UNDERGROUND RAIL
XEG (XEMC) electric 65 t loco at Pulang mine of
Yunnan Copper, a system automated with
signal tech from Beijing Soly
with NFCA Mining for the Chambishi Main and
West Ore Body 500 m unmanned electric
locomotive transportation project in Zambia. This
was the first time Chinese unmanned electric
locomotive control technology was put into
practice in an overseas project. As such, China
ENFI said it would “rely on its core specialised
techniques to provide assistance for advancing
quality and efficiency, boost supply side structural
reform, further strengthen its leadership in the
industry and improve its international reputation
and brand value.”
More recent project examples include in late
2017 when a 2,520 m horizontal electric
locomotive unmanned transformation project at
Jiugang Jingtieshan mine in the Huashugou area
under the general contracting construction of MCC
North was completed successfully. In 2018 China
ENFI and Tongling Nonferrous signed another
general contract for a 1,000 m unmanned electric
locomotive transportation project for a deep
haulage application at account Dongguashan
Copper, part of an expansion project where
remotely controlled multiple trains of dualmachine
traction with 20 t electric locomotives will
move 10,000 t/d and 3.3 Mt/y, overcoming high
ground pressure, high temperature, and high
humidity. Finally, in 2019 an automated electric
locomotive completed a run on a nearly 6 km
transportation line at Yunnan Gold Mining
Company’s Red Bull copper mine located at 4,047
m above sea level. Only two people can remotely
operate four trains and eight electric locomotives.
Beijing Soly in 2016 won the bidding for the
EPC contract for a driverless rail haulage system at
Yunnan Copper’s Pulang (sometimes written
Pulong) mine, which was commissioned just over
a year later. Notable elements include the 20 m³
wagons which are some of the largest volume
wagons in underground rail haulage in the world
and saw the bottom-dump unloading method is
used in China for the first time. Interestingly the
wagons were supplied by South Africa’s Galison
including 40 underground wagons and two tipping
stations. The tipping solution is able to discharge
about 200,000 t/mth of rock, with a single train
load of 400 t being discharged in an
average of two minutes, significantly
surpassing the local industry average of
30 minutes. The system uses an XEG 65 t
electric locomotive from XEMC, itself one
of the biggest tonnage locomotives in
underground rail. The automation level
has the whole process is fully
automatically operated, other than the
remote controlled loading process. Since
then, Beijing Soly has successfully signed
and implemented driverless rail haulages
system at Xigou Mining Co Ltd of Jiugang Group
and the Zhongguan Iron Mine of Hebei Iron &
Steel Group (HBIS). In 2019 it completed
commissioning of the system on the 3100 level of
Xigou Mining.
Additional Beiing Soly projects include the
driverless underground rail haulage systems in
the Zijinshan Auricupride mine of Zijin Group, the
Huize lead-zinc mine of ChiHong Zn&Ge Co Ltd,
Sanshandao Gold Mine of Shandong Gold Group
and at Tonggang Banshi Mining Company. Within
its parent company Shougang Group projects
include a system at the already mentioned huge
new 22 Mt/y Macheng iron mine of Shougang
Group plus two systems at Xingshan iron mine, a
remote-controlled system at -180 m level and an
automated system at -330 m level.
Elsewhere, China Nerin announced in June 2019
that it had successfully commissioned an
unmanned electric locomotive haulage project in
the Ninghua Xingluokeng tungsten mine near
Sanming, Fujian Province. IM
Paus updates KRF 40 track-bound maintenance solution
For track-bound underground transportation, track maintenance is essential. Any blockage of the
transport route due to debris, flooding of the tracks due to blocked dewatering ditches or derailed
mine cars can considerably disrupt operations. The new KRF 40 from Paus can be equipped with a
variety of attachments and the company believes it is the ideal solution for maintenance and
service work in track-bound mining.
The Paus KRF 40 ditch cleaner is especially designed for the removal of fallen gravel/rock on
railway tracks or the cleaning of dewatering ditches along the tracks. It features a swivelling cabin
with attached excavator arm which can additionally be articulated. With this unique design, the
KRF 40 can clear dewatering ditches along the track from mud or any other debris and load it into a
wagon on the track in front of the KRF. The machine is equipped with diesel drive, to enable
independent movement throughout the mine even if contact wires are switched off for
maintenance.
Paus offers various attachments for all kinds of repair and maintenance jobs around the tracks
including buckets in different widths and sizes, track cleaning shovel (can clean the track bed),
hydraulic hammer, ripper tooth, scraper and man basket.
The KRF 40 was already introduced some 15 years ago and numerous units are performing well
in different mines around the globe, including coal mines (flameproofed). Now the machine has
received a complete update including several improvements and an entirely new suspension.
Available track widths are 750 mm and 900 mm.
Given the low height of tracked galleries and especially below contact wires, it is also difficult to
recover derailed wagons. The KRF 40.10 variant is a special crane that can operate in these narrow
conditions and still lift 10 t. Loaded wagons can thus be lifted back onto the tracks quickly and
safely. The KRF 40.10 is also diesel driven and can manoeuvre below contact wires thanks to
relatively small dimensions (max height 1,650 mm, width 1,300 mm). The telescoping crane can lift
10 t, swivel +/- 45° and has a reach of 5.500 mm.
Using the Paus Connect feature, machine operations can be managed and analysed. With the
support of the Paus Diagnosis Display, which indicates maintenance intervals or enables the
operator to simplify
troubleshooting, the
already long service life of
Paus machines can be
further increased. It allows
a quick parameterisation of
the machine to react to
changing operating
conditions. Paus Connect
can inform the pit control
room about the positioning
and productivity of the
machine with appropriate data, for example via LTE
networks.
The new KRF 40 from Paus can be equipped
with a variety of attachments for
underground mining rail maintenance
JUNE 2020 | International Mining 27