NARROW VEIN & LOW-PROFILE MINING
The Aramine miniLoader L140B is now
operating in mines in Europe, Russia, and even
at high altitudes in South America, Marc
Melkonian says
“Moreover, the mobile changing bench will also
be equipped with a crane, which can be useful
within the mine. The system will be able to be
used as a trailer to move the battery packs from
one place to another, but also move any other
heavy objects.”
Considering the miniLoader L140B has been
successfully deployed across the globe, it is
hardly surprising Aramine is looking to electrify
other machines.
“The next step is to be always more productive,
so our R&D department is currently working on a
new battery-powered mining loader,” Melkonian
said.
The L350B, with an incomparable “size to
capacity” ratio to carry more payload in smaller
gallery sections, will come with a tramming
capacity of 3.5 t and a width of 1.5 m, compared
with 1.4 t and 1.1 m, respectively, for the
miniLoader L140B, he explained.
This will be based on the design for the dieselpowered
L350D, which is already operating in
mines across the globe, with plans to launch the
L350B at the MINExpo event in Las Vegas in
September 2021.
technology with extremely low operating costs
and a robust frame to cater for harsh underground
hard-rock mining conditions, according to the
company.
The SLP-8, meanwhile, boasts a digital platform
that provides operators and shift bosses with
machine analytics potential. It also comes with an
ergonomic operator compartment, GHH said. “The
SLP-8 is the only true 8 t loader in its size class
with excellent performance capabilities at a low
running cost,” the company added.
The 14 t SLP-14H is the highest capacity low
profile LHD in the world, according to the
company. It comes with an ergonomicallydesigned,
air-conditioned, closed operator
compartment, which boasts ample legroom and is
equipped with a swivel seat (+/- 15°) making it
comfortable for the operator to drive in both
directions. The loader is equipped with an
articulated swivel hinge, effectively reducing the
height, and improving performance, while the
hydrostatic drivetrain allows for a further height
reduction due to the removal of conventional
drivetrain components.
The maximum height of the SLP-14H is in line
with the tyre diameter – even the canopy is
positioned lower than the tyres to reduce the
“envelope of rupture”. The loader also has low
maintenance costs per operating hour, GHH says.
Looking towards operating intelligence, the
SLP-14H is fitted with TIMO (tip mode), semiautonomous
bucket filling mode, a bucket shaker
for emptying the bucket in low-profile sections of
the mine, bucket weighing system, camera system
(rear and side) for improved visibility, and digital
analytics. It is also automation ready, GHH says.
“The SLP-14H is a 100% customised loader for
highly productive mines with heights of less than
2,000 mm,” the company said.
GHH’s low-profile loaders have excellent weight
distribution, resulting in better loading
characteristics and increased component and tyre
life, according to the company. Improved torque
helps up-dip loading performance, while the
bucket design configurations ensure improved
loading cycle times and bucket and boom life.
GHH has local production and aftermarket
service support based in Southern African where
the largest global footprint of underground hardrock
low profile mines exists. “This provides not
only for an excellent understanding of the
customer needs – being right on the doorstep of
the relevant mining industry – but also allows for
far quicker deliveries and quick customer
support,” it says.
When it comes to narrow-vein load and haul
applications, GHH’s LF-3 can be used at not only
deep level gold mines but also high-altitude
operations.
The LF-3 is relatively new, only recently entering
the Australia, Turkey, Latin America and, most
recently, Zimbabwe markets. It has proven to be
extremely robust, reliable, and cost effective to
run, the company says.
The soon to be launched LF-7, meanwhile, will
be the largest narrow vein loader within the GHH
portfolio, with 3.6 cu.m bucket, best-in-class
power of 164 kW and an ability to operate at 25%
grade, the company said.
GHH also has a partnership with Overprime, in
Peru, which allows for a further extension of its
narrow-vein offering with the XLH05D and XLH12D,
1 and 2 t narrow-vein loaders, and the XLD30D, a 5
The full scope
The GHH Group has a large, competitive low
profile and narrow-vein offering through its
investments in GHH Fahrzeuge, Mine Master, GHH
Mining Machines and Peru’s Overprime.
This covers applications from load and haul, to
drilling and bolting, to utility vehicles, supporting
both hard-rock and soft-rock mining operations in
both development and production applications
around the world.
The GHH low-profile LHDs – the SLP-5 and SLP-
6 – are built on simple, reliable and proven
One of the more recent pieces of equipment to arrive at Pure Gold Mining’s Madsen gold project in
Red Lake, Ontario, is a 26 t capacity DT-26N articulated dump truck from DUX Machinery. This
underground four-wheel drive truck is well suited for hauling ore, waste and backfill on level and
steep grades, according to DUX. It also has the highest power to weight ratio in its class, the
company said, adding that it permits efficient chute, side and end loading in narrow drifts with low
headings
56 International Mining | JULY/AUGUST 2020