JULY 2019 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3
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JULY 2019 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3
Transcript of JULY 2019 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3
JULY 2019VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3
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CONTENTS
Copyright © Palladian Publications Ltd 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. All views expressed in this journal are those of the respective contributors and are not necessarily
the opinions of the publisher, neither does the publisher endorse any of the claims made in the advertisements. Printed in the UK.
Global Mining Review is a fully-audited member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC).An audit certifi cate is available from our sales department on request.
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ON THE COVER
03 Comment
05 News
10 Industry View
REGIONAL REPORT12 An Electric Atmosphere
Chantal Hortop, on behalf of Global Mining Guidelines Group,
Canada.
SPECIAL REPORT: IRON ORE18 Level Up
John Leadbetter, VEGA Australia Pty Ltd, Australia.
AUTOMATION & CONTROL23 The Future Of Mining Software
Zach Violett, Tech Soft 3D, USA.
26 Keeping Track In Real Time Sagar Chandra, Rajant Corporation, USA.
31 Top Trends To Transform Mining Michel Serres, ABB, North America.
35 Enabling The Digital Mine Shannon Katary, Maestro Digital Mine, Canada.
UNDERGROUND DRILLING39 Digging Deep
Michael Schultz, REI Drilling, Inc., USA.
DRILL & BLAST43 At Full Blast
Raúl García Carrera, Miguel Laguillo Sabás and Santiago Sanz
Alonso, MAXAM, Spain.
47 Blasting Through The AgesAnthony Konya and Dr. Calvin J. Konya, Precision Blasting
Services, USA.
51 Optimising Blast Fragmentation Potential Raj Mathiravedu and Angelo Labriola, Orica, Australia.
SURFACE MINERS & IPCC 54 Finding The Right Fit
Scott McEwing, SRK Consulting, Australia.
SEDIMENTATION, DEWATERING & DRYING59 A Chemical Formula For Optimised Dewatering
Pedro Rollo (Brazil), Pierre Fernandes (Brazil), Leandro Bicalho
(Brazil) and Wagner Silva (USA), Clariant.
63 Pump It!Stephanie Villars, Applied Flow Technology, USA.
67 On TrendGareth Meese, Eriez Europe, UK.
EXPLORATION & DEVELOPMENT71 Mind The Funding Gap
Jonathan Brooks, Fieldfisher, UK.
ENGINES, POWERTRAINS & EMISSIONS 77 Getting The Best Out Of Dump Trucks
Pieter Zuger, Allison Transmission, Sweden.
GEARS, MOTORS & DRIVES80 Staying On Top (With Efficiency From The Bottom Up)
Uno Sundelin, Bosch Rexroth, Sweden.
MINE TRAINING 84 Reaching New Heights
Natasha Marti, Mader Group, Australia.
DOMES, STOCKYARDS & SILOS89 Stockyard Operation And Latent Capacity
Justin Willis, Andvare, Australia.
92 Who Needs Pilots? Iain Allen, skymineUAV, Cayman Islands.
Hard-Line is a Canadian technology company specialising in automation, teleoperation and remote controls.
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STEPHANIE ROKER EDITOR
CommentMy partner and I recently settled down to watch a new show
on Netflix – Instant Hotel. As the title suggests, the series follows a group of five homeowners who convert their pads
into luxury hotels. Competing for the title of best Instant Hotel and AUS$100 000, each team spends a night at their competitor’s rental, before rating their experience and voting on the winners.
The first episode of Season 2 takes us to the remote terrain of Coober Pedy, an opal mining town in South Australia. We’re given a virtual tour of the hoteliers’ unique desert dugout, and as the camera pans round, it’s hard not to notice the rainbow colours embedded in the walls.
Getting home aft er a long day at work, the last thing I expected to see and hear on TV was opal mining in the Australian outback. I was suprised, to say the least. It then occurred to me that opal mining is not something that’s been discussed before in Global Mining Review. Until now.
A particularly niche commodity to mine, opal is one of the few minerals that can be extracted economically, traditionally by shaft sinking with a pickaxe and shovel.
This ‘old-school’ method is where a shaft is sunk straight into the earth until opal dirt is revealed. Here, the miner would branch off to the side to follow the opal levels, before carefully hand extracting any opal discovered. The majority of the time, this involved a team of two: one underground in the hole and the other above-ground to rig up a windlass to haul out the dirt.
The mining industry in general has since moved on from this laborious technique, of course. Nowadays, instead of hand tools, excavators, haulers, drills, blasting tools and crushing equipment are all commonplace on mine sites. And pretty much every piece of machinery has experienced a revamp in one form or another. While some still view the industry as being old-fashioned, recent technological advancements have changed the face of mining entirely.
Autonomous haulage systems, for example, are driving productivity and safety improvements at mines worldwide, pioneered by market leaders Caterpillar and Komatsu.
In line with autonomous haulage systems, we are now seeing more and more battery electric vehicles (BEVs) around mine sites. In a bid to address climate change, the industry has been consciously adapting and increasing its use of BEVs to replace diesel alternatives.
Something else worth noting: it’s no secret that mining soft ware birthed the creation of ‘smart mines’. With the applications of artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and Big Data, smart mines are digitally connected and operations are optimised in all aspects.
With this, mining companies are deploying the latest sensor-based technologies at their sites. Advanced data analytics can be implemented to analyse raw data to generate trends, patterns and relationships. This information is then presented to miners in real time on their mobile devices and, as a result, are able to focus on maximising onsite productivity.
Even drones are making their entrance into the mining industry. A far cry from being used by influencers and online content creators, drones can now be seen collecting aerial data at mining facilities. This solution replaces manual inspections in what can be dangerous areas, whilst providing operators with the ease of collecting critical information, drastically reducing the time and manpower required.
Without a doubt, it’s an exciting time for mining, as the industry is set to become more automated in the coming years. But one thing’s for sure: that doesn’t mean you can’t grab your pick axe once in a while, for old times’ sake. Especially if you happen to find yourself in Coober Pedy!
1. http://www.opalsdownunder.com.au/learn-about-opals/intermediate/how-opal-mined
WORLD NEWS
5GLOBal mining review // July 2019GLOBal mining review // July 2019
AUSTRALIA EVOL to provide greener power alternative to Kirkalocka gold mine
K irkalocka gold mine will soon be powered by a cleaner
alternative, thanks to a new agreement between EVOL
LNG and Adaman Resources.
The long-term arrangement has EVOL supplying LNG to
Adaman’s wholly-owned subsidiary Kirkalocka Gold SPV Pty Ltd.
The gold mine, located approximately 70 km south of Mt Magnet
in Western Australia, is set to restart operations aft er over a
decade, with the mine’s new owners refurbishing the processing
plant and increasing its capacity to over 2.2 million tpy.
The mine will use EVOL LNG to fuel Zenith Energy’s
14.5 MW power plant, with supply planned to commence from
September 2019.
EVOL LNG and Wholesale Manager Nick Rea said: “LNG
produces 25% less CO2 emissions than diesel, and during the
initial six years of operation, the mine will avoid 50 000 t of
greenhouse gas emissions by fuelling its power plant with
LNG instead of diesel. This is the equivalent of keeping around
3000 cars off the road.”
EVOL will build, own, operate and maintain the onsite LNG
storage and vapourisation facility at the mine. The facility
will use EVOL LNG’s modular design which allows for fast
installation and expandability to suit the mine’s growing energy
requirements.
Adaman Resources’ Chief Executive Off icer Craig Bradshaw
stated: “Utilising LNG as an alternative to diesel-fired generation
will significantly reduce our energy costs and exposure to
volatile diesel prices. Based on the current diesel price,
we estimate our energy costs to be reduced by more than
AUS$13 million during the first six years of operation.”
Rea said the Kirkalocka gold mine was EVOL’s third major
contract in the Midwest in recent years, and sees huge potential
for growth in this region.
MONGOLIA Oyu Tolgoi underground project update
R io Tinto has provided an update on the schedule and cost
of the Oyu Tolgoi underground project in Mongolia. The
project continued to progress in 2019 towards its path to
become one of the largest copper mines in the world.
Since February, key underground infrastructure, such as
the control room facility and the jaw crusher system, are now
complete, and construction of shaft s 3 and 4 is progressing well.
The commissioning of shaft 2 remains on track for October 2019.
As previously advised, enhanced geotechnical information
and data modelling suggests that there may be some stability
risks identified with the approved mine design, and so a number
of other mine design options are also under consideration to
complete the project. Studies indicate that these options may
result in some of the critical underground infrastructure, such
as the mid-access drive and the ore handling system, being
relocated or removed. Options relating to the sequence of
crossing the panel boundaries during mining operations are also
being analysed.
These options are being evaluated to determine the final
design of the first panel of mining, ‘Panel 0’, and this work
is anticipated to continue until early 2020. Given the further
technical work which is needed, the definitive estimate, which
will include the final estimate of cost and schedule for the
remaining underground project, is now expected to be delivered
in the second half of 2020, reflecting the preferred mine design
approach.
All options under consideration present a pathway to
sustainable first production, and have diff erent cost and
schedule implications. To date, these have been defined to a
level of accuracy associated with a conceptual study or order
of magnitude study, and, therefore, significantly more work is
required to complete the final assessment.
Preliminary information now suggests that, depending
on which mine design options are adopted, first sustainable
production could be achieved between May 2022 and June 2023,
a delay of 16 - 30 months compared to the original feasibility study
guidance in 2016. This range includes contingency of up to eight
months reflecting the unexpected and challenging geotechnical
issues, complexities in the construction of shaft 2 and the detailed
work still required to reach a more precise estimate.
Preliminary estimates for development capital spend for
the project, depending on the outcome of the work, is now
US$6.5 billion - 7.2 billion, an increase of US$1.2 billion - 1.9 billion
from the US$5.3 billion previously disclosed.
WORLD NEWSDiary Dates
6 July 2019 // global mining reviewJuly 2019 // global mining review
USA Growing concern arises over reliance on mineral imports
A s Congress considers changes to the General Mining Law – changes that would
only increase the burden on US mining, making it less competitive on the global
stage – most Americans are concerned about the nation’s increasing reliance
on imports for minerals that are vital to its manufacturing, energy and defence supply
chains.
In new polling conducted by Morning Consult for the National Mining Association
(NMA), 62% of Americans say they are concerned about America’s increasing reliance on
imports for minerals.
“Americans across party lines are concerned about our growing import dependence
for many minerals that we could be mining here at home,” said Hal Quinn, President
and Chief Executive Off icer of NMA. “Instead of focusing on how we can encourage US
mining and make use of our own domestic resources, some in Congress are looking for
ways to block it. It’s the wrong path at the wrong time for our country. The result will
only be an alarming growth in import dependence coinciding with an expected dramatic
increase in minerals demand to support new technologies for the future. We are poised
to exacerbate a glaring strategic vulnerability just when we should be acting to decisively
address it.”
Today, less than half of the mineral needs of US manufacturing are met from
domestically-mined minerals, and the nation is 100% import-dependent for 18 key
minerals. That import dependence has nearly doubled from what it was 20 years ago.
Despite this growing reliance on imports, Representative Raul Grijalva introduced
the ‘Hardrock Leasing and Reclamation Act of 2019’, legislation that would add punitive
fees on industry, place even more mineral-rich lands off -limits to mining, and further
disadvantage the US against other countries.
Polling was conducted between 2 - 5 May, among a national sample of 2200 adults.
Asia-Pacifi c’s International Mining Exhibition (AIMEX)27 - 29 August 2019Sydney, Australiahttps://www.aimex.com.au/
Future of Mining EMEA 20194 - 5 September 2019London, UKhttps://emea.future-of-mining.com/
Electra Mining Botswana10 - 12 September 2019Gaborone, Botswanahttps://www.electramining.co.bw/
PERUMIN 201916 - 20 September 2019Lima, Peruhttps://perumin.com/perumin34/
19th International Mining & Minerals Recovery Exhibition MINING INDONESIA 201918 - 21 September 2019 Jakarta, Indonesia https://www.mining-indonesia.com/
China Coal & Mining Expo 201930 October - 2 November 2019Beijing, Chinahttp://www.chinaminingcoal.com/web/
Mining & Minerals Expo 20195 - 7 November 2019Kyiv, Ukrainehttp://www.iec-expo.com.ua/en/mieen-2019.html
European Mining Convention3 - 4 December 2019Dublin, Irelandhttps://europeanminingconvention.com/
Tech Mining Russia 20195 - 6 December 2019Moscow, Russiahttp://techmining.ru/en/
RUSSIA Mechel and BELAZ sign dump truck deal
M echel PAO, a leading Russian mining and metals company, reports signing an
agreement with CTP BELAZ-24 OOO for 15 dump trucks with a total value of
approximately 2 billion rubles.
The deal was signed on the sidelines of the international specialised mining
technologies exposition ‘Russian Coal and Mining’ held in Novokuznetsk.
The new trucks with capacity ranging from 130 - 220 t will come to Mechel Group’s
facilities in Kemerovo and Irkutsk Regions, with 11 BELAZ trucks intended for work on
Southern Kuzbass Coal Company’s opencast mines and four for the Korshunov mining
plant. The trucks are due to arrive in June - August 2019.
“Upgrading our mining fleet is an important priority for our programme of capital
investment in our mining facilities. Acquisition of these new dump trucks will enable us
to boost mining and stripping volumes,” commented Mechel Mining Management OOO’s
Chief Executive Off icer Pavel Shtark.
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WORLD NEWS
8 July 2019 // global mining reviewJuly 2019 // global mining review
AUSTRALIA Bis awarded four year contract extension at Murrin Murrin mine
B is has achieved a successful extension of its haulage and site
services contracts for Minara Resources at its Murrin Murrin
mine in Western Australia’s northeastern goldfields.
The multi-year extension will see Bis extend its partnership
with Minara, where it has been delivering a range of services at
the Murrin Murrin site since operations began in 1998.
Bis provides a range of services at the mine, such as haulage
and haul and road maintenance, calcrete services and bulk
logistics services.
Bis Chief Operating Off icer Michael Porter said: “I am delighted
to announce this contract extension, which is an important long-
term relationship for Bis. We are proud to have been part of the
Minara operations for over 20 years, working in collaboration with
Minara to deliver safe and innovative solutions that add value
to their operation. We look forward to continuing our successful
relationship with our colleagues at Murrin Murrin.”
The Murrin Murrin site recently hosted Bis’ new innovative haul
truck Rexx as part of its trials in working mines across Western
Australia, reflecting its status as an innovative marker leader in
progressing technology onsite.
NAMIBIA Rio Tinto sells entire stake in Rössing uranium mine
R io Tinto has completed the sale of its entire interest in the
Rössing uranium mine in Namibia to China National Uranium
Corporation Limited (CNUC) for an initial cash payment of
US$6.5 million, plus a contingent payment of up to US$100 million.
Rio Tinto’s Chief Executive J-S Jacques said: “This sale
demonstrates Rio Tinto’s commitment to further simplifying
and strengthening our portfolio and brings the total divestment
proceeds received since 2017 to US$11.2 billion, of which
US$9.7 billion has been returned to our shareholders.
“I would like to recognise the hard work of people across Rio
Tinto and the communities around Rössing who have contributed
to the success of the mine and wish them all the best for the future
under new ownership.”
The US$100 million contingent payment is linked to uranium
spot prices and Rössing’s net income during the next seven
calendar years. In addition, Rio Tinto will receive a cash payment if
CNUC sells the Zelda 20 mineral deposit during a restricted period
following completion.
SIERRA LEONE SL Mining ships fi rst iron ore from Freetown Port
SL Mining Ltd has announced that the first shipment of
iron ore concentrate, branded ‘Marampa Blue’ set sail on
MV Cooper from Freetown Port (Queen Elizabeth II), located
in Sierra Leone. The loading of over 55 000 t of high-grade >65%
iron ore concentrate was completed on 16 June 2019, sailing the
same day. This maiden shipment will be delivered to customers
in China, with a second shipment expected to leave soon on
MV Ultralaz carrying around 62 000 t of iron ore concentrate.
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Mines and Minerals Rado Yokie said
that iron ore exports had been dormant for four years.
Yokie commented: “Today is a historic day. As Marampa
Blue is a very high-grade ore, and coming from Sierra Leone, it
sends a good signal to the world that this country is ready for
business.”
Craig Dean, Chairman of Gerald Group and SL Mining, stated:
“SL Mining’s first shipment departed from Freetown Port safe
and sound. This is a proud day and a key milestone for SL Mining,
and for our employees and contractors who have been working
on this complex project to restore production of iron ore at
the Marampa mine, alongside local communities and the
Government of Sierra Leone.
“SL Mining forms an important strategic asset in Gerald
Group’s global portfolio. Our goal is to make ‘Marampa Blue’ an
internationally recognised premium grade iron ore brand. As we
continue to build on our progress so far, to deliver sustainable
and responsible mining in Marampa, we intend to expand the
delivery of high-grade >65% iron ore concentrate to markets in
Europe and Africa.”
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10 July 2019 // global mining reviewJuly 2019 // global mining review
industry viewL ike many other industries, the global mining sector is
undergoing a rapid technological transformation. Companies
are now expected to embrace, purchase and implement new
advancements in technology and innovation that have the potential
to improve safety, enhance productivity and drive shareholder
value. Since many mining businesses have divested their in-house
R&D functions, leaders are now looking to outside providers for the
technologies and solutions that will help them sustain and grow their
operations as this new era is ushered in.
This is an exciting time for the industry, and one that has led to a
considerable expansion of the number and scale of technology firms
that can develop and deploy these innovative products. However, the
transformation is also being met with some hesitation, as decision-
makers from mining companies of all sizes are understandably
cautious about investing in and deploying new technologies
without having the opportunity to ‘test them out’ and assess their
value. Brochures and corporate presentations are not enough to
convince executives that the technologies they off er will fit within
their operations. Yet, arranging for real life product demonstrations
from suppliers can be both costly and potentially disruptive. This
means that despite a clear market appetite for their products, mining
technology firms struggle with finding customers that can validate
their value propositions. In short, mining companies and technology
firms need each other to succeed, but there are many barriers that
prevent them from coming together.
NORCAT’s Underground Centre, located in Sudbury (Canada),
provides a unique solution that, by recreating the retail industry’s
concept of a pop-up showroom, addresses the pain points of both
buyers and sellers of mining technology. A retail pop-up showroom
allows vendors to demonstrate products that customers can touch,
try and ask questions about, and the concept of the Underground
Centre is similar. However, instead of putting vacuum cleaners or
televisions on display, the NORCAT Underground Centre gives sellers
(technology firms) the ability to develop, test and showcase new and
innovative mining technologies in a real life operating mine. In turn,
the buyers (mining companies) get the opportunity to try before they
buy and make well-informed decisions as to the suitability of these
products for their businesses.
As buyers and sellers alike navigate through the mining
industry’s transformation, the Underground Centre has become
a prime destination for executives and decision-makers from
around the world to see the technologies poised to transform
the global mining industry. The Centre also provides a forum for
buyers to ask questions and build long-term relationships with
best-in-class suppliers and developers. The innovations on display,
as well as the firms that build them, showcase examples of new
career and investment opportunities within the sector, which then
emboldens mining leaders to reconsider and redefine the key skills
and competencies that are required to drive value within their
companies.
There have been a number of innovative and impactful products
that were developed, tested and showcased in the NORCAT
Underground Centre, and the following are just a few examples.
Hard-Line, a leading supplier of heavy-duty mining remote
controls and mining automation systems, operates a proprietary
TeleOp system that automates a scoop tram in the NORCAT
Underground Centre, turning it into a teleremote/autonomous
underground vehicle. This technology enhances the productivity and
safety of mining and, through its use of robotics, showcases some of
the new career opportunities arising within the mining industry.
Boart Longyear, one of the world’s leading developers and
suppliers of drill rigs to the global mining industry, operates a
technology and innovation centre at NORCAT to develop and test
drilling technology for both opencast and underground mining.
Not only are Boart Longyear developing and showcasing emerging
technologies, they are also providing hands-on experiential training
for new customers to work with their products.
MacLean Engineering, an industry leader in heavy equipment
development and manufacturing for underground mining,
utilised the NORCAT Underground Centre to develop and test
the next generation of their electric bolter and undertake a fleet
electrification programme. Their new battery-powered fleet off ers
mining companies improved underground air quality for workers,
cost containment and other eff iciencies, opening the door to new
investment opportunities in the clean energy space.
The mining sector has a strong thirst for transformation, and the
examples above demonstrate that when the right conditions are in
place, there is plenty of potential for the expansion and utilisation
of mining technology. The NORCAT Underground Centre provides
the necessary foundation by creating an environment that allows
for the development and demonstration of new technologies, while
also facilitating a platform for buyers and sellers to make mutually
beneficial connections and long-term business partnerships.
Ultimately, as participation in the Underground Centre continues
to grow, so too will the mining industry’s capacity for innovation,
technology and growth.
TAKING TRANSFORMATION UNDERGROUND: BRINGING BUYERS AND SELLERS TOGETHER TO DRIVE TECHNOLOGY ADOPTIONDon Duval, Chief Executive Offi cer of NORCAT, Canada
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12 July 2019 // global mining reviewJuly 2019 // global mining review
Chantal Hortop, on behalf of Global Mining Guidelines Group, Canada, takes a look at the current mining trends in Europe and Africa.
13global mining review // July 2019global mining review // July 2019
Despite it being one of the oldest industries on earth,
there is no shortage of innovation and creative use
of technology at the moment in the mining
industry. Artificial intelligence, autonomous mining and
increasing digitisation throughout mining operations are
constant themes across industry. However, one technology
that is undeniably at the forefront of innovation
investment in mining is the electrification of the vehicles
used both on opencast and underground mines.
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were a major highlight
of bauma 2019, held in April in Munich (Germany).
European original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and
mining operations were very strongly represented, and
they are generally regarded as leading the charge in terms
of innovation, but the increasing interest in new
technologies in African nations, combined with the
abundance of natural resources across that continent,
make them a market to watch in terms of technological
trends.
Tim Skinner, President of SMART Systems Group and
Vice-Chair of International Standards for Global Mining
Guidelines Group (GMG), says that although bauma is
mainly focused on the construction industry, there are
interesting parallels between construction technology and
that used in the mining industry. He says he was interested
by the “similarity of innovation and technology subject
matter in construction as in mining: digitalisation,
automation and autonomy, battery electric equipment,
data analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and the need
for standards [...] the amount of development and
evolution of digital capability [in the construction
industry] will be a big source, influence and driver for
mining.”
Diff erences in bureaucracy, resources and the workforce
in Europe and Africa mean that new technology is
implemented at diff erent rates and for diff erent reasons,
but a common ground remains in the needs of mining
operations on the two continents.
Don King, Vice-President of Global Strategic Customers
for Epiroc Drilling Solutions, says: “In general, they follow
the same trends, but it seems that the European
operations usually are more accepting to new technology.
In Africa, the ambition is quite high, however in some
cases the infrastructure is not implemented yet, which
leads to delays in adaptation.”
The benefits of using BEVs are clear, no matter the
location of the mining operation. As Darren Carter, Global
Portfolio Manager of the Underground Rock Excavation
Division of Epiroc Rock Drills, says: “Electrification means
the reduction of diesel particle matter. This will
immediately improve air quality in the underground
mines, leading to healthier miners, much lower energy
consumption for ventilation when using ‘on demand’
smart controls.”
The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is also an
important motivating factor for electrification, particularly
in opencast mining.
EuropeImproved efficiency, productivity, cost-effectiveness and
safety all come into play with the implementation of
BEVs. These vehicles not only reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, but may also facilitate other aspects of
automation.
Many operations already have a considerable presence
of electrification in their mines and are continuing to forge
ahead with new advances as they become available. For
example, Boliden Group – which has mines across
Scandinavia and Ireland – began its implementation of
electric power in 2018. Arne Renström, Senior Project
Manager of Mining at Boliden, says at that time the
company began using some battery-operated light
vehicles and tunnel drills, and began opencast testing of
trolleys for ultra-class haul trucks at the Aitik opencast
mine in Northern Sweden in late 2018. This initiative is
expected to save approximately 830 m3/yr of diesel and
reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 80% for
the routes where trolleys are being used. Initial
discussions are also underway for the testing of trucks and
loaders to be used underground, with trials expected to
begin later this year.
There was no shortage of announcements about new
battery-operated machinery at bauma. One notable
development was Volvo CE’s introduction of the first of its
range of electric compact excavators and wheel loaders
following the company’s announcement in January this
year, which would cease new diesel engine-based
development of these models. In a press release from the
company at the time, it said that while the company
“stresses that diesel combustion currently remains the
most appropriate power source for its larger machines,
electric propulsion and battery technology is proving
particularly suited to Volvo’s smaller equipment.”
They are not alone in their ambitions to phase out fossil
fuels wherever possible. Michel Serres, Vice-President of
Mining Solutions for North America for ABB, notes that
“converting existing mines from fossil fuel to electric is our
target,” and the Swiss-based company is doing so in
collaboration with other OEMs.
He stated: “In Europe, we are supporting fleet OEMs
with our technologies, mainly traction drives, motors and
electric vehicle (EV) chargers. Short interval control and
scheduling are also an important aspect. The combination
of electrification constraints and proper scheduling is an
industry need.”
Serres also explained that, more specifically, the
company’s EVs are currently looking aft er a capacity of
1.2 MW – this compares to the 450 kW capacity achieved as
of the publication of Version 1 of the Global Mining
Guidelines Group’s Recommended Practices for Battery Electric Vehicles in Underground Mining. The BEVs guideline
outlines the recommended practices for using BEVs in an
underground mining environment. It is structured as a
specification and can be included in mining companies’
tender documents to mining vehicle OEMs. It can also
serve as a blueprint path forward for OEM research and
development eff orts. Version 2 was published in
November 2018.
Although many of the BEVs currently available are those
in the light vehicle category, King says that in Europe in
particular, acceptance of the technology is rapidly
increasing and the range of options available is keeping
pace.
He explained: “The portfolio of equipment available in
battery power is growing rapidly and no longer consists of
just the smaller units. Today, battery-powered equipment
Figure 1. bauma 2019 featured a wide variety of exciting
innovations for construction machinery. BEVs in particular
created a buzz among mining stakeholders. Copyright: Messe
München.
Figure 2. King says that the range of BEVs available is rapidly
increasing, partly due to steady demand for this kind of
innovation from mining stakeholders. Photo courtesy of Epiroc.
14 July 2019 // global mining reviewJuly 2019 // global mining review
PDMD-A10169-00-7600
flender.com/original
ORIGINAL.
is available in all models of underground equipment and is
expanding at a very rapid rate.”
King believes the implementation of equipment using
renewable energy is a “high priority” for many mines in
Europe, explaining that the goal is to get away from diesel
emissions and to run equipment on renewable resources,
either tethered electric or preferably battery electric.
According to King, this transition is eased by the fact
that in mining operations in Europe, and specifically in
Scandinavia, “operators are technologically suave and
eager to embrace the highest level of automation that is
available,” not only being open to this kind of innovation,
but actively pursuing it.
The superior technology infrastructure in mining
operations in Europe is also a contributing factor to their
steady advance into electrification. A working environment
that is carefully monitored and evaluated by the mines’
operators contributes to the prompt implementation of
technology to increase workers’ comfort and safety.
“Ergonomics and the workplace environment must be
at a very high level and this has led to many new
technological advancements being implemented,” King
explains.
He also notes that Europe has prioritised the
elimination of diesel particulate in the working
environment, and their leadership in the implementation
of electrification in underground mining can be partly
attributed to this fact.
AfricaThe approach to vehicle fleet electrification is slightly
diff erent in Africa, as the evolution of the mining industry
has happened in a diff erent way than it has in Europe. One
motivating factor for the electrification and automation of
mining operations in Africa is the need to increase the
eff iciency of the operations’ skilled labour, as opposed to
the maximisation of output per man hour that drives many
other global operations to implement these changes.
Although these operations oft en begin implementing this
kind of technology to solve a labour problem, mining
operators do see gains in eff iciency and other key areas as
a consequence.
African mining operations also seek benefits of
electrification related directly to the nature of mining
itself, much as is seen elsewhere in the world. 60% of the
mining in Africa is for gold, and since gold mining tends be
done at greater depths, these mines benefit greatly from
the reduced heat emissions seen with battery-powered
equipment compared to that using diesel fuel.
In the past, some reluctance has been seen on the part
of operators of African mines due to a relative shortage of
electricity, but the increased need for power to run the
BEVs is off set by the substantial decrease in ventilation
required with this machinery.
Moving forwardFor the next five years, Serres predicts advances in several
specific areas of the electrification of mining. “Haulage
remains the main challenge,” he says. “First to come will
be a hybrid model: trolley assist and batteries.”
He adds that in opencast mining, trucks with a payload
of up to 100 t will be fully battery-equipped. “Our focus
will switch from battery capacity to opportunity chargers,
fleet cycle time and minimising battery pack cost. For
opencast, fuel cell and hydrogen production may have a
future too.”
Serres also highlights the fact that partnership is
essential to advancement. “Collaboration is 'the'
component of innovation. Today, companies able to cover
innovation from A to Z no longer exist. We know what we
know, the rest should come from other experts.”
Carter says that the very nature of the customer/
supplier relationship is changing: “New mines are
designing in the new technologies and are planning to
gain the full advantages simultaneously. It requires a
closer co-operation with the OEMs and other suppliers
than in the past, more of a partner relationship than the
traditional customer/supplier model.”
Regardless of the location of a mining operation or
what type of technology it was first designed to
accommodate, electrification is a prominent trend for
good reason.
As King says: “Technology can play a major role in all
markets regardless of the level of maturity, providing that
the operations can adapt to the change management
required to implement it successfully.”
Figure 3. Boliden began trolley testing for ultra-class haul
trucks at the Aitik opencast mine in Northern Sweden in late
2018. Photo courtesy of Boliden – photo by Mats Hillblom.
16 July 2019 // global mining reviewJuly 2019 // global mining review
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