions at MATSA. InSite 4.4 highlights include: � A new Inspect and Correct feature helps to uncover errors that may exist in operational data. Highly flexible and easy–to-use, the feature allows users to create various views of data and perform calculations on the different views to test the accuracy of the data and to make necessary corrections. � Updates to the Shift Management module enable users to more accurately manage the detailed plan for each shift by closely monitoring near real-time progress of the plan through new views of the shift data and make ongoing amendments, as needed. � Central Monitoring enhancements provide a new dimension for reconciliation by comparing the progress of operational activities against plan to quickly identify changes through an interactive map of the operation. www.gemcomsoftware.com InSite 4 4 Dando Drilling new wireline core and sonic drilling rigs D ando Drilling International, part of Energold Drilling, has launched a new wireline coring rig designed for exploration drilling to depths of 1,200 m and with a pullback capacity of 9,000 kgf. The compact and robust Dando Coretec 9000 has been specifically designed for deep wireline core drilling and it has the ability to collect quality core samples while operating on a small footprint. The machine combines a long stroke of 4 m with a traditional chuck and clamp arrangement enabling the rig to fill a 3 m core barrel in one pass. Managing Director of Dando Drilling International, Martin Fitch-Roy, explains: “The Coretec 9000 has been launched as a lightweight, compact and cost effective solution for core drilling to great depths in remote areas of limited space.” It features a small drilling footprint and is crawler track mounted as standard but also available on 4x4 truck, trailer, skid or customer's own support vehicle. Other features: � Mast dump to 45o � Arm mounted drilling control � On board flush pump � Hydraulic winch � High-torque high-speed rotary head with hydraulic side shift and tilt. Also, Dando has been collaborating with Sonic Drill Corporation to bring a brand new light, compact sonic drilling rig to the market. Sonic Drill, established for over 35 years, is a market leader in sonic drilling. Ray Roussy, President of Sonic Drilling is the patent holder and the developer of modern day sonic drilling and has been nominated for the International Mining Technology Hall of Fame – Exploration category. The new Sonic SDC375 machine, now available for purchase through Dando, features the Sonic drill head which, Dando says, “is unrivalled by other competitors for its performance and reliability. The SDC375, like all Dando rigs, is designed to be robust and reliable and also boasts a small footprint allowing it to operate in tight spaces as well as fit inside a standard sized container for easy transportation.” Sonic drilling boasts many advantages over conventional drilling including being faster, requiring less drilling fluid, continuous high quality coring and greatly reduced hole deviation. www.dando.co.uk Coretec 9000 Fluids for hard work Atlas Copco lubricants and greases – a cost-effective solution Today’s round-the-clock mining operations and shorter maintenance intervals require equipment to work harder and longer. To protect your equipment from accelerated component wear and failure, Atlas Copco offers high-quality, fit-for-purpose lubricants and greases. Our fluids are specially formulated to realize the increased volume and production speed that today’s mining equipment technologies can offer. Choose a cost-effective maintenance solution – choose Atlas Copco lubricants and greases. Learn more at www.atlascopco.com WORLD PROSPECTS 8 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 V olvo Construction Equipment’s F-Series Full Suspension articulated haulers are available with the company’s revolutionary On Board Weighing (OBW) technology. The OBW system provides customers with a new insight into machine productivity by providing previously inaccessible information such as the weight of carry-back left in the body after tipping. Fully automatic, the OBW system logs all transported loads and the ensuing data is then clearly presented on the operator’s display. The information can also be accessed remotely using Volvo’s advanced CareTrack telematics system. Any approved user with a CareTrack login can benefit from complete payload management with access to production data such as total transported load in tonnes, tonnes transported per litre of fuel and number of cycles. The easy-to- understand daily, weekly and monthly reports help to optimise performance. By measuring the number of cycles, total mass moved and load efficiency, the site manager can compare and improve operator performance and productivity through training. This information also makes it easy for mining customers to keep track of job specific targets and helps when planning future projects. OBW-equipped haulers are fitted with a load indicator light mounted outside the machine. The light is clearly visible to the operator of the wheel loader or excavator loading the hauler. A yellow light comes on when at part load, this changes to green at nominal load and finally turns red when overloaded. This simple tool increases safety by helping to prevent overloading and the machine wear, tyre damage and excess fuel consumption that go with it. The function also helps to prevent the machine from being operated with too small a load – ensuring maximum productivity and fuel efficiency. The nominal load can be preset to suit material and site requirements. Also now available from Volvo, the Full Suspension system, now available on the A35 and A40, increases operator comfort but also allows the hauler to be driven safely faster – this also increases productivity. The system monitors the input of weight on the hauler from data transmitted by the pressure sensors that form part of the Full Suspension system. This information is relayed to load software integrated into the machine’s electronics. Algorithms in the software help to provide an exceptional level of accuracy. The system is fully hydraulic. Instead of standard bogie beams, rubber springs and shock absorbers, six hydraulic cylinders – one for each wheel – connect the machine’s frame and wheel axles. The cylinders move independently of each other, increasing machine stability on rough haul roads. The cylinders are connected to accumulators which are the ‘spring’ part of the system that generate the suspension action. This increases operator comfort, allowing the hauler to be driven safely faster – thereby increasing productivity. Volvo CE studies have proven that during the empty part of the haul cycle, a Full Suspension hauler can be operated at more than double the speed of a standard hauler while still maintaining the same level of comfort. Mining customers can reduce the number of machines and operators in their fleet while still maintaining the same production rate. Volvo CE’s Full Suspension haulers deliver a smooth and steady performance when operating both with and without a load. This is achieved through two low and two high pressure accumulators which are connected to cylinders on the trailer unit. When the machine is driven empty, the low pressure accumulators provide suspension. When the machine is driven loaded, the low pressure accumulators bottom out and suspension is provided by the high pressure accumulators. On both the trailer and the tractor unit, the cylinders’ plus sides on one side are connected to the minus sides on the opposite side. This provides the machine with exceptional stability. Another aspect of Volvo CE’s Full Suspension system is the automatic levelling function. Six level sensors – two on each A-frame – monitor the frame in relation to the axles and signal the hydraulic system to adjust the suspension. This optimises stability and keeps the machine level regardless of the load. www.volvoce.com Volvo on-board weighing technology Another ThyssenKrupp fully mobile IPCC system commissioned O n September 17, 2013, Baiyinhua Coal held the official ceremony to celebrate the putting into operation of the first of four fully mobile IPCC systems at the Baiyinhua coal field. This first system is being used to remove overburden with a nominal capacity of 6,000 t/h and comprises a crawler-mounted crusher (MC 6000), a mobile conveyor bridge and a hopper car with cable reel car. The equipment is designed to operate under extreme climatic conditions as temperatures fall to -40°C in winter. A large Bucyrus (Caterpillar) 495HD rope shovel with a capacity of 50 m3feeds the hopper of the crushing plant, which is equipped with a double-roll crusher. After crushing, the material is continuously transported with belt conveyors, eliminating the need for conventional truck transport. “Application of this advanced mining equipment shall generate Baiyinhua Coal Corporation a long term economic benefit, promoting the development of coal production,” Liu Yi, Deputy GM of Mengdong Energy, pointed out in his speech at the ceremony. It is planned that the other three crushing systems will be put into operation before 2015. Two of them will also be used to remove overburden with a capacity of 6,000 t/h each. One crushing system with a capacity of 3,000 t/h will be used for coal mining. ThyssenKrupp is responsible for the design, engineering and construction of all four crushing systems. The company states: “Demand for fully mobile in-pit crushing systems is growing in large open pit mining operations around the world. The Mining business unit at ThyssenKrupp Resource Technologies developed these plants for combined use with power shovels. Fully mobile crushers are powered exclusively by electricity. In the present case annual carbon dioxide emissions can be cut by up to 100,000 t.” www.thyssenkrupp- resource-technologies.com T he JSW Group is the largest producer of high quality type 35 hard coking coal in Europe and a significant coke producer. Jastrzebska Spolka Węglowa SA (JSW) was established in April 1993 as one of the seven coal companies founded at that time. It consisted of seven independently functioning mining companies, which were transformed into a state company, ie a company wholly owned by the State Treasury. Since then a significant proportion of the company has been privatised, but the state retains 57% ownership and overall control of the group. Reduction of the state holding to 34% is being considered, but the state would retain corporate governance under these plans. In 2012, the JSW was the only domestic producer of type 35 hard coking coal and a major producer of type 34 semi-soft coal. In Poland, type 34 coking coal is also produced by Kompania Weglowa, whose Bobrek-Centrum mine was also visited by IM and will be included in a future issue. JSW’s share in the total domestic production of coking coal is 80% (66% in type 35 coking coal and 14% in type 34 coal) and approximately 6% in the domestic production of steam coal. JSW is composed of four hard coal mines: the Borynia-Zofiowka-Jastrzebie complex visited by IM, as well as Budryk, Krupinski, and Pniowek, where coking coal and steam coal is mined. The group also has a Material Logistics Centre. In 2012, 9.5 Mt of coking coal were produced, including 7.7 Mt of type 35 coking coal and 4 Mt of steam coal. In 2012, some 3.8 Mt of coke was also produced at JSW’s own coke plants.  The company estimates that this year's (2013) production of coal may well exceed 13.5 Mt, adding: “JSW may fulfil this plan with a slight overrun, despite some problems encountered in Q3 with launching production on a new wall in one of the mines. As a result of efficiency measures implemented since the beginning of the year, the company has managed to reduce the unit cost of coal production, excluding depreciation and labour cost, vis-a-vis 2012.” The financial performance of the group is benefiting from a marked improvement in coking coal prices from earlier in 2013. JSW mines contain approximately 0.56 billion tonnes of documented recoverable reserves of coal. The group intends to enlarge the operational resource base to maintain a strong position in international markets over the next 60 years. Expansion plans The JSW Borynia- Zofiówka-Jastrzebie mine really consists of three mines in one – Borynia, Zofiówka and Jas-Mos, which were linked in production terms to bring down costs, increase productivity and achieve better utilisation of mining equipment. The whole complex is currently well advanced in preparing operations for the next 30 years of production (until 2051), with one of the most significant investments to date being a new shaft that is being sunk some 5 km from the existing Zofiowka shaft as part of an ongoing process to open up new deposits of coking coal. This process of opening and utilising new resources started in 2005 to access the Bzie- Dębina 1-Zachod and Bzie-Dębina 2-Zachod deposits from the 1,110m level. The resources planned to be accessed from this level amount to some 98.6 Mt. After their extraction, resources down to the 1,300 m level will be extracted. The deposits contain mainly type 35 hard coking coal. In addition, in Zofiówka itself, the development of the 1,080 m mining level that started in 2006 continues, which includes resources estimated at 47 Mt. The complex employs some 11,000 workers, not including contractors. Aside from the key development and longwall production equipment, men and materials are transported underground mainly by suspended monorails from Becker Mining, SMT Scharf and Ferrit. Kopex subsidiary and shaft sinking specialist PBSz is carrying out the work on the new shaft. In conjunction with this, lateral underground development is taking place from existing working areas to link up with the new shaft, which will be used to transport men and materials. The new shaft does not represent a new mine, with the project forming part of a major mine expansion/extension of existing operations. At the time of the IM visit, the new shaft had reached some 475 m, with a final depth of 1,100 m. Completion is expected by end-2016, with production commencing in 2017 from the new area. Ultimately, this will include two new shearers and a new plow working on three new faces. All three mines have had their own production shaft and washing plant to date, however, the 10 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 Coking coal’s bright future Paul Moore visited the Borynia-Zofiowka-Jastrzebie mining complex near Rybnik in Upper Silesia, where owner JSW is well advanced in ensuring the supply of hard coking coal for the next 30 years of production The main JSW Zofiowka shaft, Upper Silesia OPERATION FOCUS Becker-Warkop crusher model used at JSW VERMEER.COMThe machine shown contains site specific modifications. Vermeer, the Vermeer logo and Terrain Leveler are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the United States and/or other countries. © 2013 Vermeer Corporation. All Rights Reserved. THE T1655 TERRAIN LEVELER® IS ALL ABOUT CONTROL. Featuring innovative precision excavation, as developed by Vermeer, the T1655 puts more power in operator’s hands for efficient, high-production material extraction. Even the biggest jobs will begin to look small. ON A MASSIVE SCALE shaft at the Jas-Mos operation will eventually close, with production from there diverted to the main production shaft at Zofiowka after the Zofiowka and Jas-Mos mines are connected underground through new headings. Going forward, processing will also be focussed at the Zofiowka wash plant, which is being modernised and expanded to handle 17,000 t/d. Development Lateral development for longwall panels is conducted by engineering contractor PRS, the owner and operator of the Sandvik MR620 (the former AM105), which is the largest roadheader model in the company’s mining range. At JSW the machine has been achieving advance rates in the order of 5 m/d, which reflects the time taken for steel rib installation as well as the geological conditions; but is still much higher than would be possible with other models. At KGHM, the MH620 which is a similar type of machine but used for hard rock applications has achieved advance rates of between 15-20 m/d in copper ore in much harder conditions with the rock hardness exceeding 180 MPa with bolting used as the only roof support. JSW Vice- President of the Management Board for Technical Matters, Jerzy Borecki told IM he has been very happy with the ability of the MR620 machine to handle the difficult conditions, which includes the ability to cut waste sandstone in excess of 120 MPa hardness using the ICUTROC technology that delivers a low cutting speed for high torque and low dust generation during cutting. Machine features include the robust telescopic cutter boom with optimum cutting power application and the ability to sump-in without tramming. It can also excavate a very straight face, even in high profiles. A proportional load sensing hydraulic system allows for the optimum utilisation of energy and a high pressure pick flushing system makes for efficient dust suppression and cooling of cutting tools. Finally, it also has a modular design, allowing for easier maintenance and assembly/ disassembly. Other models used in the mine include smaller Remag R-2000 (Famur) and other Sandvik types such as the MR300 (former AM75), though in both cases these are leased by JSW. As stated the MR620 model was chosen due to difficult geological conditions in the part of the mine where it is operating, as well as dealing with harder waste material. During the visit, IM went down the main Zofiowka shaft to the 900 m level then laterally 10 km to within 400 m of the new shaft bottom, where development is currently focussed on the main ventilation infrastructure for future planned longwall faces, which includes the installation of new Korfmann fans. The standard Polish system of using steel arches for roof support is used. Initially the face is drilled horizontally by PRS and the methane gas piped to surface for use in power generation for the wider mining complex. For conveyor clean-up behind the active faces, the complex has a fleet of side dump loaders from Sandvik, Deilmann Haniel and Ferrit. Production In terms of the actual longwalls operated by the mine, Zofiowka currently operates three faces, along with three also at Borynia and three at Jas-Mos. These are extracted using a total of eight shearers and one plow system. The shearer equipment consists of one Joy shearer, six Kopex shearers and the plow from Caterpillar. The Cat plow system is the model GH800 which operates at the Zofiowka mine on a 250 m face with 1.2-1.5 m seam height at a depth of 900 m. A second GH800 plow system recently finished its work in coal faces at the Zofiowka and Jas-Mos mines and was moved to the Pniowek mine to work in a face of similar dimensions. JSW was the first company to use a plow in 20 years in Poland and has consistently achieved production rates of 4,000 t/d but up to 6,000 t/d has been reached in ideal conditions, where there are no methane or seismic issues. The Kopex equipment mainly consists of KSW (such as the KSW-1140E) longwall shearers from ZZM together with crushers, Tagor powered roof supports, Rybnik AFCs and Ryfama conveyor systems as well as electrical equipment from Elgór+Hansen. The highest face the Kopex shearers are exploiting is 5.3 m high. Coal markets JSW's coking coal is used mainly in the production of coke for steel production. At its own coke plants, the JSW Group processes approximately 45% of the coking coal it produces, which enables it to offer a final product that is more processed and of higher value. The company is also a producer of steam coal, sold mainly to power plants and CHP plants. The products are purchased by customers from Poland as well as from Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, India, and Brazil. Major external customers for the coking coal offered by the group include ArcelorMittal Poland, voestalpine Stahl, Moravia Steel, US Steel and Koksownia Częstochowa Nowa. Coking coal accounts for approximately 70% of JSW’s sales structure. The remaining portion OPERATION FOCUS 12 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 Machine weight 128 t Machine length 15.5 m Machine height 2.5 m Cutting height 5.4-5.9 m Cutting width 7.9-8.9 m Total installed power 540 kW Cutter motor power 300 kW Sandvik MR620 specifications Construction of the new men and materials shaft headframe at the Borynia-Zofiowka- Jastrzebie complex. The shaft itself will be completed in 2016 Diesel hydraulic floor mounted rack-and-pinion railway KSZS Diesel suspended monorail with frictional-toothed drive KPCZ-148 Diesel suspended monorail with toothed drive KPZS-148 Diesel driven suspended monorail KP-96 Pushing device UPP Electric floor mounted rack-and-pinion railway KSZ Powered roof supports BW 17/43 Crusher KD BW 800/1200 Becker-Warkop equipment at JSW Zofiowka Abrazo®, produced by Tata Steel. Abrasion-resistant steel built to last and last. Not unlike the relationships we forge with our customers. We work with you to understand exactly what you want, giving you the products you need, adding genuine value to your business. And now, to meet demand, we’ve re-invested in our sites for greater capability, producing plate widths of up to 3200mm and in thicker gauges. How could we help you? Contact us at [email protected] Follow us at @TataSteelLandE High impact toughness that stands the test of time Together we make the difference www.tatasteelliftingandexcavating.com includes high-calorie steam coal dust (0-20 mm) and small quantities of coal in other grain sizes (0-200 mm ungraded coal; flotation concentrate; 0-1 mm slurry). Strategies and technologies For larger mining equipment Poland has a public tender system in place that requires three offers to be considered. Generally the OEMs will meet the mining department to discuss their needs before making a final offer, with a final decision being made on the criteria of price, quality, delivery and payment terms and productivity elements such as stated production per hour. The challenge is that for larger equipment such as roadheaders and shearers, there is only a small pool of OEMs to choose from so it represents quite a strategic decision in terms of future service and maintenance needs as well as the level of new technology being offered. Of course, any new designs of equipment must also be certified to be used in Poland. This can create issues where the mine wants to utilise a technology not currently used in the country – as an example the group looked at using a particular type of underground drill but the certification process took over two years. As far as new mining methods go, due to the levels of methane encountered within the mining complex, it is not possible to use continuous miners at JSW as this would require the excavation of more headings. Neither can bolter miners be used due to the necessary methane gas removal ahead of the face. Borecki told IM: “To date we haven’t seen any mining method globally that would improve our development performance taking our mine conditions, depth and high temperatures into account.” That said a lot of work is going into innovation on the longwall side. JSW is looking at introducing more automation – as an example an automated Kopex KSW-460NE-1 has been used at the Pniowek mine, also operated by JSW, for seams of small and medium thickness, making it possible to obtain substantially higher production than the results obtained to date in longwalls with similar parameters. The shearer was installed in longwall C-1 in seam 404/1 and is now working at the C-2 operation. However, automating shearers does come with difficulties, particularly with regard to the ability of sensors and cameras to handle dust. “Like any other mine we want to see the automation benefits in terms of less people in hazardous areas, lower costs and higher productivity,” said Borecki. This does not only apply to longwalls, as the Sandvik roadheaders now used are largely remote controlled so that miners do not have to be close to the face during actual excavation. More precise positioning in the development heading is also now possible. The Remag R-2000 machines at the mine are also remotely controlled. The Jas-Mos part of the mine has conducted operational tests on a longwall shearer called Mikrus, that was developed by Kopex to extract low seams. This solution is an alternative to plows and is used to mine thin seams with a thickness of 1.1 m to 1.5 m, especially those that are irregular with a lot of waste where plows can struggle. The system is outfitted with a GUL-500 cutting and loading head with two cutting bodies, which is moved on a Ryfama S-850N longwall conveyor along the coal side wall using a flexible connector system under sections of a Kopex 095/17-POz mechanised shield. The entire system is powered and controlled through an integrated system outfitted with a central pulpit placed at the operator's position, which is situated in the conveyor road. The move to mine lower faces with equipment designed for this purpose is a real focus in Poland due to the access to previously unmineable seams that it gives. JSW has a lot of low seams, including those in older mines that have been left as 20 or 30 years ago the right equipment was not available. The assessment of the new Mikrus system is a key development in this process. The approach to longwall moves has also changed. The extensive suspended monorails and ground rail systems that have been installed are capable not only of moving men and general materials but can transport an entire 20 t roof support. Tenders for monorails today specify that they must be able to handle equipment moves of this weight, so for those suppliers this is also an important aspect of future planning. Finally, as JSW and other mines in Poland go deeper, the seismic challenges will only increase, so consideration of ground support needs for the future is needed. This may include the use of higher quality steel in steel arches, and possibly the use of new bolting/resin/ mesh/shotcreting strategies. IM OPERATION FOCUS 14 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 Cutting head of Sandvik MR620 roadheader operating at Borynia-Zofiowka-Jastrzebie The Kopex Mikrus low seam longwall system during testing at JSW Jas-Mos tele p T E L E - R E M O T E M I N I N G S Y S T E M S HARD-LINE.COM 705.855.1310 or [email protected] from We can TELEOP it. D rives and motors are used to power an array of equipment in mining operations, from conveyors, and crushing/grinding equipment to flotation cells and pumps. The major challenges associated with powering mining equipment is the increased scale of operations and the accompanying requirement for increased power, whilst maintaining reliability. There are a range of companies that provide drives and motors for the mining industry, some of which are mining specific whilst others cover a range of industries. New developments The drive selection for conveyors in mining can have a large impact on many aspects of a mining operation. Gearless drives are a proven technology with both mills and hoists, but are now being integrated into conveyor drive systems with the aim of reducing maintenance work in the field. Instead maintenance on drives can be completed in repair shops due to the special base frame that the motor is mounted on. ABB has been one of the groups at the forefront of these gearless developments and has experience in providing geared drives for large conveyors in mining operations around the world. ABB noted that one of the important considerations on larger drives is that “as the length of conveyors increases, so does the demand for soft, controlled starting and stable operation, optimised process control and increased efficiency.” ABB recently announced the acquisition of Alstom’s ring motor business to further enhance its GMD offering. ABB believes that demand for GMD systems will grow due to decreasing ore grades and more complex ore bodies requiring the grinding of increased amounts of material. GMDs reduce the amount of components used on a conventional mill drive system. The gearless motor is a large synchronous machine which uses power electronics and magnetic field to control the speed of motor rotation. The reduction of the interaction between mechanical parts increases efficiency and reliability, and currently has a motor power which can reach 28 MW. Veli-Matti Reinikkala, Head of ABB’s Process Automation Division said: “The acquisition will combine the leading ring motor product from Alstom with ABB’s electrical offering for GMD systems, enabling ABB to enhance its position as a strong vertically- integrated systems provider. The acquired expertise and market strength will provide new opportunities for growth.” South Africa’s Zest WEG Group has experience in providing drives for mills and crushers in the mining industry, but also offers solutions for more standard applications such as pumps and fans. Zest WEG recently introduced its new range of 525 to 690 v Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) with increased automation capabilities, such as a built-in PLC and extended PLC proficiency. These new VSDs cover a broader power range than previously available and offer a more modular design, which allows for simplified maintenance, also made easier with extended diagnostic capability. Zest WEG says it has experienced particular success with its large Medium Voltage (MV) AC drives for mill applications, and the range has now been extended up to 12 MW as a standard product – and even larger models are available on request. These drives are built with a modular structure that can be air or water cooled, and includes MV drive topology for increased efficiency. MV soft starter drives are also available for larger power applications. WEG has also developed motor drive combinations that are advantageous to ventilation systems in mines, utilising permanent magnet motors. This allows equivalent power supply as from a standard AC motor, but around one or two frames smaller, allowing the motor to fit into the duct together with the fan. Johan van Niekerk, Zest WEG Group Manager for Drives and Automation told IM: “The greatest challenge that Zest WEG faces is the skills shortage in South Africa. The way we overcome this is to follow the example WEG has set over many years in Brazil, which is actually a very similar country to South Africa in terms of economy, development and environment. This is to provide training for customers and to make this training easily accessible and free of charge — encouraging as many people as possible to attend. The success of this approach is evidenced by the fact that 4,544 people have been through the Zest WEG Group’s training centres in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Rustenburg over the past five years. We’re presently establishing a new training centre in Mpumalanga.” He adds that the hardware side of the drives business has not changed much in the past five years, with dominating devices still being IGBTs (insulated-gate bipolar transistors). Instead, the main developments are taking place in the areas of software, functionality and size. Zest WEG recently received significant orders from Kinsenda Copper in the DRC, Mopani DRIVES AND CONTROLS 16 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 Driving forward Robert Pell looks at the developments in drives and controls for mining equipment and recent installations The Siemens gearless compact conveyor station at Xstrata Antapaccay in Peru. A similar installation is undergoing commissioning at Xstrata Las Bambas in Peru, along with a further 5 x 5,000 kW project underway in Chile and due for completion in 2014 The history of ABB process control systems started 40 years ago. Since then, ABB continuously developed state-of-the-art solutions, such as ABB’s System 800xA Minerals Library, which successfully operates more than 300 minerals processing and cement plants worldwide. It’s suite of object-oriented software control modules enables an efficient and fully parameterized process control and power applications design. Our ability to reduce engineering complexity, minimize downtime and simplify fault-finding leads you to reduced operating costs, increased productivity and opera- tional excellence. For more information, visit us at www.abb.com/mining Main Technology Center for electrical, control and instrumentation systems 5405 Baden 5 Dättwil, Switzerland [email protected] Leading you to operational excellence? Absolutely. Copper in Zambia and the Magareng mine in South Africa. These orders have seen several hundred VSDs being supplied. Van Niekerk said “A customer in the copper sector recently invested in ten large WEG MV VSDs for mill drives. This was a co-engineered solution, in that these drives are driving synchronous motors and not standard AC motors. This is the first application that I know of where this has been done. Every year we’re involved in co-engineering a variety of innovative solutions with the mining industry, a pursuit that has led to achievements such as the IP65 sealed panel for underground use in coal mines and increasing the speed of conveyor belts above nominal to facilitate increased production.” Bonfiglioli, which has traditionally had a strong presence in the construction and mining sector, recently extended its range of mining market drives by presenting the new travel drives 724C and 726C. Bonfiglioli is now in the prototyping stage and carrying out pre-series development with an aim to commence mass production in 2014. The 724C develops a maximum torque of up to 450,000 Nm, and has been designed for drilling rigs up to 300 t. The 726C transmits a maximum torque of up to 625,000 Nm, satisfying the travel drive needs of excavators of up to 350 t and drilling rigs up to 400 t. Stefano Baldi, Global Sales Manager of the Mobile and Wind Business Unit at Bonfiglioli said: “We are studying the ‘natural’ extension of our current drives in order to grant to the customers a full product range. We are targeting travel drives for shovel equipment with experience in developing smaller models.” Baldi told IM that incorporating a new supply chain and new technologies in to regular production in the assembly area was the main challenge in developing these two travel drives. “The reluctance of the worldwide mining market is making many leading companies re-think/re- engineer their own products, guiding them to equipment specialists for advice on co- engineering new products. This is one of the winning characteristics of Bonfiglioli over the other vendors.” Bauer Gear Motors has launched a new Ex- approved, IE4 Super Premium Efficiency motor. The new S Series is the latest development to Bauer’s permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) motor range. The IE4 has the highest achievable energy efficiency rating within the motor technology, making the S Series the most efficient motor that can be used in an explosion hazardous area. Motors for use in explosion hazardous areas are exempt from the EU regulations on minimum energy efficiency because, explosion protection takes precedence over energy savings. This has traditionally meant that overall energy efficiency has waned, however the S series of Bauer’s PMSM motor range, available from 0.55 kW to 15 kW are classified for Zones 1 and 21. The S series also has the advantage of maintaining constant speed independent of the load. PMSM synchronous motors offer considerably improved efficiency when compared to induction motors even under partial load conditions; and extremely high efficiency under rated operating conditions. They also have considerably higher power density, which, for geared motors, yields higher system efficiency with minimal installation volume – and also reduced weight. Importantly PMSM drives can produce higher torque values for the same installation volume as conventional induction motors, a factor that allows cost savings, through the ability to specify a smaller motor size in some applications. Brevini Power Transmission designs and Bauer's Ex-approved, IE4 Super Premium Efficiency motor DRIVES AND CONTROLS DRIVES AND CONTROLS manufactures planetary transmissions, parallel and right angle gearboxes and winches for industrial applications and self-propelled machines. The new conveyor drive series Posired Advanced, which is made in Germany by PIV Drives, has been especially designed for the tough requirements of mining and bulk material handling. The PIV conveyor drive reducers feature improvements of thermal performance and enhanced mechanical efficiency, as well as allowing users to opt for smaller-sized gearboxes than traditionally required. The modular system of the Posired Advanced gearboxes with the modular thermal system allows particular requirements to be met for unique local conditions. The new conveyor drive reducers include an axial cooling fan with higher flow rate for better cooling of the gearbox, an advanced lubrication system, and an integrated mechanical oil pump that improves bearing life and increases thermal capacity. Key benefits of the new Brevini PIV conveyor drive range include increased oil change periods up to 7,500 h, and up to 15,000 h for synthetic oils; contactless seals in both input and output for greater efficiencies and improved heat capacity; active cooling fins on cover plates on both sides and the top of the housing for better air-cooling, with the finned covers providing an expanded surface area and including integrated oil pipes for bearing lubrication; and gear teeth optimised to provide higher torques with less power dissipation to improve thermal capacity. The Posired Advanced series of three stage helical gearboxes has output torques up to 940,000 Nm. Brevini also offers conveyor tuning kits and modular thermal systems as retrofit options to existing Brevini PIV units. NORD Drivesystems highlighted its new range of compact NORD Industrial Gear Units (IGU) at AIMEX 2013 in Sydney. Four new gear case sizes were shown with an output torque range between 25.3 kNm and 51.3 kNm. NORD industrial gear units are suited to conveyor and bulk materials handling applications and are developed according to the established UNICASE principle. Different options and modularity allow malleable and compact solutions for both conveyor belt and bucket elevator drive units. Craig Robinson, Engineering Manager and Industrial Gear Unit Product Manager for NORD DRIVES AND CONTROLS Brevini's new Posired Advanced conveyor drive series Industrial Gear-Unit Modules by Nor -Drivesystems 307609-xl DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 19 Milling solutions for With over 100 years of experience and more than 2,500 mills supplied around the world, FLSmidth is a global leader in grinding mill technology and the best choice for all your grinding needs. FLSmidth® VXPmills operate at a power intensity that is higher than low-speed mills and overlaps that of high-speed mills, allowing it to be customized to a wide range of grinding applications. Many of the largest plants operating today use FLSmidth’s Fuller-Traylor SAG and ball mills (both gearless and gear driven) to deliver results in some of the planet’s most extreme environments. FLSmidth’s HPGR ranks among the most advanced and efficient units available on the market. For more information, visit us at www.flsmidth.com every application DRIVES AND CONTROLS_proof 20/11/2013 10:57 Page 3 Drivesystems Australia, said: “The NORD SK13407 Industrial Gear Unit complete that was on display with an integral backstop, brake disc coupling and caliper hydraulic disc brake assembly and driven by a 400 kW electric motor, was typical for a breaked belt conveyor used in many mining applications.” Naismith Engineering demonstrated its newly developed Fluidomat scoop control fluid coupling system at AIMEX. The Indian- manufactured and designed fluid coupling, which has been sold worldwide since 1971, was introduced to Australia in 2007. Marketing Manager, Jaffer Tambuwala said: “We currently have virtually every size of fixed speed Fluidomat fluid coupling in our warehouse, including shaft mounted, radially displaceable, pulley design and steel bodied for underground mining requirements.” The Fluidomat range includes two different style of fluid couplings; fixed speed and scoop-filled. There are nine different types of fixed speed fluid couplings manufactured by Naismith. These couplings can transmit up to 2,000 kW. Scoop- controlled fluid couplings replace the rotating body style of fluid couplings with a solid housing that can be bolted down. They also allow for more control of the speed of the output by adjusting the position of the scoop. These couplings can transmit up to 3,500 kW. The most recent addition to Naismith Engineering’s line is the USWS spacer coupling, used to connect a motor and pump, with the ability to disconnect them for routine maintenance. The design is suited for larger drives from 70 kW up to 500 kW. The USWS uses a standard jaw coupling technology which has important dampening and misalignment properties with the addition of a removable spacer at either 140 mm or 180 mm lengths. Protecting drive system components Protecting machinery and systems against expensive failures and costly downtime is indispensable to large scale mining operations; so many technologies are available to protect machinery against overloads. Andrew Bargh of Bibby Turboflex, part of Altra’s couplings division indicated that “large machinery and rotating systems can generate enough rotating energy to cause significant machine damage during a jam, crash stop, or during uncontrolled braking due to, for example, a power failure. At very low speeds, systems can develop a huge amount of unnecessary torque, which can damage drive system components such as shafts, gearboxes, chain and couplings.” Some of the technologies available to protect machinery include: � Shear pins have protected rotating equipment for centuries, but lack accuracy and can require extensive repair time following overload. To maximise plant uptime and improve the accuracy of release torque, vendors have developed a variety of torque overload release devices with integral bearings and simple mechanical reset features � Friction clutches are one of the most common types of clutch; however, as a safety device in a higher load application, they can slip and wear, producing inaccurate and changeable torque settings � Sensing devices, such as current sensors, monitor one particular aspect of the drive and provide an output or alarm when that function deviates from preset norms for a preset time period � Electronic control devices continuously monitor the machine, comparing, for example, the difference between actual and theoretical positions of various components The final two points cover electrical torque limiting solutions, which are increasingly popular in many industries as they offer increased accuracy and reduced downtime following the overload. A sensor is used to detect a problem, and initiate corrective actions such as stopping and reversing the drive, engaging the brake or shutting down the machine. Bargh states that “the protective functions integrated into today's sensing and control units are an expedient supplement to the mechanical torque limiting clutch, but not a replacement. Thus, mechanical torque limiters still make sense, but not necessarily for every application.” There is also the issue concerning the speed of the collision. For ‘hard’ collisions, when the speed or mass of the rotating components is at a high level, electronic control may not be able to react before significant damage occurs. At these speeds, only mechanical overload device can react quickly enough to prevent damage. The complexity of each system should also be considered, especially in applications which are remote or have limited access. Electronic monitoring systems need multiple sensors for data; between the monitoring system and all of its sensors and other components, the system has multiple possible points of failure. Once installed, a mechanical limiter can be left in-situ with minimal maintenance, and yet offer complete reliability in the case of overload. Bibby Turboflex has developed a range of UEP modular torque limiters with an emphasis on simple installation, accurate release torque repeatability, simple fast manual re-engagement; and low cost maintenance. The UEP range of modular torque limiters was designed specifically to offer alternatives to shear pin protection for high torque drives where its accurate release torque repeatability coupled with fast reset feature offers a significant reduction in downtime. The optimised design of the UEP torque limiters also means that installation is highly flexible, enabling the centre section of the torque limiter to be removed without the need to move the motor or gearbox. Similar design versatility ensures that any maintenance of the modules is a straightforward operation, and that recalibration is a simple removal operation achieved without having to replace the complete torque limiter unit. When considering how best to protect machinery from overload it is important to consider the different scenarios where this might occur. Electrical monitoring or sensing equipment can initiate corrective actions prior to overload during a slow torque increase, however, there are times when the increase is too fast and the electrical system may be too slow to prevent damage to other components. Installation case studies The Siemens Drive Technologies Division recently received an order from Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) in India, to supply 60 gear units for coal mills. The state-owned, Indian utility company is planning to build and expand several coal-fired power plants. The new gear units will drive the vertical mills which grind the coal in the plants. The Flender gear units from Siemens consist of a bevel gear stage and a planetary gearbox. Their advantage is that higher torques are achieved by distributing the loads, ranging between 19 and 670 kNm, to the planet wheels. “Powerful, reliable drives are a key component in the coal grinding. With the optimal gear ratio, they continuously drive the vertical mills, in which the coal is ground to a very fine grain. BHEL chose the vertical mill gear unit from Siemens because of its very long service life and proven drive design. This is exemplified by over 20 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 DRIVES AND CONTROLS Naismith Engineering's scoop controlled fluid coupling Astec Mining. Five Companies, One Focus. Astec Mining combines the experience of five global brands into one team, dedicated to providing a completely integrated solution for virtually every process within a mining operation, from mobile mining vehicles, breaker systems, feeders, crushers, screens, mills, to conveyors - anywhere in the world. astecworld.com 2013 Astec Industries, Inc.© 4,000 worldwide references,” stated Siemens. Bernhard Hoffmann, Head of Drive Applications at the Siemens Mechanical Drives Business Unit in Voerde, said: “With our powerful and reliable drives, we are making a decisive contribution toward the security of supply to Indian coal-fired power plants. By supplying such a large number of gear units at short notice, we are quickly helping our customer, BHEL, to expand power supplies in India.” BHEL is an Indian company and a leading constructor of power plant and energy equipment. Headquartered in New Delhi it has a workforce of almost 50,000. As previously announced by IM, ABB recently received an order to provide four dual pinion high-speed ring-geared mill drive systems for the Swakop Uranium Husab mine in western-central Namibia. ABB will be supplying variable-speed drive systems with asynchronous motors, ACS6000 frequency converters with mill application controller, transformers, medium voltage cubicles and system engineering and spare parts for two 6.75 Mw SAG mills, and two 4.25 Mw ball mills. The first deliveries for the mill drive systems are scheduled for early 2014.“The proven technology optimises the grinding process, which makes it ideal for ores with varying grinding properties. In addition to high system efficiency, availability and process reliability, the variable-speed drive also provides significant energy and operating cost savings by using less electricity than a conventional fixed- speed mill drive”, stated ABB. As previously covered in IM, Siemens and ThyssenKrupp Robins collaborated to develop a complete gearless driven conveyor system for Xstrata Copper’s new Antapaccay copper mine, in the Peruvian Andes. Steve Kasper, Sales Manager Conveyor Technologies at ThyssenKrupp Robins noted the relative importance of the Integrated Drive Systems for the efficient and innovative implementation of the drive system. Kasper states: “The implementation of an Integrated Drive System with air-cooled SINAMICS SL 150 cyclo-converters including drive control and a low-speed motor was optimally suited for our solution. It is significantly more economical in terms of energy consumption, and it also increases the efficiency of the conveyor system.” The gearless drive eliminates many of the traditional components required and has led to an increased efficiency of between 4-5% on average. That is only possible because all components of the integrated drive system are optimally matched to one another, which also drastically cuts maintenance costs in operation. The Xstrata Las Bambas copper mine will also benefit from a similar system. Each of two new overland conveyors will be approximately 2.5 km long and transport ore from the mine to the processing plant. The belts will be 1,830 mm wide, travel at 6.5 m per second, and are designed to transport approximately 9,400 t of material per hour. Start-up of the new Las Bambas conveyor system is scheduled for 2014. The Siemens drive systems for each of the two overland conveyors are comprised of two slow- speed synchronous motors – each with a total power of 4,400 kW – and the associated Sinamics SL150 cycloconverters. Earlier this year, Voith provided the Chinese Sandaogou coal mine in Shaanxi province with a CPC 1600 AFC (armoured face conveyor) coupling. This fluid coupling can continuously transmit up to 1600 kW, which represents a 60% increase on a standard fluid coupling of comparable installation space. The Sandaogou coal face is 7 m high, 350 m wide and 3 km long, so there was a requirement for equipment that was more powerful without massively increasing the size of the drive system. Voith managed to achieve this compact design with its XL profile design turbine wheel. The couplings combine maximum power transmission and small size. Orders for three CPC 1600s have been delivered and are currently in use in the Chinese Sandaogou coal mine. Tong Xiangyang, Team Leader of a coal face in the Sandaogou coal mine, is very satisfied with the power and reliability of the Voith hydrodynamic coupling. As a result of using the new CPC 1600, the coal mine can turn out 350,000 t/mth of additional coal. ‘Since there is no mechanical connection between the input side and the output side of the coupling, we can run our motors up to speed without load. We switch the motors on one after another to avoid high current demands that would place an unnecessary load on our grid power system”, says Tong. The CPC 1600 fluid coupling also protects the motors against overload. This overload protection is possible since the fill- controlled fluid couplings simply slip because of the hydrodynamic principle. This slip protects the drive components and the chain of the AFC against damage. Consequently, the fluid coupling maximizes the availability of the entire system and its productivity. Tong’s team can start its AFC in any situation. “With the CPC 1600, users in Sandaogou can perform as many start-ups in a row as they wish”, explains Tang Min, General Manager of Start-up Components at Voith in China. “This is important, for example, in order to break free a heavily loaded conveyor. In this way, the personnel avoid needing to manually clear the overloaded system, which is time-consuming and results in costly, unplanned downtime.” Approximately 50 of WEG’s H- and M-Line high- voltage motors  have been chosen to drive production facilities at the largest single mine development in Kazakhstan by both volume and value, the Bozshakol project. Owned by Kazakhmys, the Bozshakol sulphide and clay complex has an estimated annual ore processing capacity of 30 Mt and will employ around 1,500 people, with a similar number involved in the construction phase. WEG’s delivery is based on the joint efforts and cooperation of several WEG branches in Australia, UK and Russia, including the significant contribution of WEG’s local partner in Kazakhstan, the Alpha-Centre company.  ”WEG is delighted to provide Kazakhmys with reliable electric machines to ensure process efficiency, productivity and a high-degree of reliability. Being a supplier for such a large-scale project really demonstrates WEG’s high-level of engineering competence and expertise with complex international EPC business,” said Sergey Mushchenko, Managing Director at WEG CIS.” The development phase of Bozshakol began ahead of schedule, with pre- production mining scheduled for 2014 and the first ore to be processed at the concentrator by 2015. The capital cost for the project is in the region of £1.18 billion. IM Voith CPC 1600 AFC coupling used at the Sandaogou mine, China 22 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 DRIVES AND CONTROLS A WEG H-line high voltage motor O PTI-MINE is a demonstration project, which aims at integrating, installing and operating the newest Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) applications at an industrial-scale and bringing together all the technical and economic data in order to make their European-wide implementation in the mining industry possible but at a minimum risk. Not only the new ICT applications themselves are being demonstrated, but by integrating the ICT systems into one common Ethernet (TCP-IP) based open network platform of high bandwidth and standardised configuration (internet technology), information can be exchanged between all applications and processes. Thus the processes as a whole can be optimised and the efficiency and safety of mines increased considerably. The project covers leading edge ICT for underground mining processes including logistics, transport, personnel communication and information by voice and data, machine communication, staff localisation, guidance etc. Individual components developed within the project will be integrated into a comprehensive system where possible. The benefits demonstrated by this comprehensive optimisation of mining processes are related to considerable improvements of efficiency, mine safety, occupational safety and health and environmental impacts. The meeting in Bytom was the second meeting to date and focussed on ICT in underground mines with the scope covering optic fibre systems, open architecture, standardised configurations, and high network availability. The five mines in question are KWSA Bobrek-Centrum along with RAG, Hunosa, PRV and OKD. Technical partners on the project include Minetronics, AITEMIN, DMT-TFH and SUT. OPTI-MINE has different application clusters depending on the subject – the focus on machine communications is focussed on OKD and KWSA for example; while that for personnel tracking is focussed on KWSA and Hunosa. Performance is mainly assessed through KPIs and the purpose of the forums is to bring together technology suppliers and potential technology users to review project progress and allow members to see the work in action at theactual operations. In 2014, RAG will host the forum in Germany and in 2015, it will be held in Slovenia. The first meeting in 2012 was hosted by OKD in the Czech Republic. EU funding of OPTI-MINE The EU Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) funds a series of projects, of which OPTI-MINE is one. The Fund arose out payments made by the coal and steel industry as part of the 1952 European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) formed with the Treaty of Paris, which on expiration in 2002 saw €1.6 billion remaining in assets. At the time, the European member states decided that the money should be used for research and thus RFCS was formed in 2003 to manage the use of the Fund. Currently, only interest generated by the Fund is being used. Overall, some 72.8% of funding goes to the steel industry, and 27.2% to the coal industry. The coal funding targets the whole chain from mining to combustion. An open call for interested parties is made every year, with a distinction made between research projects, which are eligible for up to 60% funding; and pilot plants at 50% with accompanying measures at 100%. Any legal entity within the EU28 can apply; with the average funding to date €1-2 million per project. Project duration is typically three to four years; with 350 grant agreements running at any one time. Since 2003, €943 million has been spent. In addition, RFCS funding can accompany other funding sources such as National Funds. The 2013 RFCS budget stood at €14 million, or 27.2% of the total. In 2012, 37 proposals were received for coal, of which 18 were related to mining. In addition to OPTI-MINE, other mining related projects have included the COGAR underground coal gasification project that was co-funded by Poland’s GIG; the AMSSTED research into highly stressed ground; the RTRO-Coal open pit coal mine optimisation project; the M-SMARTGRID project co-ordinated by Aitemin looking at energy savings using smart mining electrical grids and the mine water discharge measurement project MANAGER. Hunosa and KWSA At the Hunosa coal mine in Asturias, Spain, a ZigBee-based tracking system has been integrated in a cap lamp. The technology was developed by AITEMIN as part of the RFCS funded RAINOW project and involved cooperation with a cap lamp producer. The pilot test involving 30 lamps went well and a full deployment on 550 lamps is now underway at the Sueros Colliery. The cap lamp was chosen as every miner has one, so was deemed to offer the simplest option. The system is based on a Wireless Sensor Network with active tags. The cap lamp tags can also act as repeaters allow info to be sent from one tag to another. In addition to monitoring worker movements, it can also keep record of the relative charging level of the lamps. Tracking messages are sent every 2 to 7 seconds. In the future, Hunosa also plans to use similar technology to monitor material movements. At the Bobrek-Centrum operation, the project covered the design of personnel access control system by Minetronics. The purpose is to monitor the hazardous active longwall area, covering the entering and leaving of all personnel. A desirable factor was also to have a simple, low-cost solution that would be easy to extend and easy to integrate with other applications. It also serves as a good example of an entry into network technology for other mining companies. The project uses two WLAN antennas that connect to a WLAN MIC computer and then to the main mine optic fibre cabling network – the mine had 10 km of new cabling installed by the end of 2012. The system allows the mine to monitor all movements of personnel into and out of the longwall area, whether by monorail or on foot. Miners also carry a WLAN pager device that also allows monitoring of movement and movement direction within the longwall area, as well as allowing the miners themselves to send each other text messages. The system is installed at the entry area to longwalls 1 and 2 in panel 615. IM OPTI-MINE 24 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 Optimising Europe’s coal mines Paul Moore attended the second OPTI-MINE forum at the KWSA Bobrek-Centrum mine in Bytom, Poland, to hear about how new technologies are being applied in underground coal mining Diagram showing Minetronics system design for KWSA Bobrek-Centrum longwall area tracking 800.832.4242 | TargetLogistics.net An ALGECO SCOTSMAN Company The Economics of Comfort® Research has proven that a great night’s sleep can have a significant impact on worker productivity. Which is why all of our beds feature the Hibernator Sleep System™. With a pillow-top mattress, high-thread-count sheets and pillow-cases, down-like comforter and fleece blanket, your workers will wake up well-rested and ready for work. It’s all part of the Economics of Comfort®, our corporate mission to increase the productivity of your workforce by providing the food, comforts and amenities that help reduce attrition, sick days and accidents on the job. To receive a case study showing how we have helped drive profits to a client’s bottom line through increased worker productivity, call 800-832-4242 or visit TargetLogistics.net. What your crew gets done today has a lot to do with where they slept last night. The Economics of Comfort The Economics of Comfort The Economics of Comfort® ahn tevors pah hcraeseR syp Seelr Sotanrebie Hht is wrekror wuo, yteknalb vitcudore phe tsaercno it o r. Tboe jhn ts otnedicca l la, cytivitcudorr pekrow e a svan hap ceels s’thgit naet a gra erttap mot-wollih a pti. W™mets daed rnd aetser-llep we ukal wl divory pe bcrfokror wuof yy otiv g hniwohy sdute ssae a cveiceo r 2424-23-8080 t isir v o egraT r pekron wt ocapmt inacfiingie a s s ateeht snuoc-daerht-hgi, hsse ce Ehf tt oral pls a’t. Ikror wy fod emd ans atrfomod, coe fohg tnid s ttfiore pvid dreplee hvae hw wog h .tne.scitisogLte l oly ahs wh icih. Wytivitcudorr p moe ckil-nwo, dsesac-wollid pns a trfomof Cs ocimonoc ® pror cu, o noitirtte acudep rlet hahs teitine uorhe tnim lottos b’tneilo a cs t erutaes fder buf ol o eceed flnr aetrfom noissie mtarop dns ayak dci, s desaercnh ig 800.832.4242 | T getLogistics.netar | T Tar getLogistics.net n A EGLA NAMSTCO SCOE nyapmo C See also last month, pp78-82 T here are four categories in underground - development, load and haul, production and support. In the 1970s Dennis Laubscher developed the rock mass classification system for which he has become famous. His mining rock mass rating (MRMR) system is now very widely used in the industry worldwide. There is not a block caving mine anywhere in the world that has not used his empirical correlation, or stability graph, to evaluate the caveability of its deposit. The system is also used for the determination of caving angles and hence the occurrence of cave cracks and extent of cave craters. By the start of the 1980s the limits for conventional cemented carbide in rock drilling tools were reached due to the fact that an increase in wear resistance by using less binder phase or finer grained tungsten carbide always resulted in an unacceptable loss of toughness for the demanding application. Udo Fischer and his co-workers Torbjörn Hartzell and Jan Åkerman tested several new concepts and between 1988 and 1995 their four US patents were approved covering the new Dual Property (DP) cemented carbide, which still is the most well-known cemented carbide using macro- gradients. In the DP concept the wear resistance and the toughness can be improved independently of each other in the product. Jack de la Vergne is a Canadian civil engineer who specialises in underground mining and was a recipient of the Professional Engineers Ontario Engineering Medal in 2005. De la Vergne is the author of the Hard Rock Miner's Handbook and the Hard Rock Miners Technical Spanish Dictionary and is recognised as an industry expert in mine shafts and mine hoists. Scott McIntosh wrote in an introduction to the book in May 2003: “Jack de la Vergne's Hard Rock Miner’s Handbook is a work of the heart. Originally published in June of 2000 as a compilation of Jack’s continuing 35+ year mining industry career, I personally knew the lifetime of effort that Jack put into the original. Although I helped Jack with sponsorship and encouragement, Jack did all of the real work and I never believed we would consider publishing an update. But, having received significant encouragement from the many readers of the book, and many new rules of thumb, Jack made the decision that a complete update was warranted and I was on board.” As one of the original inventors of rough- terrain machinery, Manitou has steadily grown its involvement in the global mining industry. Its subsidiary, Manitou South Africa, has adapted its telescopic handlers to feature a much lower risk of sparking or over-heating in dangerous environments, where finely dispersed coal dust or gases can fuel explosions or fires under certain conditions. “The company’s Project Engineer, Jannie Smith, has developed a series of similarly practical and dependable flameproofing technologies that have seen the rise of a range of flameproof mining utility vehicles (MUVs) and skid steer loaders. “Some of our technologies have included breakthroughs in flameproof diesel engine designs, radiators, header tanks, cowls, cooling fans, exhausts, dry and wet system and intake manifolds,” says Smith. In parallel with the manufacture of hand- powered drills, a lightweight, ratchet-rotating machine was constructed by Atlas Copco in 1913 that would be suitable for porous rock types, such as limestone. This machine type, the BOB, was still in production until the 1930s when it was replaced by a lightweight, ratchet-rotating drill of the RH type – a type that would have major significance for the company's continued development. The RH Series was designed by engineer Gustaf Andersson and entered production in 1930 with the RH-70, a drill intended for hard rock. The most important of these lightweight, handheld drills was the RH- 65 from 1932. The machine came to constitute the most important link in the successful Swedish Method: a lightweight drill on a pusher leg and equipped with hardened metal bits. As a field technician for the local Caterpillar dealer in Tasmania in the late seventies, Dale Elphinstone recognised that there was no ‘new technology’, which was in constant change on surface mining equipment (trucks and loaders), being applied to hard rock underground equipment of the same purpose. He therefore embarked on a new direction by opening his own business to correct this with the prime driver being to reduce the operating and maintenance cost plus improved operator ergonomics. His business started by modifying standard Cat trucks and loaders to suit the rigours of the harsh underground environment, this later led to the development of purpose built LHDs and articulated haul trucks. The key to the success of the product and company as it grew from the late 1980s through to current times was the fact that Elphinstone’s motivation was to always use Caterpillar components and INTERNATIONAL MINING TECHNOLOGY HALL OF FAME 26 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 More nominations… Maclean Engineering's BH2 Model Blockholer was developed in 2012 to service ore flow control needs in bulk underground mining operations with heading sizes in the 3.0 x 3.0 m to 4.5 x 4.5 m range. Smaller to its sister BH3 Model, the BH2 complements it by providing drilling and charging capability in multiple draw point situations where oversize blockages occur at the brow. Use of the machine improves safety in operation and enables production bottlenecks due to oversize rocks to be minimised, thus helping towards constancy in grade control and the even draw-down of broken rock from stopes and block caves systems, such that new technology developed by Cat could, wherever possible, be used for the betterment of the industry as a key cost reduction driver to the end user. This also fostered high productivity and mechanical reliability. In his own time, Joe Joy developed his gathering arm loader and eventually took his invention to senior officer, John A. Donaldson, at Pittsburgh Coal. He demonstrated his model on Donaldson’s desk. Donaldson was so impressed that he requested Jeffery Manufacturing to make the machine. The first gathering arm loader was shipped to Pittsburgh Coal’s Sommer Number 2 mine on September 27, 1916. Joy was awarded a patent, in his name, for the machine in 1919. The machine proved to be so successful that Jeffery tried to claim rights to Joy’s invention. This resulted in him leaving his position with Jeffery Manufacturing and ultimately led to a patent lawsuit (which Joy successfully won in 1924). Jacques Melkonian is an engineer with a unique sense of mechanics. His reputation became so strong that the Mines de Potasse d’Alsace decided to contact him to find a solution on their Joy Mining loaders. “Melkonian went to Mulhouse, met the managers, and accepted to go underground and see the problem. Fascinated by the underground mine, he decided to work on the problem. This was the revolution: Melkonian designed an axle that would solve the problem, had it manufactured as a sample and tested by the mine: the problem was solved and the solution was found. Joy contacted Melkonian and ordered the MJ AXLE 1301, as he named it, by the 100s.” His success led to the establishment of Continental Industrie, from which his children founded Groupe Melkonian and Aramine. In 1922, Eddie Wagner moved to Oregon and with his brothers started a company called Mixermobile. The brothers began to experiment with four-wheel-drive wheel loaders, which led to the start of Wagner Tractor and the manufacture of construction equipment. In 1949 Eddie’s brother, Elmer invented the four-wheel drive articulated vehicle. In 1958, Hidden Splendor Mining Co in Moab, Utah, asked Wagner to build a front-end loader for underground mining. At that time, rail loaders were widely used but Hidden Splendor management was looking for a more manoeuvrable vehicle that could successfully travel the narrow and twisting drifts in underground mines. After hearing about Hidden Splendor’s new trackless loader, Phillips Petroleum approached Wagner, then Vice President of Wagner Tractor, to build a similar vehicle for its mine in New Mexico. Working nights and weekends, he completed and shipped the first articulated, rubber-tyred, front- end loader mining scoop, the MS-1, in the summer of 1958. In October that year, Wagner, his wife Mary and their son Richard founded Wagner Mining Scoop Co. Burt Royle was the principal inventor of the mucking machine, which greatly eased the job of removing the broken muck by hand shovelling by moving to operating a powered machine, doing the job in less time and with much less exertion and back strain. Many unsuccessful attempts had been made to improve the mucking cycle, but the revolutionary design conceived by Burt Royle, with improvements by John Spence Finlay made possible the removal of muck faster and easier than ever thought possible. Royle’s idea for the mucking machine came partly from observing the arc motion of the shovel while mucking out a round. His design also permitted a smaller cross-section drift to be driven than those employing hand mucking or the mechanical devices then available. Wilhelm Löbbe invented and refined the coal plough in an attempt to modernise and mechanise underground coal mining. The invention of the ‘Loebbe Plow’ in the early days laid the foundation for establishing ploughing as the preferred high-productivity longwall mining method for seam heights below 1.8 m. Ploughing is a long-known coal mining method invented in the early 1940s. Many different plough models were designed and trialled underground until in the mid-1990s only two models remained: the Reisshakenhobel® or base plate ploough and the Gleithobel® or gliding plough. Power and plough speed have increased steadily over time; however it wasn’t until 1989 when the biggest weakness of plough systems was overcome: automated ploughing, using electrohydraulic controls, with defined cutting depths finally allowed ploughing to become the most productive mining method for seams below 1.8 m seam thickness. Don Maclean of MacLean Engineering is a mining engineer who once worked at Inco in Sudbury and brought in ideas that could be turned into useful products. He spearheaded the drawpoint obstruction clearance machines, known as ‘blockhole jumbos’, in the late 1970s that, although a very simple concept initially, became dependable and irreplaceable tools for underground bulk mining. In the late 1990s, Palabora went in search of a machine that would ensure that drawpoints and drawbells at the conceptual Palabora block cave mine could and would be kept free of obstructions. MacLean stepped up and developed the High Reach Rig. It was a diesel-powered mobile unit that could reach up 20 m, drill multiple 75 mm holes, charge them with emulsion explosives and arm the holes with a detonator. The operator controlled the machine via radio-remote from outside the drawpoint, sitting in a detachable DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 27 INTERNATIONAL MINING TECHNOLOGY HALL OF FAME 28 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 track-mounted unit that docked with the mother rig for transport around the mine. Palabora purchased two such rigs. MacLean subsequently developed the ‘Ro-Bust’ rig which was implemented to break drawpoint boulders below the brow by using high-pressure water impulses, a technique that licensed a technology from South Africa munitions manufacturer Denel. John Wood is a man of vision. Back in the early 1980s when a plethora of manufacturers in Australia dabbled in the production of roof bolters for the underground coal mining industry, he and his team came up with a bold new concept – a roof bolter design which took the industry by storm. Then he set about establishing a presence in the UK. At that time, UK coal mining used arch bars for roof support, so extraction costs were very high. Wood recognised that if he could convert British miners to roof bolting (using Hydramatic bolters) then some pits could survive. His foresight paid off and the UK operation flourished and paved the way for a burgeoning export market to open up in many other countries around the globe, including China, Austria, Norway, the US and Germany. One of the primary reasons for the company’s success was its willingness to work closely with clients and to solve their problems – to engineer tailored solutions exactly fulfilling their needs. Hydramatic developed many world-first innovations, including conceptualising, designing and making the first Longwall Face Bolter in the world. Split Set stabilisers were originally developed by Dr James J. Scott and were manufactured and distributed by Ingersoll-Rand for many years. The system consists of a slotted high strength steel tube and a face plate. It is installed by pushing it into a slightly undersized hole and the radial spring force generated, by the compression of the C-shaped tube, provides the frictional anchorage along the entire length of the hole. Because the system is quick and simple to install, it gained massive acceptance by miners throughout the world. The device is particularly useful in mild rockburst environments, because it will slip rather than rupture and, when used with mesh, will retain the broken rock generated by a mild burst. Provided that the demand imposed on Split Set stabilisers does not exceed their capacity, the system works well and can be considered for many mining applications. Safety Fittingly, there have been more nominations for the Safety category, sponsored by Redpath, than any other. Glen Barton’s passion changed the mining industry. His leadership made Caterpillar the world’s leading provider of mining equipment by creating the roots that support the organisation today. His vision for Caterpillar in mining went beyond equipment. He spearheaded innovative agreements that created a successful partnership between Caterpillar, Caterpillar dealers, and mining companies. However, it is for his leading Caterpillar to focus on safety that he is being nominated. He brought together producers and other manufacturers to work on a single goal – how to mine more safely. This led to innovations such as improved visibility on haul trucks. Caterpillar continues this focus on safety today – it as a core value of the company. Barton sponsored The Human Element, a comprehensive program focused on personal responsibility and safety on the mine site – translated into eight languages and still in use at mines around the world. John T. Ryan, Sr., contributed immeasurably to the development of coal mine safety during the first half of the 20th century. He was instrumental in developing the Edison Electric Cap Lamp, which eliminated the open-flame lamps that caused methane explosions, and in instituting procedures for the use of rock dust in coal mines to prevent dust explosions. In 1914, Ryan and George H. Deike, Sr., formed the Mine Safety Appliances Co (MSA) in Pittsburgh, which began vigorously to develop methods of avoiding methane and dust explosions in mines. Their company would become the largest mine safety equipment supplier in the world. Optalert recently received validation for its real-time operator alertness monitoring system by academics from one of the most prestigious research institutions, Harvard in the US. A cross- institutional study concluding the Optalert fatigue detection product as setting the ‘gold standard’ in early fatigue detection – a key component of workplace safety. Optalert’s fatigue detection products have been developed with more than 20 years of research by a team including current General Manager of Scientific Research Dr Andrew Tucker. Tucker said over the years the team developed new methods of measuring eye and eyelid movements. This then led to the world’s first validated scale of drowsiness – the Johns Drowsiness Scale – after Optalert founder and Chief Scientist Dr Murray Johns. Slope stability radar creation and market application - Dr David Noon and his team are nominated for GroundProbe SSR and WAM inteferometric monitoring devices that created a whole new sector and have added value and saved lives worldwide. The idea to use radar to measure the movement of walls in open pit mines originated at The University of Queensland, Australia as part of a Research Project, commencing in 1997. As the research and development took shape, it became clear that the idea was sound and the technology would revolutionise safety in mining. Jim Joy is nominated for the Global Mining Industry Risk Management (G-MIRM) education and training package. “Joy is a highly experienced and qualified risk manager who is well-recognised in the global mining industry. As the Director of the Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre (MISHC) in the University of Queensland (UQ), he was contracted by Anglo American to develop an internal training program to enable employees at all levels (executive to operator) to better understand safety risk and make better decisions both in day to day operations and major engineering decisions where these impact safety. In essence, Anglo American was looking for a cultural change to safety risk management within the organisation. What he produced was unexpected – a truly remarkable program that far exceeded the expectations of Anglo American as, for the first time, a structured process became available that challenged the mindset and tolerance of company executives and line leaders to risk, based on the principle of ‘care’.” John Pierce-Jones has been at the forefront of mining safety for more than half a century. As the Founder and Chairman of British-based Trolex, a leading name in hazardous gas detection and environmental condition monitoring, he has led the development of a number of systems that have revolutionised mine safety around the world, saving thousands of lives. They include a INTERNATIONAL MINING TECHNOLOGY HALL OF FAME Vent Heat Heat Vent Heat Simulation Heat Simulation entilation, cooling and refrigerv Software for underground mine VUMA3D-netw ation.entilation, cooling and refriger Software for underground mine ork 2.0 VUMA3D-netw O SOLUTION MADE SIMPLETTION SIMULASIMULATION vuma.co.za. or visit www on +27 11 706 9797, email [email protected] VUMA Software Adco or more information call F O SOLUTION MADE SIMPLE vuma.co.za on +27 11 706 9797, email [email protected] VUMA Software Adco ground-breaking vibration monitoring system for mine ventilation systems developed in the 1960s. Working with the mining research and development establishment in the 1980s, Trolex under his leadership developed an improved mining smoke detector, the Trolex P3270, which was less sensitive to dust and moisture than previous devices and could respond to fires in wind speeds of up to 7 m/s. In the 1990s, he pioneered the TX9042 which quickly established itself as an iconic product in safety. Andy O'Brien and Andy Cecala have worked together developing several new innovations including the dust booth and the Helmet Cam (& Evade software). Andy O'Brien is VP of Safety & Health for Unimin Corp in Virginia and Andy Cecala works with NIOSH out of Pittsburg. SK Bowling, the parent company of Clothes Cleaning Systems (CCS), teamed up with NIOSH and Unimin to develop a dust removal system suitable for industrial applications. Today, SK Bowling’s clothes cleaning system remains the only personal dust removal method tested and accepted by NIOSH, approved by MSHA and accepted by OSHA. Operators can use the NIOSH-developed Helmet-CAM in the fight against silicosis. It is a lightweight video recording system that integrates easily into a mine worker’s gear and takes advantage of other proven dust control technology. Information is downloaded to a computer and merged through a new NIOSH-developed software program called EVADE (Enhanced Video Analysis of Dust Exposure). The result is a single integrated display of the recorded video above a graph, depicting the worker’s dust concentrations as measured by the aerosol monitor in real time. SmartCap inventor Dr Daniel Bongers is the final nominee. Hans Hayes, General Manager - Opencut Mining Excellence at Anglo American Metallurgical Coal: “For decades the mining industry has relied on subjective measures to manage fatigue, or more recently, reactive systems that alert the operator once fatigue has set in. While Anglo American has used these subjective systems and trialled the reactive system approach in the past, we wanted to be more proactive. We saw the potential of the SmartCap in delivering a factual based system that measures brain activity, through sensors embedded in a simple baseball style cap, to allow our operators to identify their level of alertness visually and in real-time. By doing it this way, operators can take action in managing their own fatigue and assess different approaches individually in maintaining alertness.” Bulk handling Sverker Hartwig, the former CTO and now Senior Advisor at Atlas Copco Rock Drills; Chris Lybaert, General Manager of Quality Air at Atlas Copco Airpower; and Ludo Van Nederkassel, Engineering Manager at Atlas Copco Industrial Air, participated in the different project phases of developing and launching a series of VSD compressors that perfectly match compressor capacity to air demand by varying the speed of the drive motor. As air demand is reduced, the VSD compressor lowers the delivered flow and consequently the power consumption. This is its key feature, reducing energy consumption to a minimum by avoiding completely unloaded power consumption and saving up to 35% of energy, or up to 22% on the total life cycle cost. John S. Frater was nominated by Patrick A. Turner, President - FLSmidth Krebs for his “internationally renowned pump designs [that] have made an extraordinary contribution to the mining industry worldwide.” He started the Orion Pump Company in 1981. The patented pump pioneered the design to allow adjustment of running clearances at both the front and back of the impeller. The company was subsequently purchased by Denver Equipment. This acquisition would lead to his position as Pump Product Manager at Denver Equipment, which soon after would be purchased by Metso. In 1996 he invented “what to this day remains a revolutionary pump, the millMAX pump.” The patented suction side sealing has changed the way the industry looks at wear on the suction side liner and pump adjustment overall. The design uses a wear ring to seal between the suction liner and HALL OF FAME- PART 2_proof 20/11/2013 11:12 Page 4 impeller. Further it allows the adjustment of the wear ring to maintain the sealing while the pump is operating. This was a first for any slurry pump. DeWitt Buchanan managed to eliminate entirely the use of black blasting powder in all of Old Ben's mines and thus paved the way for the eventual elimination of this dangerous explosive in all underground coal mines. He promoted the use of permissible explosives and eventually even replaced those when he introduced the first continuous mining machine. He developed this machine with Robbins and Goodman Equipment to perfect the first type of successful continuous miner, the Goodman boring machine. He also introduced continuous belt haulage and thus made Old Ben one of the first mining companies in the country to completely eliminate track haulage for coal. Comminution This category received the highest number of nominations which were shortlisted to Elizabeth Lewis-Gray (CEEC), Joe Pease (IsaMill), John Russell ( RME Mill Relining System), John Starkey (SAGDesign test), Samuel Calvin McLanahan (1842-1928; Log Washer and the Single Roll Crusher) and Prof Alban Lynch. “Alban Lynch’s achievements in mineral processing over 50 years have been made in two different but related fields: research and education. Both of these have had a global impact on mineral processing technology itself, on the people who practice the profession, and in the modus operandi of much mineral processing research to-day.” Joe Pease, COO, Xstrata Technology, has been in the mining industry for over 30 years, in a range of technical and managerial roles. A large part of his career has been at Glencore Xstrata’s Mount Isa Mines (MIM), and more specifically, in the lead/zinc concentrator at that site. During this time, the ‘spark’ of using small scale industrial fine grinding in mineral processing was initiated in the labs at MIM to combat the company’s deteriorating ore quality, which lead to the birth of IsaMill™ comminution technology. Then there is the RME’s mill relining technology. Leaving MIM in 1985, Dr John Russell formed Russell Mineral Equipment. Before RME entered this market, a large SAG mill commonly required 160 hours for a standard reline. RME’s goal was to halve this. In 2012, the RME RUSSELL Twin 8 Mill Relining System relined a 38 ft SAG mill in Chile in less than 40 hours. In 2011, Elizabeth Lewis-Gray chaired the inaugural Board meeting of CEEC International. She had identified a significant gap in accessing data on energy efficient comminution processes. While comminution is known to be the highest energy consuming step in mineral processing, she discovered it was challenging to source published documentation to support this hypothesis. Crushing and grinding steps in mineral processing represent a substantial proportion of total electrical energy in mining up to 3% of the world’s electrical energy. For some mine sites the energy usage by crushing and grinding processes represents up to 70-90% of total energy consumption. It is claimed that John Starkey’s SAGDesign™ test “is the most accurate grindability test available.” It measures the pinion energy to grind ore from 80% passing 152 mm to 80% passing 1.7 mm (WSAG). The second stage of the test measures the Bond Ball Mill Work Index on SAG ground ore, Sd- BWI. Samuel Calvin McLanahan changed the direction of his family's company (today’s McLanahan Corp) from that of a foundry to a leading manufacturer of mineral processing equipment. His most important inventions - the Log Washer and the Single Roll Crusher - remain in use worldwide in a wide range of minerals processing plants. Concentration Bob Moorhead is another Patrick A. Turner nomination. His “inventive cyclone designs have made a remarkable contribution to the mining industry. {He} has been a major contributor to the design of the current line TECHNOLOGY HALL OF FAME HALL OF FAME- PART 2_proof 20/11/2013 11:20 Page 5 of Krebs Heavy Media Cyclones. Unique to this design is the use of a removable ceramic acceleration wedge within the inlet; this allows the end- user to alter performance and/or capacity without having to change required flow split. The new design provides greater capacity and is more efficient than previous designs due to careful correlation between the open area of the inlet, vortex finder and apex orifices.” Philip Thompson from FLSmidth Dawson Metallurgical Labs has been a 35+ year leader and innovator in concentrator-related flotation - specifically in copper-moly operations. He is currently the most outstanding flotation expert for copper-moly separation in plant optimisation. Further, he is currently mentoring the next generation of flotation engineers. Sandy Gray, Technical Director at Gekko Systems, has made a significant and unique contribution with equipment offering a conceptual platform that maximises the recovery of minerals by creating a high-grade stream of concentrate from which minerals are extracted by gravity separation, or from which waste is eliminated. In either case, the method provides a simple, economical, and environmentally- responsible means of recovering minerals. He joins his expertise in gold mineral processing with an ability to design a range of innovative, state-of-the-art, step-change mineral processing units or flowsheets. This range of equipment includes; pressure jigs, leach reactors, modular units, and resin columns. In 1976 Byron Knelson tested the first crudely built fluid-bed prototype centrifugal concentrator at an aggregate plant. The first unit lacked the mechanical refinement of today’s carefully engineered units, but the metallurgical performance of the unit set Knelson on what would become an exciting and passionate 25 year journey that resulted in the commercialisation of what has become an icon in the mineral processing industry – the Knelson Concentrator. Over the 30+ years since the first crudely manufactured Knelson Concentrator was produced, the machine has become a fixture in many of the world’s most prominent gold mines. Prof Graeme Jameson of University of Newcastle, Australia, is a true pioneer in innovative flotation research, and the inventor of the Jameson Cell which bears his name. This was first introduced 25 years ago at Mt Isa and is now installed in over 320 operations worldwide. Jameson, now in his 70s, continues to publish innovative work on the fundamental nature of flotation, and this year was awarded the Gaudin Memorial Award at the SME Meeting in Denver. Jameson was nominated twice; by Dr Barry Wills founder of MEI and by John McGagh, Head of Innovation, Technology and Innovation, Rio Tinto. IM The 2013 inductees will be celebrated at a gala event in the Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City, February 22, 2014. Contact us for details of event tickets. Please send in your nominations for the 2015 inductees over the coming months – closing September 15, 2014. www.im-halloffame.com HALL OF FAME Sandy Gray at Gekko Systems HALL OF FAME- PART 2_proof 20/11/2013 11:20 Page 6 W ithout a competent cutting tool or delivery item, any operation will fail to attain increased efficiency or reliability in drilling. Many OEMs develop rock tools for their own drill rigs, but which can alsobe used on competitors’ rigs. There are also numerous specialised companies who place full emphasis on single products such as drill bits. Rockmore International has developed a new drill bit designed for top hammer drilling with the aim to reduce operating cost and increase drilling efficiency. The new StarFlow drill bit, which has been designed for percussive drilling applications in hard and abrasive rock, increases drilling productivity due to the newly developed bit face design. The bit face has an advanced cutting geometry and the placement of the flush holes, flush grooves, and tungsten buttons has been altered from traditional designs. The placement of five flush holes and flush grooves gives the StarFlow bit its star shaped design. The flush holes are placed to increase the flow of the flushing medium mixed with the displaced rock cuttings, allowing effectual evacuation of waste material from the drilled hole. The new design also includes ten large tungsten carbide inserts on the periphery row for enhanced rock breaking and penetration rates. The inserts are some 5 mm larger in diameter compared to previous models, leading to a longer bit life. The StarFlow design is offered in threaded button bits larger than 127 mm for top hammer applications. As announced by IM earlier this year, Rockmore has also introduced the latest addition to their ROK series DTH hammer product line – the ROK 600A and 650A. The 6 in DTH hammers have been designed for increased performance and penetration rates suited to smaller compressors. This reduced use of compressed air lowers costs. Pejman Eghdami, Executive Vice President of Rockmore International said “Our new A Series line incorporates technological advancements that allow the hammers to be compatible with a wider range of compressors. This has been achieved by lowering air consumption rates and instilling higher efficiency levels.” The lower air volumes per hammer cycle have been achieved through the re-designed piston and wear sleeve components, and because of this reduced air consumption, the A Series DTH hammer can be used with many drill rigs with smaller compressors (>1,000 SCFM). The 600A and 650A both use the patented Rockmore SonicFlow technology, which optimises airflow by simplifying and streamlining the air paths to minimise backflow and turbulence, and are both available with various thread connections with optional back reaming button inserts to increase component life. Boart Longyear has introduced a number of new bits to their range over the last 12 months, developed for specific customer applications, but which can also be used for a larger pool of customers in both the surface and underground operations. Boart Longyear covers all geographical regions with distribution centres on six continents, and has equipment used on the full range of commodities from gold and silver to coal. Boart recently introduced the S250M3 muffled rock drill, which has been designed to channel more energy into the face of the rock instead of into the driller operating the machine. As a result the S250M3 has a 39% increased torque over prior versions, and it creates 50% less noise pressure (6 dB). Across all areas of mining, increased safety remains a focus area. John Nielson, Senior Global Product Manager at Boart Longyear told IM: “It is our goal to make the safest, most productive tools available in the market, Our own employees in our Drilling Services division use our tools, and we want to be sure that our colleagues go home without harm or injury at the end of every shift. Every Boart Longyear employee has stop work authority if they witness a process or procedure that is unsafe. We actively work to minimise and eliminate risk where possible.” Nielson also commented on the current market conditions for rock tools stating that “the production tooling market has stayed very steady compared with previous year. Active mining has continued, in spite of decreased spending on exploration, expansion, and fleet removal.” Element Six has recently developed percussive diamond inserts for hard rock drilling applications. The new percussive diamond inserts (PDIs) have been developed for high impact resistance and reduced wear rates, even in abrasive rock formations. Andries Vollgraaf of H&A Drilling, in Vanrhynsdorp, South Africa states: “The PDIs from Element Six have demonstrated that we can keep drilling and still achieve high penetration rates whatever hard rock we face.” The new PDIs use patented diamond technology to combine geometrical and material aspects for increased wear resistance on the diamond layer. The synthetic diamond dome has been designed with a geometry that dissipates stresses encountered during demanding drilling conditions, and the optimised diamond microstructure has been developed for increased resistance of the diamond layer on the rock face. Fordia offers a range of drilling solutions with its line of diamond tools, equipment and accessories designed for the mineral exploration and geotechnical industries. Especially designed to withstand the most abrasive rock formations, the HERO Abrasive range is “an ideal choice for those ground types.” Its redesigned components offer an increased resistance to abrasion and its reinforced diameter preserves the internal and external diameters. Used together with an appropriate drilling additives mix, it allows optimising performances in abrasive grounds. The HERO core bits are already well-recognised around the world for their high penetration/lifetime ratio and they are available in various hardness levels (3, 7, 9 and 11). The series’ Abrasive version allows clients to receive those same benefits in a new variety of grounds. The HERO Abrasive series has recently completed its long validation process and is now available to customers, with the HERO 7 Abrasive and the HERO 9 Abrasive, which are available in all standard formats. The first matrix is suited in medium hardness to very hard abrasive ground (between 5.0 and 6.5 on the Mohs scale) as it offers a great versatility, while the second matrix provides its best performances in hard to very hard abrasive ground (6 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale), particularly in ground containing iron ore. ROCK TOOLS 32 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 Greater contact Robert Pell takes a snapshot of how developments in rock tools are leading to improved drilling productivity and accuracy The latest addition to the Fordia HERO series is the Abrasive line Introduced in 2004, Ridgeback Marathon blasthole bits have set the standard for penetration rate, life, and reduced Total Drilling Cost in major mining operations worldwide. The toughness of patented HET inserts, coupled with the enhanced cleaning and gauge life of the patented Ridgeback shirttail and gauge design, provide a unique solution to the challenges of blasthole drilling. VENTED CONES PATENTED RIDGEBACK SHIRTTAIL ADVANCED HIGH PULL-DOWN BEARING PACKAGE IMPROVED THRUST CAPACITY HIGH ENERGY TUMBLED (HET) INSERTS VARELINTL.COM 34 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 Dando has developed a hands-free rod handler for their hydraulic rotary drilling rigs, including the Watertec, Mintect, Multitec and Coretec ranges. The safety feature eliminates physical lifting and manipulation of the drill rods ensuring safer loading of the rods. The rod handler consists of an arm, wrist, rotary actuator and clamping assembly and is designed to be mounted to the front of the drilling rig’s breakout table. The rod handler is powered by the machine’s hydraulic system and can be easily removed for use in areas of limited space and difficult access. The rod handler also has a rotary actuator, enabling the arm to swing 135° for angle drilling up to 45° and the rod handler assembly has a clamping range of 2-85/8 in. Many challenges exist with drilling due to the high number of variables present, including rock type and consistency. Tom Purcell, of Mincon told IM: “Often times during DTH production blasthole drilling the ground conditions are less than ideal. Broken ground conditions make collaring and keeping the hole clean difficult.”  Certain controllable variables for drilling need to be considered. Purcell continued: “Keeping the correct amount of weight on the bit is also a challenge. Too much and the hammers exhaust system that is used to clear the drilled rock away from the bit face cannot keep up and the hammer can get buried. Too little and the drill bit will reach out from the hammer as the energy delivered by the hammers piston to the drill bit exceeds that needed to break the fractured rock and each subsequent blow does not have sufficient resistance from the rock. This causes the drill bit to reach in the hole and for the piston to drive the drill bit into the bit retaining rings. The splines of the bit develop a tapered wear pattern and damage to the bit retaining rings can occur when this happens. The wear to the splines allows for lateral movement of the drill bit in the chuck that can result in the piston striking the drill bit off axis. Breaking foot valves (blow tubes) can take place as well as damage to the strike face of the piston and drill bit. Downtime and lost production is the outcome.” Many hammers on the market today utilise a drill bit bearing that aligns the drill bit to keep it in the correct axis so that the piston will strike it squarely. This bearing is also a sealing surface between the drill bit and the bearing and is critical in maintaining maximum operating pressure in the hammer. As the operating pressure of the hammer is directly related to the performance of the tool, any wear to the bearing due to off axis movement of the drill bit will have a negative effect on performance. With moderate to severe spline wear, the bearing can wear quite quickly and require replacement. Mincon’s line of MC DTH hammers have solutions for these issues by introducing a short shank that is fully supported within the chuck providing support for the drill bit with greatly reduced spline wear, even in very bad drilling conditions. The MC range of drill bits also do not have a foot valve thus eliminating any problems that causes them to break. An air exhaust has also been designed into the hammers that provides hole cleaning in broken ground conditions and helps to avoid burying the hammer. It also increases the penetration rate as the drill bit is able to get to new rock quicker. The range uses Mincon’s proven high frequency technology that provides more performance in all drilling conditions. Sandvik has launched a 4 in hammer in its proven RH460 DTH series, designed to reduce drilling costs, increase penetration rates and prolong service life. The growing RH460 family optimises the impact-energy transmission in variable ground conditions. Enhanced air cycle improves expansion and compression rates, producing more power while reducing air and fuel consumption. Piston and hammer life are “dramatically increased” in the RH460 series, thanks to developments in the piston design and improved lubrication capabilities. RH460 hammers also feature a unique V-lock mount system designed to prevent movement of the internal components, ensuring reliability and eliminating the need for shims and special assembly tools. The working principle of the RH460 range ensures that the hammers start up in any direction, making their design well-suited for all surface and underground mining applications. The company also states that the design of the RH460 series makes the hammers easy to service. The high-performance, cost- effective range is now available in 4 in and 5 in models and will soon feature 6 in and 8 in versions. All versions are designed to utilise bits with generic shank types. Brunner & Lay manufacture drilling consumables for mining companies and contractors across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Australasia. The company recently developed a newly designed Dual-Drive Bolter Steel, which isolates the threads from bending forces traditionally encountered in drilling. The reduced stress on the threads is achieved by the forces being transmitted more effectively to the face of the bit through the skirt and body of the bit, therefore reducing exposure of the threads to the potentially damaging percussive forces. The thread life is also extended due to the reduced mat snags when bolting, and customers have estimated a 20-50% longer steel life ROCK TOOLS Mincon’s MC DTH hammer in use Wilsonville, Oregon USA Tel +1 (503) 682-1001 [email protected] Judenburg, Austria Tel +43 3572-86300 [email protected] Drill More www.rockmore-intl.com Mining Construction Quarrying Tunneling Water-well with RockMore R o c k M o r e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Rock Drilling Tools ® ® Bits Rods Couplings Shanks DTH sdoR stiB noitcurtsnoC gniniM [email protected] el +1 (503) 682-1001T ilsonville, Oregon USAW kmoc.rwwww. Rock Dr nretnI kcoR HTD sknahS sgnilpuoC sdoR [email protected] el +43 3572-86300TTe AustriaJudenburg, e-intl.commor llew-retaWWa gnilennuT gniyrrauQ noitcurtsnoC oolsrilling TTo lanoitan eroMk ® ® ROCKMORE MAR12:proof 15/2/12 10:16 Page 1 ROCK TOOLS compared to other products in the market when using the new Brunner & Lay Dual-Drive system. A new magnetic survey tool called DeviShot has been released by Devico which can be operated as a single or multi shot instrument at constant of variable depth intervals. It has been developed for use in surveying exploration boreholes, grout curtains or blastholes, and has a robust integrated running gear which enables operation at great depth. DeviShot uses Brilliant Blue Technology to communicate wirelessly with PDAs in the field, providing quick results which can be transferred by USB. The survey tool also has features incorporated into the design which ensure extended battery life and limited requirement for maintenance. This year, Halco launched the new RC400 and RC500 reverse circulation intergrated hammers and bits, which it says have been designed to give maximum performance in exploration and grade control applications – “at higher pressures the RC hammers make easy going of even the hardest of rock structures.” The new products provide “improved performance and a robust design.” With no inner liner, the RC500 has a simple design that reduces complicated maintenance procedures providing less downtime and greater savings. The Halco RC500 is also fitted with a reversible cylinder to prolong service life in abrasive conditions. It is suitable for operation at air pressures of 100-435 psi and drilling diameters of 137-146 mm. The RC400, aimed at similar applications, has a one piece integral top- adaptor which is robust and simple requiring no make-up components, giving reliability and ease of service. Both the RC400 and RC500 are also equipped with a bit catcher to help retrieve shanked bits and collar the hole, while having sub-adaptor bodies to suit most dual wall drill pipe. The RC400 is suitable for operation at air pressures of 100-435 psi and drilling diameters of 127-136 mm. IM ROCK TOOLS Sandvik recently launched its new 4 in RH460 DTH hammer DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 35 Brunner Lay& “Quality First” since 1882 SURFACE DRILLING TOOLS UNDERGROUND Whether you are drilling thru a mountain or a mole hill, we’ve got a durable, dependable solution for you. If you need tools for construction, mining, or demolition—we’re the only name you need to know. Call (800) 872-6899 or visit BrunnerLay.com Your for complete source DRILLING rocki BRUNNER & LAY JAN 13:proof 17/12/12 09:47 Page 1 The RC500 from Halco offers an integrated hammer and bit design for better chip removal and bit life ROCK TOOLS_proof 20/11/2013 10:48 Page 3 T he ability to keep mines supplied with equipment, parts, components and day to day consumables often represents unique challenges, with in many cases only specialist companies being able to offer the necessary experience to handle certain types of jobs. When Caterpillar needed to ship two 6060S hydraulic excavators, weighing some 567 t each from the factory in Dortmund, Germany to the Tasiast mine in Mauritania they contracted the move to DHL Industrial Projects. The 1,130 t total weight (including more than 80 pieces for the two machines – the largest piece at 64 t) was loaded at Caterpillar’s facilities in Dortmund then transported by road, which included an overnight escort, to the port of Antwerp, where the pieces were stored awaiting the arrival of the vessel. Upon the arrival of the Worgenstond II, the loading operation commenced, which included heavy-lift cranes, lashing and securing the cargo onboard before shipment to Mauritania. When it arrived in Nouakchott, discharging operations began, loading all the cargo onto trucks for the last 300 km to the Tasiast gold mine. WWL ALS, a division of Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, recently coordinated the delivery of a Komatsu PC2000 hydraulic excavator and eight Komatsu HD785 mining trucks from South Shields to Lugar and Dunbar in Scotland for use by Lafarge in limestone and shale mining. Manufactured in Japan and shipped by the client to Tyne Dock, the Komatsu PC2000 is the fourth of its kind to be operating in the UK. The WWL ALS teams also transported the previous three PC2000s to other minesites in Scotland and Wales over the past few years. Delivery of the eight trucks was completed over a three day period whilst the excavator was collected and delivered over two days. The excavator and trucks were transported in kit form and consisted of 34 loads transported on a mixture of semi low loader and flat trailers. The largest part of the machinery was the main body of the excavator weighing 31 t and measuring 3.4 m wide, while the truck main bodies weighed in at 24 t, being 3.44 m wide.  The WWL ALS team’s preparations included completing a detailed and comprehensive load plan for the client, and close liaison with the port to ensure a smooth operation of the lifting to transport. In July 2013, WWL ALS opened its first representative office in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company stated: “After a thorough market analysis, we believe that South Africa and the sub-Sahara region offers good business opportunities for our organisation. We have already managed to secure a large turnkey project to a copper mine in Zambia, which started recently and is ongoing until the end of 2015… the major opportunities are in the mining sector and with our agent Freitan and the knowledge base they have, we can ensure an immediate return and continued growth in this valuable sector, also providing the sub-Sahara hub for the WWL ALS, SA group activities on break bulk cargo moves into and out of Africa.” Shipments for the mining industry can also involve moving heavy components and raw materials. In February 2013, Agility, the global logistics provider, was appointed by SSAB to handle the company's heavy plate export shipments, which includes supply to mining equipment OEMs, truck body manufacturers, and to minesites themselves for wear part replacement and equipment repair. As part of the two-year contract, Agility will manage all of SSAB’s heavy plate export shipments from Oxelösund, Sweden, to an estimated 9,000 destinations worldwide. “We believe Agility will meet our high expectations in terms of service, pricing and business development,” said Maria Weibull, External Logistic Manager for Plate at SSAB. “Agility sees great synergies in coordinating SSAB's major export flow with a number of import flows through the port of Oxelösund,” said Hans Berg, Director of Business Development, Agility Nordics. “With our worldwide presence and local distribution capabilities, we are able to offer SSAB a tailored solution to handle large volumes of shipments by road, rail, air and ocean freight.” Producing 200,000 t/y of copper, the BHPB Olympic Dam site has the world’s fourth largest remaining copper deposit, fifth largest gold and largest uranium deposits, and also significant quantities of silver. However, an incident at the site brought forward the shutdown of the copper flash smelter, with new equipment urgently needed to restart the plant. BHP Billiton in Adelaide contracted Toll Group to manage the transportation and logistics of the upgraded equipment from the factory door in South Africa to Adelaide airport. After a site meeting with key stakeholders, a logistics plan was quickly drawn up for the movement of the equipment and steps were taken to minimise import duty costs REMOTE MINESITES 36 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 Out on a limb The right approach to logistics, infrastructure and power is vital to the success of setting up remote mining operations, reports Paul Moore Installation of Polypipe Ridgidrain piping at the Marampa iron ore mine in Sierra Leone Unloading of Caterpillar 6060 hydraulic excavator components at Nouakchott, Mauritania by DHL Industrial Projects Head Offices Americas (USA) T: +1 281 985 8200 Europe, Middle East & Africa (UK) T: +44 1543 476100 Asia Pacific (Singapore) T: +65 6862 1501 Aggreko operates from over 190 locations throughout the world. For the location nearest you, please go to: www.aggreko.com/contact Remote Power… No Longer a Remote Possibility No matter where your mine is located, you can rely on Aggreko to provide reliable power and temperature control solutions, quickly and affordably. With over 50 years’ experience and the world’s largest rental fleet, we provide turn-key services that grow with your mine throughout its entire life-cycle. Whether you need a 15 kVA generator to power a camp, or a 20 MW power package to run an entire mining facility or additional cooling and ventilation capacity, we will work with you to deliver tailored solutions that match your requirements, wherever and whenever they are needed. Aggreko, Power Specialists in Mining 38 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 with multiple tariff concession applications lodged. Toll’s Project Manager in South Africa arranged for the first consignment, 17 crates totalling 23 t, to travel the 150 km from Middelburg to OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on tri-axle trailers. Under supervision, the freight was loaded aboard a commercial Qantas flight while the team in Australia took charge of documentation and landside agreements at the destination. At 98 t, the second shipment was carried on three link loads from Middelburg. In view of the tonnage, an air charter was required, and Toll’s Project Manager negotiated for the use of a dedicated Boeing 747-200 freighter from Europe to ensure an on time delivery for BHP Billiton at destination. On arrival in Australia, Toll’s ground handling services were put to work, which the group says highlight the “end-to-end capabilities of the Toll Group network and across multiple business units.” The Smelter Superintendent at Olympic Dam said: “Toll came highly recommended. Upon enquiry they assessed our needs accurately, mobilising national and international resources to manage a highly complex shipment.” Toll was also recently invited by Barrick to provide specialist knowledge in international transportation protocols with regard to cyanide shipments. A Toll team travelled to Papua New Guinea, where Barrick operates the Porgera mine, to report on the level of compliance to the International Cyanide Management Code Transport Protocols (ICMC), to which Toll has had extensive exposure in Australia. The ICMC is a voluntary industry program for the gold mining industry, promoting responsible cyanide management, protection of human health and reducing potential environmental impacts. Toll provides specialist logistics solutions to Orica Mining Chemicals as their prime contractor for cyanide transportation within Australia, ranging from heavily populated areas to remote locations. Being involved with one of the first companies, Orica Australia, to receive certification under the code, the Toll team was able to provide advice to Barrick on the ICMC compliance. The audit team looked extensively at all levels of the transport protocol from organisational charts to driver checklists, training records and subcontractor management. Following the Porgera site visit, Barrick’s newly formed ICMC compliance committee was provided with a comprehensive report on corrective actions and areas for improvement. Power supplies Global supplier of temporary and remote power solutions, Aggreko recently announced the opening of a new service centre in the Saskatoon area. The group said that the move marks a continuation of “a rapid pace of expansion in Western Canada” to meet the needs of its mining customers, such as the potash and uranium industries. The new facility maintains a full complement of Aggreko services, including a wide range of portable natural gas and diesel power generators, sales personnel, technical service and operational support. “Aggreko is committed to getting closer to our valued customers in the oil and gas and mining industries to ensure we deliver a superior level of local service and support,” said Robert Harrison, Vice President, Area General Manager, Aggreko Canada. Aggreko will supply the area with all the company’s major rental product lines, including power generators from 30 kW to 1,500 kW; new natural gas generators at 65 kW and 1,300 kW, temperature control equipment such as chillers, cooling towers, air conditioners and electric heaters; oil-free air compressors, both diesel and electric; heat exchangers and winter packaging options ensuring ongoing operations of equipment in harsh weather conditions. The Saskatoon facility will also provide engineering support from Aggreko Process Services (APS), which is an experienced process engineering team that helps customers in mining and other industries “improve their processes and operations to enhance bottom- line performance and address environmental concerns.”  Unique to the rental industry, the APS team can design and install projects at extremely short notice. In addition, Aggreko will leverage remote monitoring technology to manage power supply sources and proactively identify and resolve operational issues. Aggreko has also introduced customisable, mobile service centres to make it easier for customers to access utility-scale power in challenging geographic areas. The mobile facilities will help the company provide immediate access to Aggreko rental fleet, maintenance services, sales personnel and technicians. The large, tent-like structures will be of particular relevance for mining companies. “Aggreko has served the mining and oil and gas industries for more than 50 years, and we are proud to provide this new offering,” said Robert Harrison, Vice President and Area General Manager, Aggreko Canada. “The mobile service centres will help to solve the unique issues our customers face in getting power in remote locations, including the mountains of northern Alberta, where grid access does not exist and the nearest utility is miles away. They will provide the superior, highly responsive service our customers need.” APR Energy has reached an agreement with General Electric for the acquisition of its power rental business. GE Power & Water, part of GE, is a global leader in manufacturing and servicing mobile gas turbine equipment to the mining sector and other industries. The GE business has its principal operations based in Houston and is a provider of temporary power generation REMOTE MINESITES Toll Group was recently invited by Barrick to provide specialist knowledge in international cyanide transportation protocols Aggreko’s new mobile centres are tailored to customer requirements, offering fast access to major rental product lines such as power generators from 30 kW to 1,500 kW with diesel, natural gas and heavy-fuel-oil options, designed for remote sites and harsh operating conditions WE ARE THE IDEAS FOR MOVING, STORING AND RE-USING WATER FOR MINING FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS AFRICA www.polypipe.com/mining We are a global supplier of plastic piping systems for industrial as well as infrastructure, residential and commercial applications. We are a total solutions provider with an impressive portfolio of successful projects including the Marampa and Tonkolili mines in Sierra Leone. We are a UK manufacturer, bringing a guarantee of quality, reliability and technical expertise. We offer expert project support, and are able to meet the most challenging supply demands, helping customers manage water effectively on time and on cost. We are a thought and practice leader, with a track record of innovation. We are experts. We are Polypipe. Find out how we can help you. Visit our website: www.polypipe.com/mining or email: [email protected]. British Manufacturer WE ARE THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PLASTIC PIPING SOLUTIONS WHICH MANAGE WATER, WORLDWIDE 40 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 rental through the use of mobile gas turbines of less than 50 MW. The GE assets that form part of the agreement involve 520 MW of power generation capacity, which includes five associated rental contracts with 20 temporary power generation assets based in Bangladesh, Iraq, the US Virgin Islands, Canada, Australia and Dubai. APR Energy said that the acquisition advances it towards its stated strategic goals: “creating the world’s leading fast-track mobile turbine fleet of 1.2 GW, significantly strengthening and diversifying APR Energy’s business, and creating a long-term strategic alliance with GE.” Commenting on the announcement, CEO of GE’s Power & Water Distributed Power business, Lorraine Bolsinger said: “Our investment in APR Energy reinforces our strong belief in the distributed power segment, as well as APR’s strong capabilities and prospects for success. We continue to see growing demand from customers urgently needing our leading technology for bridging solutions while more permanent solutions can be put in place. With this alliance, customers can get fast power with our technology from a premier fast-track power provider, APR Energy, or they can buy the equipment from us. For both kinds of customers, we are determined to offer the most efficient products and have them available for rapid deployment.” In January 2013, Energyst Cat Rental Power announced a contract to provide the Escondida mine with a 23 MW/50 Hz/13.8 kV emergency power plant. Energyst has supplied all the necessary self-contained power generation modules, transformers, switchgear, cables and fuel tanks on a rental basis including all the necessary operational services. “The mining industry has had our special attention for years and winning this tender proves to us again that our offered solutions are competitive and highly adequate”, explained Gary Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Energyst. “We have demonstrated expertise in deploying large projects worldwide and by collaborating with Caterpillar we are able to provide reliable and creative high value solutions to our customers.” For a large part Escondida depends on power supplied through the existing grid, the Northern Region Interconnected System (SING). However, due to the lack of sufficient investments and an increasing daily demand caused by new and growing projects the SING has become a vulnerable source of power. The temporary emergency power plant supplied by Energyst is providing the necessary power when needed making the mining operation and production capacity invulnerable to a lack of grid power.  GE’s Power Conversion business has finalised the acquisition of the Chilean power electronics company Ingeniería y Desarrollo Tecnológico (IDT). With this move, GE states that it is actively positioning Power Conversion “to build a stronger regional presence and capture a greater share of the mining segment.” IDT designs, develops and manufactures integrated solutions in the field of power electronics with its key innovations targeting the mining industry in Chile and Peru. With this acquisition, GE will build on IDT’s technology and solutions to offer them across Latin America and then globally. These integrated solutions include rectifiers (high- power equipment for any kind of electrolysis process), harmonic filters (power quality assurance) and integrated power E-rooms of electrical equipment (including medium- and low- voltage variable speed drives, switchgears and motor control centres). With almost half of the power rectifier installed capacity in the mining industry in Chile depending upon IDT’s solutions, the company is a key player in the regional mining space. Additionally, IDT’s nearly 100 employees and more than 30 years of experience will bring world-class engineering expertise, customer relationships and technologies to the Power Conversion portfolio. Based on the quality of the company’s technology capabilities and the expectations of more than $150 billion of mining investments in the next decade in Chile and Peru, it is expected that the business will create a large regional mining platform to provide solutions to its customers in Chile and Peru. To support the enhanced volumes, GE is planning to significantly expand IDT capacity by investing in a larger facility that also would support other GE businesses in Chile. Environment and water Making the best use of materials and inputs can mean less wastage in remote operations. In February 2013, one of Western Australia’s largest mining services companies, ESS Support Services Worldwide, announced that it would recycle 100% of its used cooking oil into biodiesel fuel through a landmark deal with Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation (AAC). ESS says it is the first catering company to enter into such agreement with AAC which will see the two organisations “move towards a sustainable future as well as providing economic engagement for the Pilbara’s indigenous community.” The agreement will see in excess of 200,000 litres of used cooking oil recycled by AAC’s subsidiary AshOil into biodiesel fuel every year; with the product used by one of the Pilbara iron ore operations to fuel its drilling and blasting fleet. ESS Executive Director Paul Nugent said the agreement with AshOil was an example of ESS leading its industry in environmental initiatives and indigenous engagement. “ESS has been working with AshOil since early 2010 but giving the company exclusive access to 100% of our used cooking oil for recycling shows ESS is committed to practical strategies that deliver tangible environmental benefits.” AAC’s CEO Janet Brown stated: “The mining companies operating in the Pilbara region go through 1 billion litres of mineral diesel every year, a cost that is now impacted by the carbon tax. The biodiesel fuel produced by AshOil can help mining companies reduce their costs and the environmental impacts of their operations. By ESS giving AshOil guaranteed access to its used cooking oil, the organisation can pursue additional business opportunities in the region and build on its program of economic engagement for the local Indigenous community.” Having the right infrastructure in place at remote minesites includes piping for water management. UK-based Polypipe, one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of plastic piping systems, has been expanding its presence in the African market and in particular states that it is focusing on the mining industry, having already secured contracts to supply pipework systems to major mining projects in Kenya and Sierra Leone. Polypipe says that it is able to offer pipework and water management systems to meet the needs of mining operations, which involve both pressurised pumping and gravity systems, mining process pipework and all of the water supply and drainage involved in the construction of buildings, offices and accommodation complexes. Polypipe Export Manager Philip Wood states: “In territories where water is in short supply, and with processes that place high demands on water usage, effective water management in large-scale mining operations is essential. Mining companies and their contractors need to consider the environmental impact of their operations, so efficient recycling of water used in the various mineral extraction processes is vital.  Similarly when considering the associated infrastructure, the effective reuse of water needs to be an integral part of their pipework design. Our British-made products are designed to meet today’s carbon and water challenges and we provide solutions for the total water management process, covering capture, treatment, reuse, attenuation and soakaway, along with drainage for buildings and infrastructure.” One of its key product systems for the sector is Polypipe’s PE100, a high pressure polyethylene pipe system that has been used for some of the toughest mining environments in applications such as recirculation pipelines for heap leaching operations, solution mining, process slurry pipelines and process water. Chemical and corrosion-resistant, it can cope with harsh REMOTE MINESITES materials from abrasive slurries to corrosive acids, bases and salts. Polypipe states: “It has excellent hydraulic properties, enabling large volumes of liquid to be carried at high flow rates - and will resist scaling, biological build up and damage through thermal shock. Pipes and fittings can be jointed using electrofusion or butt-welding techniques to form a continuous homogenous pipeline which affords no chance of leakage.” The Polypipe Ridgidrain twin-walled pipe system, which is suitable for non-pressurised storm water, sub-surface gravity drainage and offers a number of advantages over traditional pipe systems, according to Polypipe. In underground installations, Polypipe twin-wall pipes can accommodate ground movement and subsequent settlement after installation without failure. Twin- wall pipes are available from 100 mm to 2,100 mm. On the logistical and environmental front, Wood says: “One of the key advantages of the Polypipe Ridgidrain and RidgistormXL system is that it has excellent environmental credentials. The product has a high recycled plastic content and requires less energy to manufacture than other materials. It is up to 94% lighter than traditional concrete systems, making it easier to handle, which in turn  considerably reduces transportation and ‘on-site’ plant hire costs.  When shipping the product overseas, Polypipe can maximise the sea container space by carrying pipes within pipes. This means that considerably more metreage can be loaded into one container - an important consideration when shipping pipes worldwide.” A twinwall drainage system from Polypipe has been installed in the first phase of the infrastructure work at the Marampa mining project in Sierra Leone. The 150 mm Ridgidrain pipes and associated fittings were shipped from the UK, with the ability to meet an extremely tight logistics schedule being a key part of the supply arrangement. The Marampa haematite iron ore mine is located in Lunsar, 125 km to the northeast of Freetown, with construction being undertaken by Dawnus Construction, a UK-based international civil engineering and building company, on behalf of London Mining. Appointed as the principal mining contractor for the first phase of the works, Dawnus commenced the £122m mining operations in December 2012.  Dawnus were awarded an additional package of work to drain and stabilise an existing tailings dam. The Polypipe Ridgidrain High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) product was supplied for management of water decanting from the tailings, into a pipeline that will drain the water within the tailing dam wall to a local water treatment area. Accommodation and communications Also in February 2013, Oil States International announced today that its Canadian subsidiary, PTI Group (PTI) had opened a new Canadian lodge known as Anzac Lodge, located south of Fort McMurray in the Athabasca oil sands region of Alberta. PTI designed, built, owns and manages the new lodge, which has an initial capacity of 338 rooms. The lodge began operations in January of 2013. Construction of Anzac Lodge is backed by an initial one-year contract for the majority of the initial capacity in support of in-situ operations. Longer term, Anzac Lodge will support in-situ operations in the southern oil sands play along with pipeline infrastructure expansions. PTI states that “Anzac provides PTI’s full suite of first-class accommodations and services including catering, ancillary and convenience services, internet service, conference rooms and leisure facilities for fitness, entertainment and relaxation.” “We are pleased to announce the opening of a new lodge in support of our customer’s growing accommodation needs,” stated Cindy Taylor, Oil States’ President and Chief Executive Officer. “Anzac is our seventh major lodge in the oil sands region and provides us with greater exposure to in-situ development and pipeline infrastructure expansions in a growing area of concentrated customer activity.” Supplier of modular housing solutions, ATCO Structures & Logistics, recently announced the official opening of its new manufacturing plant in Australia. The 14,000 m2 facility, located in the Latitude 32 Industrial Zone in the city of Kwinana, is ATCO’s newest modular manufacturing operation in the country, and ATCO now operates six manufacturing plants in Australia. Worldwide, ATCO has supplied mining camps to Teck Pogo, Vale Goro and BHPB Jansen amongst others. The site was chosen due to its proximity and access to distribution networks including road, rail and port as well as the capacity to draw on an established supply chain infrastructure and workforce for the future growth of the business. ATCO anticipates that the facility will create approximately 100 new jobs in the Kwinana area within the first three years of operation. “The Kwinana plant will expand ATCO’s manufacturing capacity in Australia and help us meet the growing demand for our products and services in the country, especially for large scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) and mining infrastructure projects,” said Adam Beattie, Managing Director, ATCO Structures & Logistics. “We see great opportunity in Western Australia and are committed to the region for the long term. ATCO will work with the local community to hire skilled trades people and production workers, ensuring that the Kwinana area fully benefits from ATCO’s presence.” Fleet tracking is another vital aspect of managing remote sites. Navman Wireless USA has just announced a new satellite communications option for its OnlineAVL2 fleet tracking platform enabling continuous visibility of both heavy equipment and on-road vehicles even when assets are out of cellular coverage. Designed for mining and other industries operating in remote locations, the new solution includes the ability to minimise data charges by transmitting only the most critical event information via satellite. Satellite connectivity is provided via a small modem that plugs into the serial port on Navman Wireless’ Qube on- highway and/or ruggedised Qtanium off-highway GPS tracking devices. The system automatically switches between cellular and satellite transmission with intelligent least-cost routing, utilising the highly reliable, global Iridium satellite network when fleet assets move out of cellular range. Benefits include uninterrupted real-time fleet tracking without losing visibility of equipment location and other status information when assets are beyond the reach of cell towers; and increased employee safety because equipment and vehicles are never out of sight of the fleet tracking system, even if they are working in cellular dead zones. The system also means there are no missed engine alerts, potentially preventing costly machine repairs and downtime by ensuring that job supervisors are promptly informed when engine, coolant, transmission or air filter sensors connected to GPS tracking devices exceed pre-defined thresholds. Its cost-saving configurability includes the option to limit satellite transmissions to priority events (panic messages, rollover alerts, engine overheating, speed or geofence violations) and delay the transfer of low-priority event data until cellular coverage is restored. “If a machine or vehicle in your fleet is operating outside of cell coverage and you have critical communications that need to take place for safety or operations reasons, it can be a problem to wait until the asset gets back into cell range,” said Davis Gammage, VP Product Management, Navman Wireless. “Temporarily switching to satellite communication solves the problem and ensures 100% visibility of your equipment as well as your field staff.” The new satellite communications option marks the latest expansion of Navman Wireless’ fleet tracking portfolio for the mining industry. The company’s OnlineAVL2 fleet tracking platform provides location, operations and performance data for both on-highway vehicles and construction heavy equipment from a single interface. The back-end OnlineAVL2 application – delivered under the Software-as-a-Service model – includes industry-specific reporting such as jobsite utilisation reports that break down equipment use by project, facilitate proper cost accounting and reduce write-offs for unallocated asset hours. IM REMOTE MINESITES DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 41 T he mining tyre sector has always occupied somewhat of a unique position, with the major players more focused on on-road truck tyres and passenger car tyres, with mining not always first priority. Today, mines have a much greater choice of manufacturers than they had ten years ago, but this also includes some potential risks with unknown and untested brands. And the demand levels are not uniform, reflecting as would be expected, differing performance in mining itself across different commodities and regions. Peter Kearney, OTR mine analyst specialist, Titan Mining Services, a subsidiary of Titan International, told IM: “As our international presence continues to grow, we’ve seen mining tyre demand remain steady as a whole. But while certain areas of the mining sector have seen a bit of a dip in 2013 – such as the North American coal market – others have remained very strong. There’s still a demand for raw materials in developing countries such as China and India, which has kept mines in Chile, Peru, Indonesia, Australia, Russia and other areas running strong. We’re also seeing some new projects developing in Africa and expect some big operations to be underway in Zambia and DRC by 2014.” The selection of the actual tyre type is not related to region and mine type, with the focus more on haul speed, distance, weight the tyre is hauling, temperatures and haul road conditions. Most tyre sizes are used consistently throughout the world, but tyre compounds – whether wear-resistant, heat-resistant or cut- resistant – can differ greatly from one mine to the next. A coal mine hauling 1 km round trips on rocky, curvy haul roads would likely need a wear-resistant tyre compound, whereas another coal mine hauling 10 km round trips at higher speeds would be better off with a heat-resistant compound. Tyres in mining are mostly site- specific, which is why the major suppliers recommend conducting regular TMPH/TKPH studies before purchase decisions are made. In terms of Titan’s response to supply and demand, Kearney adds: “Titan took the steps necessary steps to address the shortage by doubling our mining tyre production capacity from 2011 to 2012. Now, supply has caught up to the demand, and most of the in-demand sizes are readily available. So, we believe that our production levels are appropriate for the market demand of existing products, but we’ve also put a lot of effort toward developing new tyre molds and technologies. For instance, we’re launching some new Low Sidewall (LSW) options for the CAT 994, including the Titan LDR150 58/80R63, which will significantly improve machine stability and reduce swaying during peak load by increasing wheel size and reducing the aspect ratio of the tyre. We’re currently the only company with an LSW offering, largely because we also manufacture wheels, so we have the ability to develop tyre and wheel assemblies that complement each other.” As far as tyre purchasing agreements and allocations are concerns, a lot of mines are still building up their tyre inventory in the aftermath of the shortage. Interestingly this is less true of the larger mines running ultra-class radials which tend to have long term allocations locked in, but applies rather to medium sized operations running a lot of 33.00R51 and 45/65R45 radials, which are still forecasting tyre usage by quarter and building their inventory on-site. That said, a lot of the smaller mines with four to five machines are less concerned with tyre availability than they were a year ago, and are not stockpiling tyres from the spot market the way they were before. Like the market for mining equipment, the market for mining tyres also has a strategic element when it comes to brand. The major mines prefer to run top-tier tyres from the major manufacturers, whether that be Michelin, Bridgestone, Titan, Goodyear, Yokohama, Eurotire or otherwise – due to their proven costs per hour that have been thoroughly tested in the field. But, many operators also like the option of also using second-tier tyres that they’ve tested and can run on a few of their machines, giving them bargaining power to some extent but also in the event of a supply issue, they have another brand they know they can turn to if necessary. This remains the primary use of Chinese tyres for many mines, though may only apply to rear tyre positions. That said, overall this adds up to large quantities, and these operations would not be using some of these Chinese brands if they were not good quality – and the influence of the likes of Techking, Qingdao Qizhou Rubber, Qingdao Hengda, Shandong Xingda and others is only likely to increase, as Chinese-owned and controlled mining operations in Africa, Australia, South America and elsewhere come on-stream. David Anckaert, General Manager, Global OTR Tires at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company told IM: “There has been a slowdown in mining, including the cancellation and postponement of MINING TYRES 42 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 Rolling resistance Paul Moore reports that on the whole, the market for large mining tyres is mixed, with increased availability of larger sizes and lower spot market prices. Maintenance and service is another key area, with a lot of new products increasing efficiencies New Titan LDR150 tyres on a CAT 994 wheel loader 44 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 some new large mining projects. However, demand for ultra-large tyres remains robust across the board due to the operational efficiencies that these products offer. We continue to optimise our products, performance and mix in order to meet the evolving needs of our customers, while upgrading and expanding our manufacturing capabilities, such as the $250 million investment in 57 in tyre production at our Nippon Giant Tire plant in Japan that we announced last year.” Different applications call for different tyre designs and features, which Goodyear takes into consideration in product development. The RM (Rock Mining) OTR tyre line drives optimal performance in very difficult environments, such as those found in large haulage coal and hard rock mining applications. Available globally, the RM line’s unique features include a non- directional tread pattern with high-angle grooves for improved traction; an optimised tread pattern for optimal wear/temperature balance; and Goodyear’s exclusive CycleMax tread compound for cool running. The company says it is currently working on next-generation RM products for haulage applications, as well as next-generation tyres for loader and grader applications. In the wider area of tyre management, Anckaert stated: “Product performance has become a primary consideration, which continues to spur growth in demand for Tier One OTR tyres. At the same time, customers also continue to look for more than just tyres to help them lower their operating costs. We offer a wide range of services to help our customers achieve optimal returns on their tyre investment. These services include mine site audits; temperature studies; training (basic, advanced and service); and development engineering follow-up. We also provide support/advice on mine operating conditions to help customers get the most out of their tires. In addition, we have a mobile repair unit that performs on-site tyre repairs, as well as a mobile science unit for advanced engineering studies. And our field managers and regional managers provide application and after-sale support, which is vital.” Eurotire Business Development Manager for Mexico/Central America, Courtland Acosta told IM: “Demand for OTR tyres has decreased due to the OEM companies not selling new equipment and several mining operations running at reduced operating schedules to lower commodity pricing. Supply currently exceeds demand and will most likely be this way through 2014.” On general market trends he states: “Coal due to the influx of natural gas and cleaner air standards in the industrialised countries is in decline. Newly proposed tax increases in Mexico on precious metal mine operators could deter future mine development and may cause mine closures if passed by the new administration. The increased availability of 57 in and 63 in radial tyres by the Tier One suppliers will be a major factor in the slowdown of the bias tyre market at the larger mine operations globally. Water and environmental restrictions are still a very serious issue in South America and in many cases has delayed new mine development and has created additional costs for those in production..” In terms of securing supply long term for large mines, contracts for extended periods with price escalation clauses are now very common. This also means that the spot market is very competitive as fewer mine operators are purchasing outside of their supply agreements with the Tier One suppliers. With the current supply exceeding demand several of the larger companies are no longer looking at alternate suppliers for their current and future OTR tyre needs. This makes introducing a new product into these operations far more difficult. Steve Bailey, Eurotire Regional Business Manager in South East Asia, offered some insight for that part of the world: “Currently there are no greenfield mines being opened due to the global low export thermal and coking coal prices. Presently it’s more of looking for low strip ratios with increased production to offset the low coal price and hence smaller profit margin. Adding to this is the new process law that Indonesia government is trying to bring in is causing more uncertainty within Indonesia. The Philippines is still going ahead with more construction and infrastructure projects rather than new greenfield mines, with Philippine major contractors purchasing more 100 t and 150 t haul trucks. The largest requirement SEA currently has in terms of tyre sizes is for 24.00R35 and 27.00R49. However the more established and larger projects do have 150 t and larger trucks. However, within Indonesia there is a large surplus and pressure from manufacturers to maintain market share of 60 and 100 t truck tyres causing spot contract pricing to fall sharply. There is a surplus of tyres currently within SEA this includes small and large tyres. However, everyone is experiencing very good prices at the moment on all sizes.” Some of these large miners are actually selling off some of their excess tyres to other contractors which is causing some supply companies to have excess stock and then they reduce spot tyre prices to their dealer network. At Eurotire’s state of the art Romanian factory, the 57 in radial is still being developed with a limited amount of units running in areas close to the plant so the engineering group can get detailed performance data and make the needed changes in a more efficient manner. Other radial tyre sizes are being produced to meet the current market demand. Better management practices A significant change seen in recent years is the rapid adoption of technology such as TMS/TPMS systems, but also the continued increase in the level of sophistication in terms of tyre management practices, and this now applies not only to the largest mining customers, but also many of the smaller mines and aggregate producers. Kearney comments: “At the bare minimum, most mines are recognising that tyre pressure monitors are essential. Even small aggregate quarries with four to five machines have started adopting this technology. For the larger customers with a little more capital to invest, we’re seeing adoption of more sophisticated technologies such as VBOX and TyreSense that can measure everything from tyre running temperatures and pressures to vehicle speed, distance travelled, cycle times, acceleration, vehicle location, and haul road grades. A lot of the larger operations have fleet managers that are accessing this type of information remotely for mines throughout the world in order to better manage their fleet and limit tyre wear.” MINING TYRES Goodyear 46/90R57 RM4A+ tyre on Hitachi EH4000AC3 truck MINING TYRES In technology news, AM Bromley recently launched what it says is a “unique state-of-the- art OTR tyre monitoring system” that utilises advanced telematics technology to provide substantial cost-saving benefits, improved safety, and increased tyre life. Developed in collaboration with ENAiKOON, a telematics communications technology provider, the new system combines AM Bromley’s TMS solution with ENAiKOON’s advanced tracking software to deliver “an integrated system that offers real- time, anytime reporting for large off-road vehicles.” Utilising a software plugin, the ENAiKOON TMS enables integration into inViu Web, ENAiKOON’s advanced telematics portal, facilitating real-time reporting of pressure and temperature developments across a fleet of vehicles not only to the driver, but also to the asset manager. Instant notification enables managers to become quickly aware of potential tyre performance issues, and to take the necessary remedial action immediately. “As such, the ENAiKOON TMS helps them to achieve the cost benefits resulting from extended tyre life, reduced tyre maintenance expenditure, improved fuel efficiency, and reduced vehicle downtime.” Alert thresholds can now be reconfigured remotely to allow for seasonal and environmental variations, and the plugin may be upgraded remotely when tyres are changed. The ENAiKOON TMS also facilitates the delivery of historical data, truck location, and driver behaviour. The statement said: “Created cost-efficiently by a partnership between the only developers and manufacturers selling an integrated software tyre monitor system directly to the customer, the ENAiKOON TMS is available at a relatively low cost, accessible to smaller firms as well as big corporations with substantial budgets. In contrast to many competing products, introduction of the ENAiKOON TMS does not usually require the costly installation of an alternative infrastructure as it runs on the popular GSM and GPRS networks.” Existing owners of an AM Bromley TMS system wishing to upgrade to the ENAiKOON TMS system need only purchase a single piece of hardware from ENAiKOON to facilitate the new product. Since the launch, the ENAiKOON TMS has been installed on trucks at two large UK quarries. At Hanson Aggregates’ Shap Beck limestone quarry near Penrith in Cumbria, a CAT 775 haul truck was recently fitted with TMS external sensors and the ENAiKOON TMS. The new plug-in ENAiKOON TMS product allows quarry managers to see first-hand, data relating to both real and cold compensated tyre pressure. Managers are notified of any alerts such those indicating low pressure, and may then initiate action to carry out the necessary maintenance when the truck next comes to the workshop.  The TMS inViu web portal also allows historical data to be viewed, together with other material, such as vehicle tracking and driving patterns. The ENAiKOON TMS installation in July 2013 follows that in August 2012 of AM Bromley’s TMS and operator interface cab display in another  vehicle, which allows the driver to see real time tyre pressure and temperature data. Of both systems, Chris Herbert, Hanson’s Assistant Quarry Manager at Shap Beck, said: “Allowing the drivers to see first-hand the tyre data is extremely useful, allowing them to make decisions whilst on shift. The first truck fitted has had less out-of-hours service this year compared to previous years and we are working with our tyre service and supply partner to quantify the financial savings made on fuel and tyres in the past 12 months.” Advantage PressurePro and Trimble have introduced the Trimble TirePulse TMS system to assist fleet managers in reducing maintenance costs, increasing overall fleet productivity and promoting site safety. Part of the Trimble Connected Site portfolio, the advanced machine monitoring solution wirelessly reports tyre temperature and pressure data from the jobsite to the VisionLink fleet, asset and site productivity management solution from Trimble. Automatic, real-time tyre pressure and high-temperature alerts help fleet managers and site supervisors schedule cost-effective preventative tyre DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 45 maintenance, extend the life of tyres, increase fuel efficiency and avoid dangerous blowouts. Under-inflated tyres can reduce fuel economy, increase overheating, tread wear and blowouts that take a machine out of production. Together, these factors can significantly affect fleet productivity and operating costs. Trimble TirePulse can improve tyre life while also reducing the need for fleet managers to drive to the site and visually inspect inflation, tyre wear and temperature. Using a Trimble TP920 Industrial Tyre Sensor in the tyre valve stem and a Trimble SNM940 Connected Site Gateway for communications, the information is automatically relayed back to the office for analysis by the fleet manager. Accurate data is communicated through VisionLink, so the fleet manager can proactively manage tyre maintenance on more machines across different mining sites. The Trimble TirePulse system also promotes increased jobsite safety by reducing the risk of tyre blowout and injury to workers. Properly inflated tyres improve the performance of vehicle braking systems and allow a faster response time in potentially dangerous conditions. The system is also safer and more accurate than manual visual inspection because it does not require personnel to be in close proximity to overheated tyres. VisionLink automatically alerts the fleet manager or site foreman when a tyre experiences a 20% drop in pressure and becomes a potential hazard. It can also provide a high-temperature alert to indicate that jobsite conditions are likely to accelerate tire breakdown. “Preventative maintenance is more cost effective than a machine going down suddenly with a blown tyre. But with equipment moving around so much from site to site, fleet managers struggle to stay ahead of the game,” said Julian Dann, Business Area Director for machine control at Trimble. “TirePulse is priced for installation across the entire fleet of on- and off-road machine tyres, regardless of make, model or manufacturer. Increased wear or breakdown can be reported and acted upon proactively. The system can often pay for itself by preventing just one blowout.” VisionLink version 2.8 and the new Trimble TirePulse TMS are currently available through the Trimble SITECH Technology Dealer Channel in North America. Service and maintenance Eurotire states that it recently achieved record levels of tyre quality and durability at the Orenburg Minerals chrysotile operation in Yasny, Russia. The Eurotire 27.00R49 tyres were manufactured at the state-of-the-art all steel radial plant in Romania, and achieved 86,216 km (53,454 miles) in tyre life. This distance translates to more than 7,000 h of heavy use at the Yasny mine, with the tyres maintained in accordance with the standards of the Eurotire EuroCare service program. “The Orenmin milestone is proof of what our EuroCare mining tyre maintenance program can accomplish,” said Helen Ratnikova, Eurotire Marketing and Training Manager. “Regular monitoring, routine inspections and close communication with our trained Eurotire technicians can ensure any one of our tyres will provide top OTR tyre performance.” The EuroCare program tracks the entire life cycle of a tyre, following it from the moment it leaves the factory to ensure that it is maintained, serviced and used to its full potential. Tailored to reflect the key performance indicators of each mining operation, Eurotire states that EuroCare “provides customers with the tools, service, training and support necessary to use each tyre effectively.” In the tyre handling and service market, the Hedweld Trilift TH15000 workshop tyre handler has been specifically designed to provide a maintenance tool for the safe removal and installation of wheel assemblies from a range of earthmoving and plant equipment. Hedweld states: “As the size of mining equipment grows, traditional methods for handling components have become more hazardous. With respect to tyres the size and weight have increased progressively with each new model.” For example the size and weight of a CAT 777 tyre (a 27.00R49) is 2,835 lb and the tyre measures 8.8 ft in diameter, by comparison to the large tyres used on a Komatsu 930E (50.00R57) that weighs more than 15,700 lb and measures 12.6 ft across. On the Komatsu 960E, the tyre (a 56.00R63) weighs 16,500 lb with a 12.7 ft diameter. There also are even bigger tyres for 363 t class trucks and some tyre diameters exceed 13 ft. Hedweld told IM: “Traditionally, these components are moved by equipment such as telehandlers, mobile cranes and forklifts. These items have limitations due to their physical size, manoeuvrability and safety. A number of incidents occur every year involving machines used in this manner.” The functional need that the TH15000 fulfils is to minimise the space required to remove and replace a tyre. Traditionally, the customer would have to park a truck in the middle bay leaving a bay free either side so they can drive in a large mobile crane or 25 t forklift. The TH15000 has been designed with a narrow footprint to fit within one bay allowing for all bays to be utilised for other maintenance tasks. An independent trial undertaken at Komatsu in Western Australia demonstrated that the TH15000 is 60-75% more cost, time and labour efficient than traditional methods of tyre handling, according to Hedweld. During the trial, assessments were taken comparing the TH15000 to two other traditional methods of tyre handing – using a forklift and using a tyre basket. The data showed that the time to change four tyres with a basket was 180 min, with forklift 160 min but with the TH15000 100 min, with each approach requiring six, four and two workers respectively. Fewer people means freeing up skilled labour for other duties. Ergonomically the TH15000 is driven using a remote control to give the user improved visibility when aligning the product with the component and removes any need for manual handling of the product. The TH15000 also has an optional jib arm to support the weight of the rattle gun that is required to remove the wheel nuts. Hedweld manufactures its products to comply with Australian and ISO standards and says it is flexible enough in its production capabilities to be able to adhere to site specific needs which include additional signage, specific colours, alarms and lights. Mark Gream, Hedweld Global Products Manager summarised: “The TH15000 is good value for money and allows the mine workshop staff to use one bay rather than three bays to perform the job of removing and replacing wheel assemblies. With truck availability being a major KPI within mine sites this is an invaluable product solution for our customers. Mines using the TH15000 will see that their equipment will be spending less time in the workshop and more time moving valuable cargo.” Michelin states that it has certified 11 Michelin Professional Earthmover Dealers into the Michelin Earthmover Performance Repairs program since its inception in February 2013. These dealers have undergone the process of Graphic showing small footprint of Hedweld TH15000 workshop tyre handler MINING TYRES 46 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 certifying their repair locations through a comprehensive audit. The program is designed to develop consistent, professional, and validated repair shops throughout the industry. This includes Tech International training, inventory control systems, traceability methods, and a proven quality repair process. Michelin believes that the program enables end users to get the most value out of their tyre investments. The Performance Repair Sites as of August 2013 included TCi Tire Centres in Mulberry, Florida; Saginaw, Michigan; Decatur, Alabama and San Antonio, Texas as well as Service Tire in York Pennsylvania, A&E Tire in Denver, Colorado; Meekoff Tire in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Purcell Tire sites in Potosi, Missouri, and Phoenix, Arizona; Multillantas y Servicios Grmialdi in Monterey, Mexico; and Ziegler Tire in Massillon, Ohio. “Our goal is to have complete North American coverage by 2014,” said Greg Williams, Earthmover Services Deployment Manager. “This value added program is for the benefit of the end users to help maintain and protect their Michelin Earthmover tyre assets.” The new Stellar Industries TM20165 tyre manipulator was developed to accommodate the increased use of 63 in tyres in the mining market, and specifically the 59/80R63. Tim Davison, Product Manager, Bodies and Cranes at Stellar states: “Mines all over the world are increasing productivity by increasing haul truck sizes which means heavier utilisation of the 59/80R63 tyre and rim. But mines are facing the increasingly difficult task of changing these tyres should an "in the field" flat occur. Current truck mounted tyre manipulators could change these tyres at a close working radius, but have difficulties at extended reach. As a result, Stellar developed the TM20165 to extend the work radius of truck mounted manipulators and the TM20165 is now the world's largest truck-mounted tyre manipulator.” Stellar believes that the market potential could be as many as 100 worldwide with that figure increasing annually as mines go over to the larger 63 in tyres and rims. Stellar designs and manufactures a full line of service trucks for OTR tyre service industries. Most bodies feature extruded aluminum floors for greater strength and longevity, including stainless steel hinges with stainless steel automotive style slam latches and direct-drive hydraulic driven air compressor systems. The crane and compressor are mounted on a unique common base, with articulating (knuckleboom) cranes having fully proportional radio remote control, fully enclosed extension boom cylinder, integral mounted pump and PTO and load holding counterbalance valves. Iowa Mold Tooling (IMT) introduced a revamped line-up of TireHand tyre manipulators at MINExpo in 2012. John Field, Product Manager for Material Handling at IMT comments: “The enhanced TireHand offerings were driven by customer input and our desire to provide a product that met or exceeded our customers’ expectations. Our goal for revamping our existing TireHand lineup was to provide our customers with a tyre manipulator that increased their productivity while improving operator safety. By adding two new models — the TH20K167 and TH36K164 — we were also able to offer our customers a greater spectrum of capacity options, which enables them to choose the capacity that is right for their application while minimising the size and cost of their loader or forklift.” Available in loader or forklift truck- mounted options, IMT TireHand models and their capacities include: � H5K115: 2,495 kg � TH10K135: 4,536 kg � TH15K160: 6,804 kg � TH20K167: 9,072 kg � TH25K164: 11,340 kg � TH36K164: 16,329 kg Field adds: “The two new TireHand models were developed in response to customer demand and helped fill niches in our TireHand lineup. The TH36K164 TireHand model is one of the highest capacity tyre manipulators available in the industry. It was designed to handle wheel loader tyres equipped with chains. Our TH20K167 TireHand model was designed to offer customers a tyre manipulator that provided more lifting MINING TYRES DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 47 ONLY GOING TO ONE MINING INVESTMENT SHOW THIS YEAR? March 2 – 5, 2014 WHERE THE WORLD’S MINERAL INDUSTRY MEETS Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada International Convention, Trade Show & Investors Exchange Metro Toronto Convention Centre Toronto, Canada convention.pdac.ca/pdac/conv/ 48 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 capacity while minimising the size and cost of their loader or forklift. We have received positive feedback from international customers about our revamped TireHand lineup. Customers have been pleased with features including the new hydraulically controlled fallback protection, optimised pad design and minimised arm profile.” Integrated fallback protection arms are hydraulically controlled, making them easier to use and operate than their mechanical predecessors while providing an additional layer of operator safety. The hydraulically activated fallback protection system allows operators to position the fallback arms from the control station in the cab. This enables the operator to remain in the cab, which makes the work more efficient, improves overall productivity and increases safety. With a redesigned grip pattern and new tapering on the pad, TireHand tyre manipulators maintain their grip on the tyre without damage and handle rim flange hardware with ease. And the TireHand arms were narrowed to minimise interference with chassis components during tyre-handling operations. IMT has also partnered with the forklift truck manufacturer Hyster to offer integrated TireHand tyre manipulator packages. “Seamless integration of the forklift and TireHand tyre manipulator minimises downtime associated with mating a carrier and tyre-handling attachment. With TireHand tyre manipulator units developed by IMT and Hyster, customers have mounting options to meet their specific needs, whether an integral mount providing a dedicated tool for tyre handling or a quick detach mount for forklift application flexibility.” In addition to TireHand tyre manipulators, IMT also offers mining customers a lineup of Commander tyre trucks that provide all-around service units for mine tyre service applications. These trucks typically incorporate a crane, a TireHand tyre manipulator, an IMT air compressor and storage for tools and parts in a single package. They are available with various specifications to ensure a precise fit to specific tyre handling needs, increasing vehicle utilisation and reducing operating costs. This includes the Commander IV tyre truck that can handle giant 63 in tyres. On an engineer-to-order basis, the capacity of the Commander IV model can be increased to 7,711 kg, enabling customers to efficiently and safely handle the largest tyres in the industry. For trucks and loaders, Manitou Group developed its own handling solution to maintain tyres. Emmanuel Amandjules, Mining Activities Manager, states: “Our attachment combined with our machine offer provides the best visibility on the market. Furthermore the operation is safer and more efficient than with other equipment.” For instance, wheel loaders or forklifts can suffer from a lack of visibility and no forward reach. Other disadvantages, according to Manitou are a higher purchase cost, high fuel consumption and unsuitability for rough terrain applications. Manitou telehandlers are backed by safety load charts and offer “great visibility” as well as being “generally more fuel efficient and versatile.” As a direct solution to change tyres, the Manitou handling solution can be fitted with the TH63+, already widely sold in Chile, which is a new type of tyre clamp. Totally adapted with heavy load telehandlers such as the MHT 10225, this tyre clamp designed by Manitou is capable of handling a 12 t, 63 in tyre. The design of the clamp has been enhanced, providing greater visibility when tyres are changed on a truck or loader thanks to its parallelogram design. The tyre clamps cover the full range of standard wheels (from 23-63 in) for open pits and underground with a capacity of 1-12 t. They make it possible to pick up and position tyres with great precision when they are being changed. These operations can be performed using a remote control unit so that the tyres can be handled safely. These clamps are also very suitable for moving tyres in storage areas. “This new attachment, which is ideally suited to safety and profitability requirements, in combination with the capacity and manoeuvrability of our machinery is proof of the know-how and ever increasing expertise of the Manitou Group New Business department and Product Unit teams in the mining and quarries sector,” said Amandjules. There is also a tyre handler for low profile tyres – a solution for limited accessibility, suitable for dual axles and medium dump trucks and for all MT/MLT/MRT models: TH K1000 1,000 kg: 560 to 2,060 mm TH K2000 2,000 kg: 560 to 2,190 mm TH 49 2,500 kg: 1,150 to 3,140 mm TH 51 3,500 kg: 1,130 to 3,410 mm TH 57 6,000 kg: 1,220 to 3,830 mm TH 63 9,300 kg: 1,580 to 4,170 mm TH 63+ 12,000 kg: 600 to 4,200 mm Capacity and product news In April 2013, Bridgestone held a foundation stone laying ceremony at the site of its new plant in Thailand that will produce OTR radial tyres for mining and construction. In the past, Bridgestone has produced these tyres exclusively in Japan and the US. By constructing this new plant in Thailand, Bridgestone believes it will have established an optimal mining tyre production system that will enable it to respond better to growing tyre demand, and also to any future changes that might occur in the operating environment. The new plant is scheduled to begin production in the first half of 2015, and total daily production capacity is expected to reach approximately 85 t by the first half of 2019. In product news, Bridgestone has introduced the new V-Steel Super Deep Rock Premium Radial tyre, which is available in two sizes to support mining operations. The V-Steel Super Deep Rock (VSDR) premium radial tyre features an improved tread design and more tread volume for long life, and comes in a 20.5R25 1* rating and in a 2* rating for loaders and dozers. “Customer feedback guides and drives us to create better, smarter tyres that meet end-user needs and the new VSDR premium radial tyre is a result,” said Bert Jones, Manager, Product Marketing, TBR, Retread and OTR, Bridgestone Commercial Solutions. “We took the popular V- Steel D-Lug (VSDL) off-the-road radial tyre and improved tread wear capability. When compared to the VSDL, the tread wear of the new VSDR improves up to 6%, depending upon application.” Engineered to withstand various mining terrains, the 1* rating is designed for use on rock surfaces found in open pits and quarries, as well as paved surfaces for the demands of waste applications. The 2* rating is designed for use in underground operations. Additional tyre features include multi-ply steel belts and a unique shape to help protect tread and sidewall from cuts, as well as an extra-deep tread that helps resist cuts and impacts for long life. Two new sizes are also available for the Michelin XADN+ tyre, which is used in smaller mines that run fleets of ADTs, where the focus is on providing constant mobility, despite changing conditions and difficult terrain. To meet this dual requirement for versatility and mobility, ADTs require tyres that are suited to their needs. That was the purpose of the development of the XADN+ tyre, launched in 2012 in the 29.5R25 size. This year the line-up has been extended to the sizes 23.5R25 and 26.5R25. With the new sizes, Michelin’s offer covers all types of ADT MINING TYRES One of the two new large machines in the IMT TireHand line-up models. Michelin states that the XADN+ offers up to 15% greater longevity compared to the previous-generation Michelin XADN tyre. For the underground mining market, the Michelin XTXL tyre is now available in a 25 in size. The XTXL range is specifically designed for underground mines faced with productivity requirements in a work environment where confinement, heat and debris represent constraining factors. The XTXL tyre range was first available in a 33 in, but the company has adding two new sizes: the 26.5R25 and 29.5R25. This means that a wider variety of underground mining machines can now be fitted with the XTXL tyre. Michelin states: “With increases of 10% in longevity, 20% in puncture resistance, and 30% in load capacity, the gains obtained by the new Michelin XTXL compared with the prior- generation tyres effectively support companies operating in underground mines.” Yokohama recently highlighted new mining tyres for the underground coal industry in September at the Bluefield Coal Show in West Virginia. The new tyres include the Y20, a 36-ply heavy-duty Y20 39 x 15 x 20 tyre, described as ideal for scoops and coal haulers needing heavy weight carrying capacity in a 39 in tall tyre. It also allows for the replacement of a 15 in rim with a heavy-duty 20 in rim for better durability and extra room around the hub. This promotes cooler running brakes, and better access and torque on the lug bolts. The rugged Y20 was also developed to take large shuttle cars down to lower levels, enabling access to deeper coal seams while still offering great carrying capacity. The 36 ply tough-tread Y67 44 x 15 x 20 is engineered for large shuttle cars, providing greater carrying capacity without having to change rims, and its wide footprint delivers an improved ride and longer tyre life. Magna Tyres Group has launched the MAGNA MA06+ tyre, which is intended for fitting on rigid mining trucks and is designed for use on rocky, gravel or packed surfaces. Magna states that the MA06+ “offers excellent traction and outstanding stability due to its improved pattern.” Operating costs are minimised through lowered rolling resistance and cooler operating temperatures. The MAGNA MA06+ is available in four rubber compounds: standard, cut- resistant, heat- resistant and ultra- heat-resistant. The ‘+’ in MA06+ indicates the new improved tread pattern compared to the MA06. The additional cooling vents contribute to optimised heat dissipation across the tyre. In combination with the innovative newly developed rubber compound, the average TKPH-value is increased by 8%, according to Magna. The MA06+ is available in tyre sizes 40.00R57, 46/90R57, 50/80R57 and 53/80R63. Tyre chains The design and operation of haul roads is crucial to the profitability of a mine’s operation. The shortest route from A to B is not always the best if gradients and cambers place avoidable stress on man and machine. It follows that the designer’s remit must be optimise fuel consumption, minimise vehicle maintenance costs and maximise operator safety. Daily housekeeping to keep paths clear of debris and measures to enhance visibility through dust suppression are as essential as is operator training and traffic management systems that monitor the position of each mobile item and keep haulers and utility vehicles at safe distances from each other. Working steep inclines asks a lot of truck tyres whether riding wet-clayey or iced-up surfaces. Tyre chains supplier RUD-Erlau argues that no matter how user-friendly the driving controls and how compatible the tyre treads, the driver may still find themselves struggling to keep their payload headed in the right direction as the tyres grip the gradient and flex against an adverse camber, making haul cycles longer and productivity much reduced. RUD-Erlau states: “It is not surprising that owners of high altitude, ice-bound mines such as Codelco and Barrick choose to fit traction chains such as Erlau’s Terraplus. When the snow sets in, the light weight, steel-alloy, low energy, toothed Terraplus provides powerful surface grip without loss of performance. When site conditions improve, the chains are quickly and safely removed thanks to Erlau’s Easylock. Locked and unlocked by a simple 90 degree turn of a hex key, Easylock takes the time, inconvenience and risk out of traction chain installation. Used in haul road construction and maintenance, Terraplus is also used to enhance traction for wheeled dozer and grader tyres.” The group also states that underground coal miners can also overcome clay and flint with the all-round protection of its TORO X19 chains, designed to provide traction and all-round protection and safety for low-profile loaders and haulers in underground galleries. Designed to fit within tight wheel arches, the reduced weight, TORO X19 cuts fuel consumption by as much as 30%, according to RUD-Erlau. The chains are also widely used in underground hard rock mines. IM MINING TYRES DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 49 The structure of the new Magna MA06+ mining tyre RUD-Erlau’s TORO X19 tyre chains in use underground T enova is probably the best known name, embracing such brands as Bateman, Takraf, Bateman Technologies, Delkor and Pyromet. It says that one of its key strengths is the added value offered by its worldwide network of 33 companies. Tenova is a worldwide supplier of advanced technologies, products and engineering services for the metals and mining and minerals industries. It operates in 27 countries on five continents with more than five thousand employees and revenues of some €2 billion. Bonfiglioli Transmission’s modular Trasmital 300 multipurpose planetary drives are being coupled with the latest HDO Bevel Helical units to produce combinations offering up to some 1,300,000 Nm capacity. Bonfiglioli Australia’s Managing Director Malcolm Lewis highlighted the 323 planetary drive, “which produces 890,000 Nm, coupled with a HDO heavy-duty helical drive. Our drives are renowned for their torque density and compactness and this is a low-noise, low-vibration drive that is assembled in Australia and offers the best in advanced technology.” HDO helical drives, with torque ranges up to 194,050 Nm in the case of its HDO180 gearboxes offer reliability and great torque densities. When combined with Bonfiglioli’s 300 series Trasmital planetary HDO, its helical drives can be used in many slow-moving applications where high output torque is required. “The advantage of the combination drives over traditional gearboxes is most evident in their low weight, higher output and highly competitive price,” said Lewis. “Using the new HDO also means we can install much larger electric motors, such as those found in applications such as chain conveyors, shuttle drives, belt filter presses and apron feeders.” The Bonfiglioli Trasmital 300 series units are available in 20 basic sizes, with nominal output torque ranging from 1,250 to 1,300,000 Nm. “They feature excellent torque distribution across their entire ratio range, with gear ratios laid out in close progression and the drives having a rugged capacity to cope with the shock and impact of intermittent loads,” said Lewis. The Comacchio product line is based primarily on four types of drilling equipment. MC is the basic line of multiuse rigid and articulated hydraulic crawler drill rigs suitable for many kinds of specialised work, such as ground consolidation, anchor drilling, geotechnical works, waterwell drilling and geothermal energy. Della Toffola has progressively extended its range of technological applications, putting all its know-how into research and development to come up with technologies and systems for various types of water treatment, including mining process runoff. For this purpose Della Toffola offers automatic filter presses with simultaneous opening and an integrated cycle. The filter can be turned on and then left alone to complete any number of cycles unassisted. This important feature makes these machines particularly suitable in the case of frequent filtering cycles. The filters can be made in a variety of versions and using different materials, and all parts in contact with the product are normally made of stainless steel AISI 304, or AISI 316 on request, or even using plastics such as PP, or with rubber-coated surfaces. Tecnologia mineraria 50 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 Italian mining is mainly industrial minerals, being significant globally in feldspar (24% of world output), pumice (18%), gypsum (3%), bentonite (2%), lime (2%), and cement (1%). Its industrial sector accounts for about 24% of the GDP and includes some important suppliers to the mining industry ITALIAN TECHNOLOGY Tenova Bateman commissioning a plant Above: Bonfiglioli at AIMEX this year Left: The range of Astra rigid dump trucks RD 32, RD 40 and the new model RD 50, are popular smaller capacity trucks, particularly in African mines. Astra haul trucks can handle the most extreme climatic conditions An 8 t Comacchio MC 450 rig is moved to another location underground at Agnico Eagle’s Kittilä gold mine in Finnish Lapland. It features a feed stroke of 3,500 mm, feed force of 4,500 daN, retract force of 6,500 daN and is powered by a 56 kW engine Various structural materials are used for the filtering plates, ie plastics (including PP), aluminium alloy, cast iron or stainless steel AISI 304 or 316. With all these options, any structural variant can be produced to meet every customer’s needs, which depend on corrosion issues, particular working temperatures, etc. Dragflow is a world player in solid pumping solutions with over 25 years of experience in manufacturing heavy duty pumps and complete dredging systems. This year at the Carmen de Andacollo copper mine in Chile, Dragflow provided equipment to clean up a tailings pond filled with heavy and abrasive solids. The problem was that the mine needed to clean up the pond without using hydraulic excavators. The solids specific gravity was more than 1.4. All the pumps tested in the application failed to complete the job. The solution was a Dragflow Super Duty Pump EL60S, 80 hp. This pump has the ability to work in extreme conditions with solids up to 1.6 SG. In Peru, Minera Yanacocha (Newmont Mining) had to undertake an open pit clean-up, which required the handling of abrasive material and a wide range of particle sizes. The solution was a Dragflow pump HY85B with EXHY20 excavators . In Dragflow submersible dredging cutters, hydraulic excavators are designed to let the pump work in the presence of very compact material. The cutters are able to increase solid production by increasing the concentration of the slurries and assist pumping activities even in the most difficult conditions. Fraccaroli e Balzan builds chamber-plate type filter presses. The range of presses is very wide, in order to meet all possible requests. These filter presses are equipped with a hydraulic power unit, for the automatic control of the opening-closing cycle of the plates. A group of probes located in the filtered water collection channel determines the end of filtration. An automatic system to shake the plates makes it easier for the mud panels to detach from the plates. Moreover, the presses can be equipped by a sliding tray collecting the extracted water, by a platform and a supporting structure complete with ladder and railings. pH meters are available to control and adjust the pH value of waste and decanted water. Plants can be equipped with a device for the automatic control and dosage of flocculant which detects and controls the presence of mud in the water through the examination of a sample of decanting water. Touch screens allow operators to control, see and change the working parameters of the plant. Recently a new Fraste multipurpose Multidrill XL crawler-mounted diamond coring drilling rig was delivered for exploration work in the north of Mauritania. It is a special compact medium- size unit for exploration drilling and vertical and angled wireline drilling, designed for tough working conditions. The Multidrill XL can work with almost all drilling systems, including RC sampling. ITALIAN TECHNOLOGY Remote control of Fraccaroli e Balzan plants, the system is constituted by software installed on a remote control station (PC) an IDS Ingegneria Dei Sistemi company FPM 360 y Sistemi companan IDS Ingegneria Deian IDS Ingegneria Dei Sistemi compan Technical specifications: � 3 m long drill pipes – mast extension to allow 6 m rod handling � Hydraulic feed cylinder inside the mast – pull up force 8 t � 20 t hydraulic double cylinder for pulling casing � Top drive, four-speed rotary head – max rotation speed 960 rpm – max torque 600 daNm � 3.6 t main hoist – 800 kg pulling capacity wireline winch. Mine and drilling sludges are generally considered difficult to treat due to their highly abrasive nature and density. They therefore require high performance centrifuges with high resistance to wear. Such centrifuges are supplied by Gennaretti, with “the main objective to build high-tech centrifugal systems which, due to the materials used, reliability and integrated services could give an innovative response to any requirements in terms of solid-liquid separation.” Industrie Bitossi has developed two kinds of alumina micro-beads for ultrafine grinding: Microbit Leonardo and Micromining. Both industrial and laboratory tests confirm the advantages of using Alumina Microbit Leonardo in terms of wear resistance and grinding efficiency, the company reports. “Microbit Leonardo micro-beads are the best solution between low cost and low quality alumina products and expensive good quality products made of other formulations, mostly as far as energy saving is concerned. Thanks to theirs chemical composition, hardness, roundness and SG [they] are extremely suitable for ultrafine grinding. In fact, their homogeneous microstructure guarantees high wear resistance. In the meantime, loss of energy due to friction between spheres is avoided thanks to their smooth surface.” This improves energy efficiency and ensures a longer lining life in the mills. Mostly recently, the Industrie Bitossi R&D team developed a product that, in the correct operating conditions, is 25-30% better than Microbit Leonardo in terms of wear resistance. The improved quality of Micromining micro- beads was achieved thanks to specially selected raw materials; specific organic additives and the closely monitored manufacturing processes. Industrie Bitossi also offers wear protection with its high-performance Duralbit 90 alumina anti-wear lining. This is used in mills, cyclones and separators and also equipment for loading and transferring materials such as hoppers, silos, pipes, etc. IDS Ingegneria Dei Sistemi is a global company specialising in radar technologies used in mining, with headquarters in Pisa, Italy and offices in six countries (Italy, UK, Brazil, Canada, US and Australia). ITALIAN TECHNOLOGY 52 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 Like all the other Fraste drilling rigs, the Multidrill XL for Mauritania was supplied with the ‘Fraste commissioning package’of local commissioning with an initial training course held by one of Fraste’s experienced drilling technicians, during which the crew received complete technical, theoretical and practical instruction on the use and maintenance of the new rig FPM360 radar coverage of the entire pit, achieved with just two IBIS-FM units IBIS-FMT - high performance of the IBIS-FM radar integrated on a towable-trailer Thanks to their compactness and versatility Gennaretti centrifuges are particularly suitable for installation in standard industrial containers, together with other accessories and components that complete the separation system. SPACI systems in containers offer a complete turnkey system solution, easy to transport and install, even in remote areas. Any type of sludge can be separated, and it is possible to immediately recycle or re-use the liquid obtained The IDS GeoRadar division is a leading supplier of robust, reliable and user-friendly radar systems, including slope-monitoring radar (IBIS) and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) for mining and civil engineering applications. These products are designed to address the specific needs of mining by improving safety measures and to assist with production optimisation and geotechnical risk mitigation. In 2009 IDS launched on the market the first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for safety- critical monitoring of pit walls in surface mining: the IBIS radar. IDS reports that “thanks to the innovative SAR technology, IBIS soon marked a step ahead in critical monitoring, providing the highest spatial resolution at the longest range distance, along with the fastest acquisition time compared to conventional radar systems. “With more than 90 installations in open pits around the world, the IBIS-FM and IBIS-FMT radar has today defined new standards for safety critical slope monitoring of pit walls. The long record of successfully tracked failures has been possible by the innovative radar technology employed by the radar. IBIS-FM is able to measure the entire range of spatial scales of the typical slope instabilities on gentle and steep slopes, from bench scale to overall slope failures and over four orders of temporal magnitude of slope movements, from fast movements (cm/d), to very slow movements (mm/y), thanks to the advanced multi-scale analysis engine, becoming an essential component for geotechnical risk management and to evaluate wall movements over a period of time that extends beyond the real time monitoring.” The innovative FPM360 system further extends the capability of critical safety monitoring collection and data management from multiple IBIS systems, which are displayed stitched together, providing 360° full pit coverage while retaining the benefits of monitoring resolution from sub-bench to multi- bench failures. FPM360 can provide management with continuously updated knowledge of the entire pit slope behaviour, and can use this universal radar information as a tool to make decisions regarding the critical safety of mine personnel and plant, and to optimise mine productivity. IDS and its worldwide subsidiaries and partners provide qualified 24x7 support to mining customers thanks to a network of engineers and remote support. Leotech offers a complete range of dust suppression systems, fixed or mobile. It says Rotofog “is the most revolutionary and innovative product in the dust separation field. Rotofog is a centralised system, which includes dust separators with nebulised jet placed in the DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 53 Turbofog is the new Leotech fan for dust suppression. The frame is equipped with four wheels, two of them swivelling, and a reversible draw bar also suitable as lifting hook. This makes Turbofog easily moveable and stable on rough terrains. It is equipped with traverse and electric lift. With the radio control option, all the machine functions can be remote controlled ITALIAN TECHNOLOGY Attention Mining Suppliers Looking for sales leads? Lighten your work load with International Mining’s Project E-Newsletter! IM Project News is an e-newsletter that is sent out every two weeks updating you completely and succinctly on the latest: � Mining prefeasibility and feasibility studies � Decisions to go into production � Achievements of first production � Decisions to expand � Names of key project personnel � New players arising from IPO's and M&A activity � Now including bonus in-depth quarterly analysis of global projects from the Raw Materials Group (www.rmg.se) We know of no single source for the comprehensive project news now available through IM Project News. Extracting and compiling this information, frequently and consistently, into a searchable listing would take many, many search hours. IMPN does the work for you, providing you with a comprehensive and concise single- source prospect list of mining operations and personnel for targeted equipment sales, consulting services, management services, and investment analysis. The newsletter covers hardrock mining, fuel minerals and industrial minerals. In each case, wherever possible, website contact details are provided for those who want to do further research. Don’t miss out, subscribe today by going to: http://corporate.im-mining.com/subscribeprojnews.asp and start receiving IMPN straight away or contact Emma Smith at [email protected] for a free trial. IMPN AD INDABA (VERTICAL):proof 11/10/12 12:28 Page 1 different points of the working place. Remote control allows the single distributors to eliminate dust in an effective and cheap way, with considerable water saving. The control unit includes a pump with limited power which is suitable for operational requirements.” The system is conceived for totally automatic management with the possibility to integrate the data gathered from a network of environmental sensors. Rotofog can be used in opened and closed spaces such as open pits and ore treatment plants. Magaldi Power introduced a fully enclosed conveyor belt at AIMEX 2013. This enclosed conveyor belt is designed to handle high temperature toxic and/or dusty materials. The Magaldi Ecobelt® is a design extension of the Magaldi Superbelt® and completely encloses the conveyor in a steel casing for safe and controlled handling, explained Domenico Antonelli, Magaldi Power Director. “This provides significant health and safety advantages to workers and communities and benefits to the environment,” he said. “A simple, mechanical self-cleaning device manages the dust by removing fine residuals from the bottom of the casing. The Magaldi O- chain, a chain conveyor enclosed in an independent casing that is tailored around the Ecobelt tail section, then receives the residuals and reloads them onto the Superbelt.” The Superbelt, a steel pan plated conveyor, is one of Magaldi’s key products and is described as capable of conveying abrasive, corrosive and heavy materials or those at temperatures up to and exceeding 1,000°C. “Other advantages over rubber belts, conventional drag chain conveyors and vibrating conveyors include low power usage and an operational life that can exceed 10 years,” Antonelli said. Magaldi Power was established in 2003 as part of the Magaldi Group which has conveyor installations around the world with clients including smelters and mineral processors. At the China Coal & Mining Expo 2013 in Beijing, China in October Manuli Hydraulics showcased its most advanced technology. The company is active in the design, manufacture and sale of a wide range of hoses, connectors and machines that provide conveying power in high/very high pressure hydraulic circuits and fluids in refrigeration units. In March Manuli exhibited at MINE TECH in Mongolia, through UL Equipment (ULE), which has been the dealer for the Manuli product line in Mongolia since 2011. Here, for example, ULE currently has a 24-hour on site workshop facility at the UHG mine in Tavan Tolgoi, operated by ULE has its main workshop in Ulaanbaatar, where it specialises in assembling and pressure testing a full range of hydraulic hoses up to 3 in a 6 wire spiral. One of ULE’s main objectives is to offer on-site support to its customers, therefore it will be opening more on-site workshops in the near future as the need arises. It says the Manuli Hydraulics product line and hose assembling technology, as well as the pressure testing equipment have allowed ULE to create a unique solution for the mining industry in Mongolia, covering the various applications and operating conditions of mining equipment.” Recently, a fleet of new Perlini DP 905 WD trucks has started work in Brazil, in the state of Minas Gerais. Fourteen units of the new DP 905 WD model have joined the other Perlini trucks already working at MUSA, the iron ore mine belonging to steel producer Usiminas, bringing the benefits of their many improvements, starting with the powerful new braking system. The DP 905 WD is Perlini’s top capacity truck with an improved 95 t payload. It is powered by an MTU Detroit Diesel 16V2000 - Tier 2 engine, turbocharged with intercooler. It develops gross power of 783 kW at 2,100 rpm. Maximum torque is 4,630 Nm at 1,350 rpm. The DP 905 and DP 405 trucks are now equipped with oil-cooled, multiple disc wet brakes as the main braking system, joining the DP 705 WD. “Oil wet brakes offer significantly superior performance than dry disc brakes,” Perlini says, “and can also act as a retarder, offering continuous braking power - their performance remains constant even on low engine power. “Oil wet brakes have very low wear, and need no periodic replacement or significant maintenance, and are more secure since their performance doesn’t worsen with time. “With their 55.315 cm² surface, DP 405 oil wet brakes are larger than those offered by any competitor product in its weight category. DP 905 retains its powerful hydraulic retarder in addition to the new oil wet brakes, adding up to a formidable performance.” Rotair’s Rampicars are suitable for underground use in various tasks. The R60 (loading capacity 500 kg), equipped with hydraulic transmission, is the basic model. The R70 and R70 Plus (loading capacity 650 kg) are suited to a variety of uses, thanks to the range of accessories. The top capacity models are the R100 and R100 Plus (loading capacity 850 kg). Sovatec Industriale produces screens for screening machines that can be made of: � High tensile or stainless steel wire � Polyurethane � Rubber � Perforated metal or perforated steel-rubber plates. Both non blinding and self-cleaning types are offered. Polyurethane and rubber screens last 54 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 ITALIAN TECHNOLOGY Perlini DP 905 WD haul trucks at an iron ore mine in Brazil With its various attachment options Rotair’s R70 Rampicar can perform a number of tasks longer in operation, “due to the excellent anti- wearing properties of the material,” Sovatec says. They have, moreover, the best no blinding characteristics, thanks to their elasticity. On-board weighing and payload management systems are the speciality of VEI. One of its latest products is the Dumper Load payload monitoring system for haul trucks. VEI says it “was developed directly on opencast sites in order to perfect the instrument's inherent operating and automation characteristics.” Integration of the system into truck work cycles is a guaranteed means of preventing overloading and allows close monitoring of productivity. “Versatile and fully automatic, it ensures that the [truck] is used in compliance with its design standards. Preventing overload means lower maintenance costs and tyre wear. “The instrument is also capable of remote transmission of load status in order to optimise the distribution of the fleet within a mine. Proper distribution of the fleet cuts down on unproductive waiting times and assists decision- making with regard to its replacement.” Tower Light claims to manufacture “the world’s largest range of lighting towers,” suitable for lighting open-pit operations, process plant and stockpile areas and the like. It says it “has always been a leader in lowering carbon emissions. This has an added benefit of lowering operating running costs. The VT-Hybrid lighting tower is yet another example of this groundbreaking engineering.” This lighting tower features LED floodlights which are powered by a rechargeable battery that has a running time of seven hours. During this time the lighting tower operates without any noise and creates zero carbon emissions. After this period, the small diesel generating set starts automatically powering the floodlights and recharging the battery at the same time. Alternatively, the battery can be recharged by connecting it to the mains power supply. The VT-Hybrid has two optional accessories; a timer and a light sensor - both of these options enable the VT-Hybrid to start and stop automatically without the need for an operator, saving time and money. The company reports a cost of “less than 1€/d to illuminate the working site.” It features 9 m height, 340° telescopic mast rotation, four 150 W LED floodlights, digital timer for automatic on/off and a hydraulic lifting system. The complete product line covers lighting towers with or without generator and towers with LED lamps, “which thanks to their performance, can guarantee a reduction of 75% on fuel consumption.” The production process and the growing productivity demands have forced equipment manufacturers to make larger vibratory equipment, powered by four or six electric vibrators. The SPV-SPX Visam industrial series, is designed and built to serve heavy and hard applications. For instance, horizontal screens used in coal washing plants are equipped with six or eight pole Visam electric vibrators, which, thanks to the IP66 and IK10 mechanical protections, which provide, the company says, “high impact resistance and a complete sealing against dust or liquids penetration. “Several years of activity and commitment in this sector have brought the Visam electric vibrators to be considered a landmark in terms of performance, reliability and low maintenance required.” Visam supplies vibratory equipment for primary, grizzly and many other vibrating feeders, vibrating troughs, vibrating grids, filter cleaners, separators, screen dryers, vibrating screens (horizontal, inclined, grizzly and banana) and vibrators to empty hoppers and silos. WLP provides dust suppression systems that aim to reproduce a natural phenomenon artificially. The machine has several nozzles which eject tiny drops of water. These drops capture dust particles in the air and cause them to sink to the ground. WLP says this system is more efficient than traditional systems because less water is used than traditional water sprinklers. The minesite and machines can stay clean because there is no mud present. WLP offers single machines for connection to a water system (minimum pressure 2.5-3 bar). Or, the company can supply a complete system for the suppression of dust. Besides the spray guns, a complete system includes a pumping station, water distribution system, electrical power distribution system, data transmission system and a programming, control and monitoring unit. IM A complete system from WLP allows users to control the dust suppression system autonomously Tower Light’s VT-Hybrid VEI’s Dumper Load displays tonnages hauled and provides a cost per tonne evaluation ITALIAN TECHNOLOGY DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 55 Q Can you give some idea of the history and background of BIA Overseas and how the mining sector became part of its portfolio? In 1902, a mining engineer by the name of Georges Bia first opened up a sales office in Brussels. It is here that the roots of the BIA Group can be traced to. In 1948 business for the company really began to take off when Georges Bia’s son, Jacques Bia, established three companies, two distribution companies based in Brussels and the Congo (the BIA Technical Office), and a mechanical repair company in the Congo. BIA would continue to evolve and grow in the subsequent decades, however it was in 1998 that the company’s development began to accelerate dramatically with the company signing an exclusive distribution contract with Komatsu for six French-speaking African countries. By 2003 this figure had grown to  11 and today the company can be found holding exclusivity rights to Komatsu equipment in 15 different nations. In 2006, BIA's Export Department transformed into a fully autonomous company, which is today the coordination centre for all BIA activities in Africa. In addition to its work on behalf of Komatsu, the company is equally proud to be a distributor for a host of other premium brands including Sandvik, Bomag, Cummins, Tecnogen, Terex Cranes and Michelin. Q How important is mining as part of your revenue total today versus other sectors such as construction and logging? Construction, handling and logging businesses are growing year after year in our African operations. However, mining is and will remain the most important part of our revenue. In 2013, it will have accounted for about 80% of our turnover. Q Which countries and regions specifically are you involved in with mining equipment and service delivery? Can you outline the main facilities you have in those locations serving key mining locations? BIA delivers mining equipment in West and Central Africa. Today, the West African countries (Benin, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Niger, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Togo) present more opportunities in the short term even though there is huge potential in Central Africa (DRC, Congo Brazzaville, Cameroon, Burundi, Rwanda) and where BIA is well positioned to capture once the projects will be activated. We are mainly servicing gold, copper, uranium, bauxite and phosphate mines. In our territories there are also some important projects in preparation mainly involving iron ore. We have companies and offices in most of the mining countries. Our main facilities are today located on mine sites where we manage important spare parts stocks and operate maintenance workshops. We also have an important facility in Dakar which is a centralised component rebuild and training centre. In Zambia, our teams recently carried out the assembly of the first 860E-1KT trolley truck at First Quantum Sentinel. Ultimately more than 30 Komatsu machines will operate at the mine, including PC5500s, 860Es and 960Es. Q The Niger uranium industry is also a growing market. What is the latest with the delivery of the main fleet to AREVA Imouraren? Do you see potential for more PC8000 sales in Africa? We have delivered two PC5500 excavators and nine 830E trucks in northern Niger for the Imouraren mine. This equipment comes under a full maintenance contract. They started in a day shift operation in 2012 for the overburden removal in the main pit. The current low market value of the uranium and the local situation have, however, had an impact on the short term development of the project. In terms of the PC8000, with the increasing size of the projects under development, we see important future potential for ultra large hydraulic excavators. Due to the general situation of power shortages, we would assess that the demand in Africa will be more for the diesel version. Q Central and West African mining has traditionally been dominated by smaller class trucks such as 100 t models. With larger projects now being developed is there a real shift up in demand for larger models? How can this be managed in terms of logistical challenges? The market is indeed shifting even though the small and medium size projects remain important in the region. Logistics is a key aspect of all these projects. That’s the reason why we have developed dedicated know-how and offerings related to logistics for mining equipment deliveries, but also for parts and components supply and core returns. To manage logistical challenges we develop special working relationships with local transporters and supervise the work very closely. Sometimes we even participate in the convoys. Do you also offer other services such as key component rebuilds, tyre sourcing etc? This is part of our global offering to mining customers. We have some exchange programs we can propose, but we also do component rebuilds either in our rebuild facilities or on the minesite facilities. In the future we are planning to build new rebuild facilities and to grow the offering of our existing facilities. Concerning tyres, we are a Michelin dealer in some territories. We also offer cranes and generator sets – basically almost all of the equipment that a mining customer may need. Of course we attach a lot of importance in assuming the service role for the equipment and materials provided to the mines. Q Can you give some idea of the level of engineering and trainer expertise you have at BIA to handle assembly, commissioning and operator training? More than 75% of our employees are engineers and technicians, focused on after sales 56 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 HIGH PROFILE Africa’s opportunity Paul Moore spoke to Eric Perben, General Manager at BIA Overseas, about its unique experience in supplying and supporting mining equipment in West and Central Africa BIA Overseas recently completed the assembly on-site of the first 860E trolley trucks at FQM Sentinel in Zambia SME • www.smenet.org • 303.948.4200 • [email protected] Program Eneroal &• C• Industrial Mineronmentalvir• En Th i gy Ener esateg Aggrals &• Industrial Mineronmental i th i f i i l f l is not to be missed. i d • Geology• Mining &al &• Minerer in Minerat• W ound Cgr• Underaluation• V ’s best maryThe industrExhibit ation Explor ocessinggical Pr Metallural & ocessingal Prer in Mineronstruction Association of SMEound C e than 589 companies eet place. Mork’s best mar onstruction Association of SME xhibite than 589 companies e ed in 2013.xhibit SME • www ourses • Field TShort C oou cannot aff forYYou cannot aff g • 303.948.4200 • meetin.oret.smenME • www w.smen formation one inor morF ocial Arips • Sourses • Field T ’s most innoo miss the industryd tor g • 303.948.4200 • meetin the 2014 SME Meetinformation on vities • Studenctiocial A s of pre suppliervativ’s most inno g.orgs@smenetg • 303.948.4200 • meetin tact:on, cg the 2014 SME Meetin d much morvities • …anctit A vices. oducts and sers of pr ed much mor operations. That’s why it is very important for us to have qualified people to offer the best service quality to our customers. In Dakar, we have our technical training centre, unique in West Africa. The majority of our technicians are following a complete training program that lasts around eight months (including four modules of one month theoretical and one month practical on- site) where they will be certified by our suppliers on mechanics, engines, hydraulics and electricity. For more specific competences, we are sending our engineers to our suppliers’ training centres located in Japan, Germany and the US. When a new fleet has to be assembled on a customer site, we have highly qualified teams in place, dedicated to this specific work, that are mobilised until the machines are ready to operate. We also organise operator training for our customers. This training is done on site when the machines are commissioned.  Q On the wider subject of logistics, how much of the port to mine solution can you deliver in house and do you also have to work with other specialist groups? Do you often have to offer special solutions, such as the use of barges, air freight of certain parts, bringing in components via different routes dependent on size? Each project is different, and has its specific logistic constraints. Therefore it is key to develop dedicated solutions with local transporters. We work with specialised freight forwarders and sometimes we work directly with local transporters. We are constantly monitoring the development of infrastructure and service providers to improve the time and cost of delivery to the mine site. We have used barges to transport equipment, and we have also erected mining trucks in the port area and driven them to the mine site. Q How closely do you work with Komatsu in Peoria and in Japan to ensure the customer gets the solution that is best suited to them? We have a very close working relationship with the factories and Komatsu corporate to propose the best solution to our customers. For Komatsu and BIA it is essential that the customer is getting the high level of service they are entitled to when they purchase world class mining machines. Support from Komatsu can take various forms: erection/commissioning support, set up of dedicated spare parts consignment stock support for the design/build and certification of component rebuild facilities, specialised training, regular meetings with customers to share issues and solutions. Q Equally being a Cummins distributor are you handling a lot of the engine maintenance for the Komatsu trucks? Do you work closely with the Cummins mining engine factory in Daventry, UK? When we are dealing with a Cummins engine in a Komatsu machine, even if we are not the Cummins dealer for that region, we promote the “one face to the customer” approach for any issue involving the engine, which would be tackled in a seamless process organised between BIA and the Cummins dealer for the customer. When we are the Cummins dealer in that region, we would then deal directly with the various Cummins entities directly. Q Finally moving on to Sandvik, what trends are you seeing in underground mining demand in your regions? Are you seeing more demand for larger UG trucks and LHDs or are there still a lot of smaller UG operations using fewer and smaller class machines? There are very few underground operations in the countries where we distribute Sandvik equipment in West Africa as we don’t handle this business in Ghana and Mali. West Africa remains so far mainly a surface mining region, but that said more and more projects will continue to take the step from surface to underground mining in the gold sector. In Ghana and Mali the trend in equipment types and sizes appears to be status quo. Contract mining is also a major factor and as these companies tend to use their equipment at various minesites across the world, fleet sizes which can operate effectively across a wide mining spectrum are preferred. At existing mines, the trend is really to try to optimise the total cost of operation by maximising the drilling and blasting. Across West Africa we are seeing a trend for existing surface mines to go for larger drills (DTH version) from predominantly using top hammer drills. Because the pits are getting deeper, larger shovels and trucks come into play , and thus the result is higher blast benches requiring larger blast holes diameters. In drilling, the three drilling methods are represented, with big rotary blasthole rigs in iron ore mines like SNIM and DTH mid-sized rigs (6.5 in to 8 in holes) such as the D25 or D45 KS in other mines. Sandvik has recently launched new DTH/top hammer models – the Pantera DI6400 (DTH) and DP2000 (top hammer) to be able to drill bigger holes while reducing the TCO (penetration increase, full consumption decrease). For selective mining gold operations, the Pantera 1500/DP1500i top hammer rigs remain the key models in the market. Optimisation of existing crushing plants is the aim of many mines. The Sandvik Vibrocone might help them to reach their target. This revolutionary concept is on the way to be tested in a gold operation in our region. Q Is the influence of Chinese ownership being felt in terms of Chinese equipment coming into the African market? Chinese companies are investing massively in West Africa, starting operations with most of the mining equipment coming from China. So far we see them mainly in small to mid-sized mining operations. Although in the primary West African mining markets such as in Ghana and Mali, the Chinese influence appears to be limited to date, we are seeing activity in countries such as Liberia , Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, where both ownership/ part ownership as well as equipment imported from China are becoming more relevant. IM HIGH PROFILE 58 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 April 7-9, 2014 | Whistler, Canada June 9-12, 2014 | Vancouver, CanadaApril 28-30, 2014 | Ouro Preto, Brazil September 8-11, 2014 | Vancouver, Canada November, 2014 | Lima, Peru ConferenceMine.comInfoMine Check out our 2014 conferences Q Are there any new trends in demand for surface Sandvik drilling and crushing equipment worth mentioning in Africa supplied by BIA? 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Contact: [email protected] +44 1442 87 08 29 Annual subscription is only £260, $410 or € 315 ALL dollars are US unless otherwise stated, and all units are metric. The subscription to IM Project News is personal and the content is copyright. IM Project News should not be passed on to others, either as forwarded emails, as photocopies, or copies in any other form. Intranet subscription details are available from [email protected] Contact [email protected] PROJECT NEWS Project News (21) June 10, 2007 News from those projects making progress towards production – more every two weeks A collection of recent starts and progress reports from around the world - updates on projects around the globe likely to be in the market for equipment and services. A collection of recent starts and progress reports from around the world - updates on projects around the globe likely to be in the market for equipment and services. ..................................................................................................1 PREFEASIBILITY ..........................2 MEXICO - Tyler Resources - COPPER/GOLD....................................................................................................2 PAPUA NEW GUINEA - Harmony Gold - COPPER/GOLD ...............................................................................3 PERU - Strike Resources - IRON ORE.................................................................................................................3 SLOVAKIA - Tournigan Gold - GOLD.................................................................................................................4 ZAMBIA - African Eagle Resources - COPPER ....................................................................................................4 COLUMBIA - Greystar Resources - GOLD/SILVER...........................................................................................4 USA - Galway Resources - MOLYBDENUM/TUNGSTEN.................................................................................5 CANADA - Geodex Minerals - TUNGSTEN/MOLYBDENUM/COPPER .........................................................5 AUSTRALIA - Heron Resources - NICKEL .........................................................................................................6 ARGENTINA - Minera Andes - COPPER..............................................................................................................6 AUSTRALIA - Independence Group - GOLD.......................................................................................................6 RUSSIA – Polymetal - GOLD .6 FEASIBILITY STAGE ...................7 BURKINA FASO - Goldbelt Resources - GOLD .................................................................................................7 USA - Great Basin Gold - GOLD/SILVER.............................................................................................................7 AUSTRALIA - Moly Mines - MOLYBDENUM....................................................................................................8 CHINA - Golden China Resources - GOLD...........................................................................................................8 AUSTRALIA - Goldstar Resources - GOLD.........................................................................................................8 CANADA - Western Copper Corp’s - GOLD/SILVER .........................................................................................9 AUSTRALIA - Minotaur Exploration/ Helix Resources - GOLD/SILVER............................................................9 SOUTH AFRICA - Eastern Platinum - PGMs .......................................................................................................9 USA - American Lignite Energy/ Headwaters Energy Services/ Great River Energy/ The North American Coal Corp – LIGNITE…………………………………………………………………………………………….10 CHILE - Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold / Codelco - COPPER.......................................................................10 USA - FutureGen Alliance - COAL.......................................................................................................................10 CANADA - Atlantic Gold - GOLD .......................................................................................................................10 MEXICO - Baja Mining - COPPER/COBALT/ZINC/MANGANESE..............................................................11 GREENLAND - True North Gems - RUBY .........................................................................................................12 CANADA - North American Tungsten Corp - TUNGSTEN ................................................................................12 MONGOLIA - Western Prospector Group - URANIUM.....................................................................................12 ALGERIA - Terramin Australia - ZINC/LEAD....................................................................................................13 INDONESIA - Finders Resources - GOLD/COPPER........................................................................................13 COTE D’IVOIRE - Etruscan Resources - GOLD ...............................................................................................13 SAUDI ARABIA - ADV Group/ Bariq Mining - GOLD/COPPER........................................................................13 BRAZIL - Mirabela Nickel - NICKEL...................................................................................................................14 PERU - Monterrico Metals - COPPER/MOLYBDENUM ...................................................................................14 AUSTRALIA - Gindalbie Metals/ Anshan Iron & Steel Group - IRON ORE........................................................15 CANADA - Canadian Royalties - NICKEL/COPPER/PGM..............................................................................16 INVEST IN PROJECT NEWS ALL dollars are US unless otherwise stated, and all units are metric. The subscription to IM Project News is personal and the content is copyright. IM Project News should not be passed on to others, either as forwarded emails, as photocopies, or copies in any other form. Intranet subscription details are available from [email protected] Contact [email protected] PROJECT NEWS Project News (21) June 10, 2007 News from those projects making progress towards production – more every two weeks A collection of recent starts and progress reports from around the world - updates on projects around the globe likely to be in the market for equipment and services. A collection of recent starts and progress reports from around the world - updates on projects around the globe likely to be in the market for equipment and services. ..................................................................................................1 PREFEASIBILITY ..........................2 MEXICO - Tyler Resources - COPPER/GOLD....................................................................................................2 PAPUA NEW GUINEA - Harmony Gold - COPPER/GOLD ...............................................................................3 PERU - Strike Resources - IRON ORE.................................................................................................................3 SLOVAKIA - Tournigan Gold - GOLD.................................................................................................................4 ZAMBIA - African Eagle Resources - COPPER ....................................................................................................4 COLUMBIA - Greystar Resources - GOLD/SILVER...........................................................................................4 USA - Galway Resources - MOLYBDENUM/TUNGSTEN.................................................................................5 CANADA - Geodex Minerals - TUNGSTEN/MOLYBDENUM/COPPER .........................................................5 AUSTRALIA - Heron Resources - NICKEL .........................................................................................................6 ARGENTINA - Minera Andes - COPPER..............................................................................................................6 AUSTRALIA - Independence Group - GOLD.......................................................................................................6 RUSSIA – Polymetal - GOLD .6 FEASIBILITY STAGE ...................7 BURKINA FASO - Goldbelt Resources - GOLD .................................................................................................7 USA - Great Basin Gold - GOLD/SILVER.............................................................................................................7 AUSTRALIA - Moly Mines - MOLYBDENUM....................................................................................................8 CHINA - Golden China Resources - GOLD...........................................................................................................8 AUSTRALIA - Goldstar Resources - GOLD.........................................................................................................8 CANADA - Western Copper Corp’s - GOLD/SILVER .........................................................................................9 AUSTRALIA - Minotaur Exploration/ Helix Resources - GOLD/SILVER............................................................9 SOUTH AFRICA - Eastern Platinum - PGMs .......................................................................................................9 USA - American Lignite Energy/ Headwaters Energy Services/ Great River Energy/ The North American Coal Corp – LIGNITE…………………………………………………………………………………………….10 CHILE - Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold / Codelco - COPPER.......................................................................10 USA - FutureGen Alliance - COAL.......................................................................................................................10 CANADA - Atlantic Gold - GOLD .......................................................................................................................10 MEXICO - Baja Mining - COPPER/COBALT/ZINC/MANGANESE..............................................................11 GREENLAND - True North Gems - RUBY .........................................................................................................12 CANADA - North American Tungsten Corp - TUNGSTEN ................................................................................12 MONGOLIA - Western Prospector Group - URANIUM.....................................................................................12 ALGERIA - Terramin Australia - ZINC/LEAD....................................................................................................13 INDONESIA - Finders Resources - GOLD/COPPER........................................................................................13 COTE D’IVOIRE - Etruscan Resources - GOLD ...............................................................................................13 SAUDI ARABIA - ADV Group/ Bariq Mining - GOLD/COPPER........................................................................13 BRAZIL - Mirabela Nickel - NICKEL...................................................................................................................14 PERU - Monterrico Metals - COPPER/MOLYBDENUM ...................................................................................14 AUSTRALIA - Gindalbie Metals/ Anshan Iron & Steel Group - IRON ORE........................................................15 CANADA - Canadian Royalties - NICKEL/COPPER/PGM..............................................................................16 FOR A FREE TRIAL! 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Send email to [email protected] ABB Switzerland 17 www.abb.com/mining Aggreko 37 www.aggreko.com Astec Mining/Telsmith 21 www.astecworld.com Atlas Copco Rock Drills 7 www.atlascopco.com BASF Construction Chemicals 5 www.ugc.basf.com Brunner & Lay 35 www.brunnerlay.com Caterpillar IBC www.mining.cat.com Clayton Equipment 59 www.claytonequipment.com CSA Global 59 www.csaglobal.com Devico 59 www.devico.com Drilcorp 59 www.drilcorp.com Dywidag-Systems International 23 www.dsiunderground.com Endress + Hauser 29 www.endress.com/primaries FLSmidth 19 www.flsmidth.com Hard-Line Solutions 15 www.hard-line.com IM Project News 53 http://corporate.im- mining.com/subscribeprojnews.asp Ingegneria Dei Sistemi S.p.A. 51 www.idscorporation.com Infomine 49, 58 www.ConferenceMine.com www.CostMine.com Kal Tire 43 www.kaltiremining.com Leiblein 59 www.leiblein.de Maclean Engineering 27 www.macleanengineering.com Metso Minerals Industries, Inc IFC www.metso.com Micon 59 www.micon-international.com MTU 9 www.tougher-whatever-the-conditions.com PDAC 47 www.pdac.ca/convention/ Polypipe 39 www.polypipe.com/mining PressurePro 45 www.PressurePro.us RME Mill Relining Systems 18 www.rmeGlobal.com Rockmore International 34 www.rockmore-intl.com Saint Barbara LLP 59 www.saintbarbara.com Sandvik Mining OBC www.mining.sandvik.com SME 57 www.smenet.org SRK Consulting 59 www.srk.com Stella Industries, Inc FC www.stellarindustries.com Target Logistics 25 www.TargetLogistics.net TATA Steel 13 www.tatasteelliftingandexcavating.com Tunnel Radio 30, 31 www.tunnelradio.com Varel International 33 www.varelintl.com Vermeer 11 www.vermeer.com VUMA 28 www.vuma.co.za Weir Minerals 2 www.weirminerals.com ADVERTISER INDEX 60 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013 December 2013 3-4:Mining Procurement and Supply East Coast 2013, Gold Coast, Australia. www.miningiq.com 4-6: Enviromine 2013 International Seminar on Environmental Issues in Mining, Santiago, Chile. www.enviromine2013.com 4-6: Salon International des Mines et des Carrieres SIMC 2013, Casablanca, Morocco. www.simc2013.org 11: 2nd International Tin and Tantalum Seminar 2013, New York, USA.www.metalevents.com 10-12: The 2nd Exhibition on Investment Opportunities in Iran’s Mining & Mining Industries, Tehran, Iran.www.minex.ir January 2014 28-31: Filtered, Paste and Thickened Tailings 2014, Golden, USA. www.patersoncooke.com February 2014 3-5: Conference in Minerals Engineering 2014, Lulea, Sweden. www.ltu.se 3-6: Investing in African Mining Indaba, Cape Town, South Africa.www.miningindaba.com 9-12: 40th Annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting Technique, Denver, USA.www.isee.org 12-14: Coal Operators’ Conference 2014, Wollongong, Australia. www.coalconference.net.au 13-16: International Mining, Exploration, Mineral Processing Technology, Metals and Machinery Exhibition IME, Kolkata, India. www.internationalminingexhibition.com 18-19: 4th Annual Strategic Metals and Rare Earths 2014, Sydney, Australia. www.rareearthsandstrategicmetals.com.au 19-20: Underground Load and Haul Gold 2014, Welkom, South Africa. www.saimm.co.za 23-26: SME Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. www.smenet.org March 2014 2-5: PDAC, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Canada. www.pdac.ca 3-5: Electra Mining West Africa, Accra, Ghana. www.electraminingwestafrica.com 4-5: AJM’s 14th Annual Mineral Sands Conference, Melbourne, Australia. www.informa.com.au/conferences February 3-6: Investing in Africa Mining Indaba, Cape Town, South Africa. www.miningindaba.com February 23-26: SME Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. www.smenet.org March 2-5: PDAC, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Canada. www.pdac.ca March 4-8: CONEXPO-CON/AGG, Las Vegas, USA. www.conexpoconagg.com is a media sponsor for these forthcoming events in 2014 FORTHCOMING EVENTS ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES UK, Western Europe (exc. 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CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow,” the “Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission. You consider the health and safety of your workers a top priority, and so does Caterpillar. At both the corporate level and the mine site level, you strive to improve safety with a goal of zero incidents — a goal we’re committed to helping you achieve. We design products and systems that are integrated with safety features to keep people safe when they’re in, on or around Cat® equipment. WHEREVER THERE’S MINING, WE’RE THERE. MIN ING .CAT.COM BECAUSE YOUR PEOPLE ARE YOUR PRIORITY, WE’RE THERE. International Mining_2013 Campaign.indd 1 11/11/13 1:48 PM Sandvik drill rigs have been developed for maximal cost-efficiency for decades. Still living by the same rule in consumption, we developed a percussive drill platform that will elevate surface drilling to a whole new level. Built to meet the needs of tomorrows mining industry as well as future requirements for automation, the new PANTERA™ is an intelligent, forceful and safe drill with variants for both down-the- hole and top hammer drilling. Designed for enhanced drilling efficiency, lower cost per meter and reduced environmental impact, it stands for utmost productivity. Join the movement towards The Future of Mining. It’s This Way: mining.sandvik.com LoW consuMpTIon Was yesTerday’s neWs. ready For The FuTure? ThIs Way!