MINING UTILITY
Unique utility
Paul Moore finds once again that dedicated underground utility machines have more than caught up with primary mining fleets in terms of technology , productivity and safety
Mining utility equipment includes a vast range of machines from scalers to shotcrete sprayers , scissor lifts to man carriers , explosives chargers and water cannons . But mining utility is no longer just an afterthought or a workhorse fleet bought to be run into the ground . These machines are getting cleaner , more advanced and more productive but perhaps most importantly , safer , as they play a crucial role in the safety of today ’ s mines . Mine operators and contractors are less willing to take chances with just adapting general construction machines to these tasks , they want dedicated and specific machines . And it is no longer the mines in the developed world and the tier 1 mines wanting them – from China to central Africa miners are investing in modern , dedicated utility machines for mining . And in the OEM market , new players are emerging as a result , while there has been some consolidation among existing big names .
Getman continues its charge forward
Global player Getman , based in Bangor , Michigan has long been at the forefont of innovation in dedicated mining utility vehicles , exemplified by new product development for 2021 across three major product areas of water cannons , emulsion chargers and concrete sprayers .
First up , its new Getman HD Water Cannons evolved as a custom solution to a critical challenge . “ Designed specifically to address the dangerous task of clearing drawpoints , water cannons create a safer environment for miners , improve mine efficiency and keep operations up and running .”
The water cannon is a drawpoint workhorse in a block cave mine , with a specific job to do . Critical components are built to safely break
away , ensuring that damage to high-risk parts can easily and quickly be replaced . Getman says its HD Water Cannons can clear blockages within hours instead of days , increase first pass success rates , and minimise personnel risk .
The machine has a high pressure , high volume discharge pump with 6,800 l tank with spray capacity of 750 gal / minute and positioned to allow for remote fill . It also has a 6 m remote boom with an industry-leading range of motion designed to maximise stream integrity and velocity .
It has a low profile for easy accessibility and a tight turning radius for smaller spaces .
Getman Product Manager Christopher Warner told IM : “ There are three operation possibilities – line of sight with operator-guided remote control , directing the vehicle and boom visually . Control distance is up to 60 m , but varies based upon conditions .
The new Getman A64 HD Water Cannon at a mining customer site in Indonesia
Then in tele-remote mode , the machine and monitor cameras on the tele-remote station are active for full control beyond line-of-sight . If a wireless network system is not available , a wireless kit contains a signal amplifier , antenna , and associated hardware to provide tele-remote operation .”
In this mode the operator has access to give different camera views – nozzle head , cab forward facing , rear-centre , rear-driver ’ s side and rear-cab .
Moving on to rock reinforcement and shotcreting , Getman ’ s new ProShot™ concrete sprayer is designed to apply a consistent , quality layer of sprayed concrete in all mines and medium sized tunnels . The ProShot spray boom is purpose designed to position parallel to the spray surface for the most effective coverage with minimal rebound . Coverage is enhanced when spraying around corners and under brows .”
The ProShot Concrete Sprayer features an accelerator dosing system that automatically synchronises to the concrete pump output without requiring further operator input . “ The unit ’ s design advances reflect Getman ’ s 65 years of service to the mining industry .
ProShot meets the challenge of maintaining a balance between a manoeuvrable chassis size and a layout that facilitates safe and easy daily maintenance .” Last but not least are the new ProCharge MAXX 4000 & 3000 integrated explosive emulsion chargers . They can be used for full ring loading & benching ( production ) using loading from a basket using Getman ' s Hose Handling System ( HHS ), and for lateral or face loading for
Two of Getman ’ s latest utility offerings – the ProShot concrete sprayer and ProCharge MAXX 4000 integrated emulsion charger
32 International Mining | MARCH 2021