UNDERGROUND LOAD & HAUL
Cat to unveil R1700 XE LHD & MEC500 Mobile Equipment Charger
Underground mining continues to be an early adopter of sustainable mobile equipment solutions . The new Cat ® R1700 XE LHD , with its 15 t payload and 24,190 kg lift and tilt breakout , features a battery electric design that Caterpillar says delivers superior productivity in underground applications with the benefits of no engine heat or exhaust emissions . It offers an 18 km / h top speed . The new Cat LHD offers 100 % battery electric propulsion , which generates significantly less heat . An Autodig function optimises loading and traction control to extend tyre life . Liquid cooling allows the batteries to be cooled while the machine is put back in operation , increasing machine uptime availability . To maximise runtime , batteries stay on the machine . Using the portable Cat ® MEC500 Mobile Equipment Charger , the R1700XE can be fully charged in less than 30 minutes using a single charger or in less than 20 minutes using two chargers . “ There is a need for a clean and safe working environment underground , which currently requires installation and maintenance of complex and expensive ventilation systems for clearing exhaust emissions . With less emissions from the machines like the new Cat R1700XE , mines can reduce the dependency on these ventilation systems . The new R1700XE LHD and MEC500 charger are a key part of the vision to an all-electric mine .” The R1700XE is the first battery powered / zero emissions equipment for the underground hard rock mining LHD product line . It offers remote control operation capability . MINExpo 2021 attendees will get a first look at the R1700XE this September in the Caterpillar Central Hall exhibit 6229 at the Las Vegas Convention Center . Targeted commercial availability for the R1700XE is Q4 2021 with deliveries in early 2022 . Looking in more depth at the MEC 500 ( Mobile Equipment Charger ) for the R1700 XE - a first of its kind in the industry , the new Cat ® MEC500 Mobile Equipment Charger is designed to charge quickly and safely wherever it is needed . Unlike static charging stations , the 1,600 kg portable charger can be moved to where it is needed via towing , fork truck , or the R1700XE . It eliminates the need for regular battery handling and swapping , allowing for more efficient charging and production . Its 500 kW capability delivers an impressive range of 300-1,000 V and up to 700 Amps . The adjustable output can be used to trickle charge or quickly charge the R1700XE – this fast charger can be used as a single unit to deliver a full charge to the R1700XE in less than 30 minutes or in parallel to charge the LHD in less than 20 minutes . The charger is built rugged meeting ISO2867 rockfall protection and IP66 rating for water and dust protection . Key components are isolation mounted against vibration or seismic activity . It is sealed against humidity with enclosed air conditioning . The MEC500 Mobile Equipment Charger will also be on display at MINExpo .
The MEC500 Mobile Equipment Charger ' s adjustable output can be used to trickle charge or quickly charge the R1700XE – this fast charger can be used as a single unit to deliver a full charge to the R1700XE in less than 30 minutes or in parallel to charge the LHD in less than 20 minutes
payload capacity underground truck in the world . It has now presented a summary of recent improvements “ that have made the truck even better and further improves the value for the customer . The new engine dramatically lowers emissions , enabling more sustainable operations . Our latest engine technology meets Tier 4 Final / Stage V requirements and is certified to comply with the North American standards CANMET ( Canada ) and MSHA ( USA ). NOx has been reduced by 45 %, and diesel particle matters have been lowered by 80 % compared to a Tier 2 engine . Lower emissions improve the working environment and reduce the need for ventilation , leading in turn to lower operation costs and a smaller environmental footprint .”
NEXGEN SIMS
Moving back into the battery electric arena and the highly successful SIMS program has been replaced by NEXGEN SIMS which is being led by Epiroc and started up officially on May 1 , 2021 . It builds on the successful EU-sponsored H2020 SIMS project , also coordinated by Epiroc , which ran between 2017 and 2020 . SIMS played an
important role in advancing sustainable mining operations , partly through the use of batteryelectric machines .
The new three-year project , called NEXGEN SIMS , will support new technologies , methods and processes that will enable a more sustainable and efficient carbon-neutral mining operation . It stands for Next Generation Carbon Neutral Pilots for Smart Intelligent Mining Systems and will run until April 30 , 2024 . The total budget for the project is € 16 million .
A key aspect of the project is to develop autonomous carbon-neutral mining processes . This includes the use of battery-electric mining equipment , full utilisation of 5G for optimal connectivity and positioning , autonomous material handling , AI-powered traffic and fleet control , and collaboration among machines . Epiroc machines that will be part of the project include the Scooptram ST14 Battery loader and the Minetruck MT42 Battery hauler , among others . The project is also focusing on the mine worker of the future - ‘ the modern miner ’ – including safety , for example by developing autonomous mine inspection technology .
The project is being coordinated by Epiroc , and the other project partners consist of mining companies Boliden , Agnico Eagle Finland , KGHM Polska , K + S and OZ Minerals ; services and system suppliers Ericsson , Mobilaris MCE , AFRY and KGHM Cuprum ; and universities Luleå University of Technology and RWTH Aachen University – all based in Europe , except for OZ Minerals which is based in Australia .
“ Collaboration and partnership among stakeholders that have different areas of expertise is increasingly important to successfully advance complex digital and automated systems that will improve the mining industry ’ s environmental impact , work environment and productivity ,” says Helena Hedblom , Epiroc ’ s President and CEO . “ We are proud to be part of and to lead the NEXGEN SIMS project , which will play a crucial role in this positive development .”
Epiroc ’ s future mining journey with customers
Chile ’ s Pucobre and India ’ s Hindustan Zinc represent great examples of how closely the big OEMs are working with customers on the application of the latest underground primary fleet technologies .
In 2017 , Chilean selective underground miner Pucobre , which runs three mines , all within a 20 kilometre radius of the city of Copiapó , signed a contract with Epiroc to replace its entire fleet of trucks with 20 Minetruck MT65 trucks and six Scooptram 18 loaders . Faced with falling ore grades and fluctuating copper prices , the company needed to increase production and cut costs .
22 International Mining | JUNE 2021