UNDERGROUND LOAD AND HAUL
The Paus PFL 20 is a favourite for working with
a remote control system; innovative and well
proven with easy handling
give more power and to increase dumping. That
means for users easier handling, time saving and
better operating efficiency. Always an aim is to
optimise the sight aspects in underground
mining in general. The design team of Paus
reduced the rear part and optimised the motor-
block to be more compact so that the driver’s cab
is high enough for a better sight backwards.”
As flameproof machines under the EU ATEX
regulations, the engine temperature is supposed
to be no higher than 150°C. “That means Paus
needed to implement a contrived cooling
system.” A five-step cooling system now ensures
proper temperature control. The exhaust gas is
cooled through the in- and outside of the lines.
“On request this awesome cooling system is even
able to cool to an exhaust gas temperature of 70
°C only. Additional flame arrestors placed at the
exhaust gas and air intake lines guarantee for
even more safety as well as the capsuled electric
parts.”
A further gas issue is mine gas (methane,
hydrogen gas) in shafts. “Getting a warning and
still having enough time to get out in safety is not
rarely a question of time. Intelligent sensors are
installed into the driver’s cab to send out a signal
as soon as gas will be detected.”
But there are also further aspects which
influence the health of underground workers in
an extensive way; a huge dust exposure, the
permanent rocking motions of the vehicles while
driving and last but not least the continuous
noise pollution. “Dust is not easy to handle,
there will be always a vibration or shaking while
working with vehicles and of course underground
will always be a place where machines will sound
louder as an average. The only way of protection
would be an automation of machines and the
driver will control the operational work from a
distance. The Paus loader range is constructed
46 International Mining | JUNE 2017
and contains tools for installing remote controls.”
In addition to the successful loaders Paus has
developed a dumper series with some special
features.
As mentioned before, roadways can be very
tight and in most of the vehicles the driver sits
sideways to be able to look in both directions,
“of course because you are going out the same
way you came in.
“But after a while the driver has to fight
against losing concentration and neck/shoulder
problems and the safety aspect for a better sight
is affected. As solution and help to ease these
r equirements, Paus builds and offers the dumper
with only bi-direction driver’s cabs for best sight
to both directions.”
Additionally these trucks are available as a
concrete mixer or with an integrated pusher so
that loaded material can be fully ejected at the
rear in case of low ceiling heights.
“Challenges in loading and hauling are the
motor to keep engineers being innovative and to
motivate teams at Paus for offering efficient
solutions.”
Low profile specials
Sandvik’s wide offering covers underground
loaders and haul trucks for mass mining, low
profile and narrow vein applications. The Sandvik
LH208L, for example, is a 7.7 t capacity LHD built
for operation in low-profile room-and-pillar mines
and extra-low-profile reef mines. It operates in 1.7
m seam heights for low profile applications in
platinum, chrome and potash mines.
Sandvik has a large installed base operating in
South Africa and well established customers who
operate large fleets. There are also have
installations in Russia and Brazil.
The LH208L has the Sandvik boom geometry
that results in more powerful break-out force,
allowing for easier loading and higher bucket fill
factors. This also assists loading when on a
gradient “and this machine is significantly more
powerful than its competition. It is also robust
and easy to maintain,” Sandvik reports.
“To make the Sandvik LH208L even more safe
and productive a number of upgrades have been
made.”
The Sandvik OptiMine ® Data Collection Unit is
standard, collecting data from the machine on
operating hours, temperatures, pressures and
speeds. The customer can also upgrade the
system to Sandvik OptiMine Monitoring and
Reporting as an option in order to get access to
automatic reports that present this data that is
collected in a form that assists the mine to gain
visibility over what the machine is doing. This
allows the mine to use this data to improve
productivity and make key decisions on a shift by
shift basis regarding maintenance of the unit.
A fully integrated weighing system will soon
be available as an option that measures the
weight of ore in the bucket and the number of
buckets completed by the operator. This
measurement is also logged as part of the
OptiMine Data Collection Unit and used in the
productivity reports.
Customers can also choose to have an
interface installed on the machine that allows
them to connect a third party Proximity Detection
System (PDS Interface). This allows an active PDS
where the machine speed is reduced when a
person is detected within the warning zone and
then to bring the machine to a safe state when a
person is detected in the stop zone. This helps to
prevent collision accidents between the
equipment and pedestrians in the mine. Added