MINING TRUCKS_proof 27/04/2016 10:15 Page 9
MINING TRUCKS
Density Compressed Natural Gas (HDCNG) which
has around twice the energy density of regular
CNG, while remaining more affordable and less
polluting than diesel. The truck is fitted with a
CAT 3516B engine which uses the IntelliGas
Group’s unique engine monitoring technology,
fuel management technology and HDCNG fuel
systems.
Mine Energy Solutions (MES) intends to
provide a unique end to end fuelling solution for
mining customers: it will convert the engines,
source natural gas, compress it to HDCNG,
transport it to the mine site and provide refuelling systems. Executive Director Craig James
said results of the testing show that the HDCNG
technology could be a game changer for the
mining industry through its potential to displace
the use of diesel. “An average diesel displacement
of more than 80% is being achieved over the full
range of drive cycle conditions simulated by the
trials, without loss of torque or power. This will
allow mine operators to reduce their fuel costs, cut
carbon emissions by up to 25% and significantly
reduce harmful particulate pollution without
compromising one vehicle performance.”
Mine Energy Solutions (MES) is a collaboration
between Queensland-based gas technology
specialist The IntelliGas Group and Malaysian
international Sime Darby, owners of Brisbanebased Caterpillar dealer, Hastings Deering.
In Indonesia, United Tractors has converted an
Komatsu HD785 truck to LNG operation, requiring
two adjacent LNG tanks to be fitted to the truck.
This follows a successful LNG trial on an HD4657R at Berau Coal in 2014.
LNG retrofit system market leader GFS Corp
has announced two new distributors in Canada
for its EVO- MT Systems. Wajax Power Systems
and Cullen Diesel Power have been added to GFS
Corp’s growing list of factory authorised
distributors of its EVO-MT® Systems that allow
for large, 100+ tonne mine haul trucks to operate
on a combination of natural gas and diesel fuel.
Wajax will represent the EVO-MT Systems in
eastern and central Canada as well as northern
British Columbia. Cullen Diesel Power will service
southern British Columbia. Both companies will
act as factory authorised sales and service centres.
The announcement of Cullen Diesel Power as a
distributor comes on the heels of Teck Resources’
announcement that it has begun a pilot program
to test the use of LNG as a fuel source for its haul
trucks at its Fording River steelmaking coal
operation using the EVO-MT 8300 and EVO-MT
9300 Systems on six of its Komatsu 830 and 930
haul trucks. Cullen will provide ongoing product
support for this project.
This is the first use of LNG as a haul truck fuel
at a Canadian mine site. Teck stated: “The use of
blended LNG/diesel fuelled haul trucks has the
potential for significant environmental benefits
48 International Mining | MAY 2016
and cost savings. LNG produces virtually no
particulate or sulphur dioxide emissions and
reduces Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by up
to 20% in comparison to diesel alone. There is
the potential to eliminate approximately 35,000 t
of CO2 emissions annually at Teck’s steelmaking
coal operations and potentially reduce fuel costs
by more than C$20 million annually by adopting
LNG and diesel hybrid fuel across the
operations.” FortisBC is transporting and
supplying LNG to the mine site and is making a
financial contribution towards the pilot.
Teck, with support from FortisBC, has upgraded
the Fording River Operations truck maintenance
shop, provided engine conversion kits, installed
fuelling facilities and implemented a comprehensive
safety program in advance of the pilot.
“Teck is demonstrating leadership by adopting
natural gas as a cleaner and more cost-effective
fuel solution for their operations,” said Michael
Mulcahy, President and CEO, FortisBC. “LNG, as a
vehicle fuel source, provides both an economic
and environmental benefit to industry in our
province. Today’s announcement further builds
on the diversity of the more than 400 natural gasfuelled vehicles in British Columbia.”
The pilot is expected to run until mid-year
2016 and will provide more information about the
potential of using LNG more broadly across Teck’s
haul truck fleet, creating the opportunity for
further fleet conversions to LNG in the future.
Teck’s pilot project adds to the growing fleet of
haul trucks converted to LNG operation using the
GFS EVO-MT System. To date, approximately
300,000 hours have been accumulated by trucks
in open pit mining operations with converted
Caterpillar 793 and Komatsu 830/930 haul
trucks. These include in Wyoming coal the Arch
Coal Black Thunder operation and Alpha Coal
West’s Eagle Butte mine.
GFS Corp offers its patented EVO-MT Systems
for Caterpillar 777B and C models, Caterpillar
793B, C and D’s, Komatsu 830 AC and DC and
Komatsu 930E trucks. Systems for other trucks
are in development. The conversions are in-field
retrofits that require no modification of the
engine itself. The systems provide adequate onboard LNG storage for a typical 12 hour shift.
Duratray new horizons
The first Duratray SDB for Russia has been
commissioned in Siberia last year, for one of the
largest coal producers in the world. Their
opencast mine, in Buryatia region, operates in
temperatures as low as -50°C. The new
Suspended Dump Body (SDB) was fitted to a
BELAZ 7530 truck of 220 t capacity; this is the
first SDB body designed for BELAZ trucks. The
body was manufactured in kit form and
assembled in the mine after a complex logistical
operation, with support from Duratray’s
Engineering and Field Service crews. Duratray, via
its local agent Kuzbass Mining Services (KMS), is
preparing a range of new proposals for mines
across the Russian Federation.
Duratray LatAm has been awarded contracts to
manufacture 18 lightweight steel dump bodies
for Komatsu 930E and Caterpillar 797F ultra-class
trucks at the Chuquicamata (Codelco) and
Centinela (Antofagasta Minerals) open pit copper
mines in northern Chile. Duratray’s Chilean
workshop has also built FX lightweight steel
dump bodies for Caterpillar 793D trucks, that
were transported to the San Juan province of
Argentina, for a large gold mine.
ETF splits and changes focus
There have been major changes at European
Truck Factory (ETF). The multi-axle 240 t MT240
truck that was built and seen by IM still exists
and remains in Maribor, Slovenia, but the order
from Vale has expired, however, negotiations
continue with Vale and with others. The ETF
Founder Eddy de Jongh has now left the company
and set up his own company ETF d.o.o., also in
Maribor, with the support of the Slovenian
government. The new company is negotiating an
order for a new truck design, the 300 t D54-300
with wheel loader W54-85 with 85 t bucket. The
order will be for a contract fleet where EFT d.o.o.
will carry out the mining and all servicing on a
cost per tonne basis. The potential €35 million
order is from an iron ore mine in Central Asia and
will use three trucks and two wheel loaders for a
project start in 2017. The new design is similar
with a number of changes, the main one being it
will use a much softer suspension to allow it to
use steel wheels with solid rubber profile. This
increases payload per wheel to 35 t and avoids
delays from flat tyres. The new design has larger
680 kW engines; direct drive hydraulic motors
plus a single direct hydraulic control for axles
without use of multiple hoses. There is also a
new all wheel steering system and new electronics.
Siemens’ Midas touch
Midas (from monitoring, interaction, diagnostics,
analysis and service) is a system from Siemens to
help use trucks more effectively. It collects data
during ongoing operation and uses this data to
carry out analyses of production and operations.
Through Midas, service engineers have access at
all times to the truck drive solution, i.e. to the
electrical and mechanical data of the system
components. As a result, a maintenance schedule
can be drawn up in advance. By integrating the
Midas system into daily planning and monitoring
activities, the end user gains more insight into
the truck and how it is operated. In addition, new
ways emerge on how to use equipment more
effectively and how to maximise production
capability. IM