ELECTRIFYING THE MINING PROCESS
Sandvik will be supplying Borden with two electric DD422iE twin-boomed jumbos as well as loaders and trucks, while MacLean is providing a five-unit fleet of ground support and production support vehicles: two EV 975 Omnia Bolters, a cassette system EV Emulsion Loader, a cassette system EV Boom Truck, and an EV Scissor Lift.
“ We can provide a full solution for development equipment for the mine because of our breadth of offering,” explains Dale Rakochy, Business Line Manager, Underground Equipment, Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology.“ It’ s a fully integrated battery technology where you don’ t have to remove, handle or swap batteries underground, providing improved safety for operators and maintenance crews.”
By using electric energy from an on-board battery during tramming, the Sandvik DD422iE produces zero emissions while manoeuvring between headings. This improves health and safety for miners working underground. Less diesel usage in a mine thanks to diesel-free drilling can ease ventilation requirements, while also reducing associated diesel logistics and maintenance expenses. Using the mine’ s existing electric infrastructure, the Sandvik driveline technology enables the battery to recharge during the drilling cycle. The battery will even recharge while the Sandvik DD422iE is tramming downhill, using energy generated by the braking system. The long-lasting pack will power the drill efficiently throughout its lifetime.
The molten salt( sodium-nickel chloride) battery technology used has a reduced risk of fire and is regarded as a safer system for underground mining use.
“ This is truly a mutually beneficial relationship between Sandvik and Goldcorp where both companies have put a plan together to advance the technology needed for the project over the next three years,” Rakochy says.
Battery power, engineered for life underground, is the latest chapter in MacLean’ s mining R & D focus. The MacLean EV Series( electric vehicle) battery propulsion system leverages high power, high efficiency, and long cycle life battery chemistry, sophisticated battery management and vehicle monitoring capabilities, as well as on-board charging, that ensures compatibility with existing mine infrastructure.
MacLean’ s Fleet Electrification program was initiated in 2015 and by 2017 will be able to offer customers a battery tramming / battery operating option on all units across the company’ s Ground Support product line( bolters, shotcrete sprayers, and transmixers), Ore Flow product line( water cannons, secondary reduction drills, and mobile rockbreakers), and Utility Vehicle product line( boom trucks, scissor lifts, ANFO / emulsion loaders, cassette carriers, personnel carriers, water sprayers, and fuel / lube trucks).
“ Goldcorp is a longstanding customer and so a fitting inaugural home for our battery power fleet. What’ s more, this is a worldclass project that is setting the bar in the mining industry: improving the working conditions of miners, making the extraction of certain orebodies economically viable, and driving technology investment by OEMs like MacLean,” noted President Kevin MacLean.“ It’ s a win / win for
The battery powered MacLean 975 Omnia Scaler-Bolter in action
everyone involved, so on behalf of the team at MacLean Engineering I want to salute Goldcorp for their initiative, and thank them for their continued faith in the innovation, safety, and underground performance focus at the heart of our engineering and manufacturing efforts.”
“ I came up from working underground in Sudbury, Ontario in the early 1960s just as battery powered units on rail were being replaced by diesel engine, rubber tyre mobile fleets, so the arc of my mining career over the past 50 + years has come full circle,” added Founder and Chairman Don MacLean.“ The next generation of battery propulsion technology, provided it is engineered to perform in the hard rock mining environment, opens up a whole new range of possibilities for mining companies looking for diesel-free options to reduce ventilation and surface infrastructure costs, and protect workers’ health.”
Battery power also reduces the need to transport diesel fuel in any mine.
Loading power
Joy Global unveiled its brand new 22HD Joy Hybrid Diesel LHD at MINExpo. The latest machine in the company’ s new class of underground hard rock LHD products – which also includes the Joy 18HD – the 22HD features proprietary Joy SR Hybrid Drive technology. This technology was first introduced into the LeTourneau wheel loaders back in the 1990s. That line of machines was subsequently purchased by Joy.
The 18HD and 22HD are the first LHDs in the world equipped with an all-electric, smart driveline. They also feature the new KESS or
70 International Mining | FEBRUARY 2017