Gold Mining Equipment - Futuristic Shovel

World Mining Equipment

July 19,2000

Mining Equipment Futuristic Shovel

Lading the way in loading, productivity and efficiency, the new P&H 4100XPB electric mining shovel currently in production, is designed to serve the larger trucks of today and tomorrow with greater payloads, faster cycle times and smarter systems, according to P&H. The 4100XPB features optimised boom profile and handle for clearance and visibility as well as efficient and safe loading of the wider, deeper bodies found on the new and future trucks. Coupled with a lower-weight, higher-volume P&H OPTIMA dipper, the shovel delivers payload capacities of over 90 tonnes. Cycle times of just 29 seconds at maximum payload are possible thanks to the P&H Electrotorque Plus DC digital drives, which provide optimum utilisation of motor speeds and P&H says that propel speed is over 40% faster than other machines in his class. Features include a boom protection envelope that controls speeds and motion and protects the dipper against boom contact and the fact that through P&H integrated information technologies system, many functions of the machine can be monitored remotely from an office computer.

Continuing with the good news, P&H MinePro Services has signed a deal to supply Asarco affiliate Southern Peru Copper with cable shovels, drills and wheeled loaders for its Cuajone mine in south west Peru. One 4100A electric shovel, two 100XP electric drills, and a LeTourneau L-1800 loader will be part of a plan to increase output at the mine, with a further 4100A shovel and 100XP drill to follow later in the year. The 4100A shovels will be fitted with 43 [m.sup.3] dippers and will load 216 and 290 tonne payload trucks in three and four passes respectively. (Don't miss our feature on shovels in this issue).

Bigfoot's public debut

Barrick Gold strike is soon to take delivery of the first of 16 Komatsu 930E haul trucks, which will be the first units to be factory fitted with the new Michelin 80 series tyre on 1.6 m rims, and the first trucks ever to be fitted with the very new 1.35 m variant of the 80 series rubber the 53/80 R63, a tyre especially developed for the 930E.

Power for the 16 trucks will be split equally between DDC 4000 and Cummins QSK 60s all rated at 3,620 kW. Though Goldstrike is the only mine in the US to have a trolley assist haul road, none of the new trucks will be fitted to use it and there are apparently no intentions of retro fitting the trucks at a later date. The new 930E, known affectionately as Bigfoot, is a natural evolution of the machine first introduced by Komatsu in 1996.

Long-Airdox and Joy have been very busy either introducing or testing new machines. The new CH822 Un-A-Hauler is the largest battery powered underground coal hauler on tyres ever built by Long-Airdox, while the new VT636-2 shield hauler is said to be more powerful than before. The articulated CH822 machine is designed for heights of 2.16 m, has a payload capacity of 20 tonnes and drive comes from two 37.3 kW tramming motors. The VT636-2 shield hauler is designed to lift and carry payloads of up to 32.4 tonnes in seam heights of over 1.73 m, has a tri-sectional frame to maintain four wheel contact with the roadway and has a total tramming power of 74.5 kW. The firm also reports on the trial success of its new 1.2 m high, CH816 mid seam battery hauler, which uses many of the same components as the larger CH818. This latter hauler is said to have delivered 99% availability at a mine in eastern Kentucky during its three month evaluation. Meanwhile, Joy reports that four of its 4WD battery hauler models are currently setting production records at Catlin Coal in Illinois, due to its advanced design features. These AH1200 models have provided 98% availability over the last six months, producing some 270 tonnes/production hour in a 1.7 m high seam.

Technology for sale

Codelco Chile is selling by public tender 82.5% of CMS Tecnologia, its mining equipment producer and services arm. The remaining 17.5% will be retained by Codelco and the winning bid is expected to be announced in October. CMS was set up as a separate subsidiary to maintain Codelco plant and equipment and as a supply company (it also includes the PUMA LHD range), although the intention now is to broaden this base to provide services to mining companies in Chile and elsewhere.

Americas briefs

Atlas Copco Chilena has just sold seven ST 1000 LHDs, two Box hole type raise borers and two remote control, mobile hydraulic rock brakers to Codelco's El Teniente mine.

Terex will acquire crushing and screening equipment manufacturer Cedarapids, a unit of Raytheon for US$170 million cash.

Las Cristinas gold mining project in Venezuela has been put on hold by 70% owner Placer Dome due to depressed market prices. The project has been put on care and maintenance and construction is only expected to resume when the gold price outlook is favourable.

Wabi Iron & Steel, of Canada, has completed the first of 10 remote-controlled underground chutes destined for Cyprus Amax's Henderson mine in Colorado. When operational, the chutes will load the mine's molybdenum ore into a 70 tonne truck in less than a minute.

Tough pumping

Designed for pumping large volumes in tough sludge applications, Godwin Pumps' HL10M model is a powerful, fully automatic, self-priming unit. Suited to water distribution and series pumping applications, the HL10M features high-pressure mechanical seals with external water/glycol cooling. The unit also provides dynamic head of up to 113 m and is capable of handling solids up to 76.2 mm.