DRILLING AND LOADING
uninterrupted power and an area that benefits from the flexibility of mobile modular power , during both relocation and ongoing production .
Jordan Armstrong , Mining Sector Manager , Aggreko AUSPAC , told IM : “ We are currently working with around 10 open cast mines in Australia , where we support up to 50 shovel walk relocations a year . The local utility grid tends to power the operation and connects to the shovel by a trailing cable in the immediate production area . But a mobile source is much better able to power equipment when it needs to be moved to another location . Sometimes equipment is needed up to 20 km away and it might have to cross obstacles , such as motorways , to get there . This would need large cables and potentially relocating substations on the shovel relocation path , which can be time-consuming , costly , and have safety and resource implications .”
Anglo Coal is one of Australia ’ s leading coal producers , with extensive coal mining interests and prospects in Queensland and New South Wales . Within two weeks at the Callide mine , Aggreko installed a mobile motivator package , including two 1.5 MVA generators at 6.6 kV , which allowed the customer to ‘ walk ’ shovels more than 5 km and ascend a 10 % incline . This was the first ever motivated walk of their new P & H 4100XPB electronic mining shovel .
Armstrong adds : “ Mines hope to achieve high production and efficiency , maximise profit margins , and minimise downtime , wherever possible . Mobile motivators are ideal for mines under pressure to perform or capitalise on increased demand , as they can be set up within two hours and allow shovels to be relocated within 12-24 hours , at around 1 km / hr . A mine can lose anything between A $ 10,000 and A $ 200,000 dollars in production revenue , so reducing the relocation time by four days can achieve considerable savings . We prefer to work with production managers and take part in the planning process early on , where possible , as our experience and expertise in the field can significantly improve a mine ’ s opportunity to run efficiently and on schedule .”
Shovels generally run 24 hours a day , seven days a week and tend to stop only once every two years for planned maintenance , so a walk costs between $ 25 million and $ 30 million per machine , hence any downtime needs to be kept as short as possible . “ Any delay connecting to the grid can significantly slow down an operation ’ s ability to commission a machine and to move it to where it ’ s needed . Las Bambas copper mine in Apurimac , Peru is 4,000 m above sea level , and its remote location has limited existing infrastructure . Operators were facing months of delays and could have lost millions of dollars due to lost production unless its two drills and three electric shovels could be up and
The fourth TYHI TK-35 being constructed for EXXARO
running immediately . We transported our modular infrastructure from a port 1,000 km away , within a week , and our skilled engineers spent 20 days commissioning a 20 MW power plant at Las Bambas , which included six transformers and one loadbank . The purposebuilt modular loadbank allowed for load management , and displaced or eliminated any regeneration from large mining equipment . We quickly lifted our equipment into place with minimal civil works , which saved time and money . Once commissioned it overcame the risk of redundancy and enabled us to meet the necessary power demands of the site in the most fuel efficient and cost effective manner .”
Armstrong concludes : “ Grid connections are typically the cheapest option for powering a mining operation but there can be delays getting connected , particularly in remote locations . Add to this the risk of unreliability that can cause significant costs and lost production and the grid stops being the most viable option . That ’ s where modular power comes into its own . It offers a safety net for unplanned events , such as breakdowns , and can eliminate downtime , whether for planned maintenance , equipment moves , or in an emergency .”
Line of sight remote wheel loaders
Cat ® Connect Command for Loading now enables line-of-sight remote control of Cat 988K wheel loaders . The new system reduces the risk of injury and enables production to continue by allowing safe operation of the loader in potentially hazardous environments . Command for Loading is available as a retrofit kit for 988K machines in the field .
The system features a compact over-the-shoulder
Modular power plays a key role during the operation and relocation of mining shovels control console . Ergonomic controls , modelled on the controls in the cab , give the operator full access to all machine functions . The controls are integrated with machine electronics to provide quick responses , allowing the operator to maintain full productivity from a distance . Advanced options such as Autodig are also accessible from the console . The portable console allows an operator to maintain line-of-sight control of the wheel loader from as far as 400 m away . Full integration of Caterpillar electronics enables notifications of critical machine health parameters and the activation of several safety features to ensure that the operator remains in control of the machine at all times . For example , a machine shutdown will be activated if an offboard transceiver loses power or if radio or onboard communications are lost . A shutdown also will occur if the operator console is tipped more than 60 degrees , which could indicate that the operator has fallen . Any manual stopping of the machine results in application of the parking brakes .
Command for Loading is well-suited to activities such as highwall and edge operations , stockpile feeding , and working on slopes and unstable surfaces or around hazardous materials . “ The system also allows access to valuable material that may be considered unsafe to extract with the operator aboard . Having a remotely operated loader on site can be the difference between continued production and a full stop .”
Command for Loading includes rugged onboard components that are sealed to keep out dust and moisture . Exterior components are housed in steel enclosures to protect them from damage . The roof-mounted electronics enclosure houses the antenna , indicator lights and wireless receiver . Different colours of LED lights clearly indicate the machine status for everyone in the area .
The remote console and on-board transceiver utilise spread spectrum technology to virtually eliminate interference from other wireless devices utilising the 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequency bands . Proprietary algorithms secure the communications between the onboard wireless receiver and the console , preventing communications from unauthorised devices . IM
International Mining | APRIL 2017