WORLD PROSPECTS
Sandvik opens Turku electric mine hub
andvik in mid-June officially opened the
doors of the Battery Electrification
Innovation and Development Centre for
loaders and trucks in Turku, Finland. This is a
state-of-the art development facility that will
create innovative battery products and electric
solutions for the global mining and construction
markets and develop technology talent in
Finland.
“Innovation and development start here”, says
Mats Eriksson, President, Product Area Load &
Haul. “We are bringing together a highly skilled
workforce to drive battery innovation, collaborate
and develop meaningful solutions that will
benefit our company now and well into the
future. In this development centre, we’ve and we
will continue to bring together a team made up of
the best and brightest in battery, hybrid and
electrification
technologies,
advanced
engineering and many other disciplines to help
Sandvik create, develop, produce and support
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the best mining machines in the world. Our new
innovative battery electric vehicle development
centre will bring leading t alents together from
around the world to help develop the
electrification and e-Drive technologies of
tomorrow.”
The technology centre will allow Sandvik’s
presence in Turku to bolster and it will inject
millions of euros of indirect investment in the
region annually. Across the country, it will have
also an estimated positive economic impact each
year.
Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä,
Sandvik Turku Leaders and also City Officials
joined employees to open the facility of
laboratories and offices that are devoted to the
creation and development of battery electric
vehicle technologies for use in current and future
Sandvik mining and construction products.
“There is no better time to invest in new
technologies. Everyone welcomes Sandvik’s
decision to add the new innovation and
development centre and many new high-tech
operations – it is a real vote of confidence in the
community, and in the talent and expertise of
Sandvik workers.”
Strong technology ecosystem and a network
of globally recognised technology partners
provide a robust talent pipeline for the new
innovation and development centre. The centre
with its close proximity to Sandvik’s major mining
product areas in Finland, gives the company’s
developers the opportunity to collaborate on
projects as part of a diverse team of
professionals. The centre will be used to bolster
Sandvik’s research efforts in core battery
technologies, working closely with universities,
technology institutes and other key players to do
so.
“Sandvik has a long history of pursuing
innovation and we are excited to be bringing that
same passion and technology leadership to
battery technology and electrification initiatives.
We are already a leader in diesel and electric
vehicles for underground mining operations,”
said Mats Eriksson.
Sandvik has a long-standing history of
supplying innovative products to the mining and
construction markets and developing solutions
together with customers. “We are now expanding
our current electric loader offering to include
battery technology through close co-operation
with our customers.”
In addition to continuously modernising and
improving Sandvik products and operations, the
battery electric vehicle team works on
technologies that include analytics, systems
analysis, sensors, materials and processes, and
product standards.
“Today’s announcement is a great example of
how by working together, we can continue to
position Sandvik as a global leader in research
and technology. This facility will be key to solving
the battery electric vehicles challenges of
tomorrow while making future opportunities and
solutions available to our customers”, concluded
Eriksson. www.rocktechnology.sandvik
Optimising production drill rigs
innovare has officially launched its new
Production Optimiser system for the
underground metalliferous mine market.
“The revolutionary new system, suitable for
installation on all production rig makes & models,
substantially reduces blast hole drilling deviation –
which in turn reduces average dilution and downtime
(including reduced secondary drill and blasts), whilst
improving overall fragmentation and ore recovery.”
The system’s hardware engages with
Minnovare’s new online client interface, Minnovare
CORE, which utilises digital drill plans and plods
that sync seamlessly with existing mine-planning
software to deliver unparalleled drill-data capture
and analysis capability. The net result the company
says is a significant improvement in drill & blast
efficiency, productivity and responsiveness –
throughout the entire operation.
Based in Perth, Western Australia, Minnovare is
an advanced technology company that specialises
in improving the accuracy, reliability and economic
efficiency of drilling operations in both mining and
civil construction projects, worldwide. “Through
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advanced drill rig-alignment technology and data-
capture analytics software, Minnovare enables its
clients to drill faster, cheaper and more accurately
then ever before.”
Having focused on exploration drilling to date,
the move into the mining production sector
represents an exciting new direction for the
business – one it believes that has the potential to
reshape the industry. Minnovare Commercial
Director, Mick Beilby: “We’ve had a lot of success in
the exploration drilling side of the market to date –
applying our technology to deliver optimum results
for drilling contractors and end clients alike. We’ve
now extended that same core vision into the
development of a new production drilling product
suite that is a world first for the mining sector.”
He adds: “The initial trials of which have seen
our clients reduce their average blast hole deviation
by up to 60%, which has in turn delivered an
estimated reduction in dilution of up to 30%. At the
same time the client benefits from an increase in
overall meters drilled, improved fragmentation and
ore recovery. The downstream impact of which on
Marcotte at core of BEV revolution
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4 International Mining | JULY 2018
experience with AC drive systems for haul trucks –
with over 1,000 in operation worldwide, along with
a global service and support structure in place.
“Our batteries are made from Lithium Titanate
which are reliable, good for use in cold climates,
have non-flammable electrolytes, are fast charging
(10-15 minutes depending on site infrastructure)
and have a long life cycle (approx 20,000 life
arcotte’s new battery electric vehicle (BEV)
technology was designed in partnership
with Siemens. Siemens has extensive
minerals processing and logistical costs, as well as
overall downtime, is significant for your average
mine site – potentially equating to millions of
dollars every year.”
Initial on-site testing of the Production Optimiser
system was conducted over a six-month period at
two prominent underground gold mines in
Australia. Minnovare’s Managing Director, Callum
McCracken: “The input and overall engagement of
our clients throughout the R&D process has been
fundamental to the systems’ ongoing development
and final readiness. We’re extremely thankful for
their input and support, and we’re all very pleased
with the results.” www.minnovare.com