IPCC fleets where units are making multiple empty journeys .”
thyssenkrupp – EPCC and IPCC
In case of hard rock metal mines IPCC involves the use of either fully-mobile or semi-mobile inpit crushing and conveying systems . thyssenkrupp makes a further distinction : “ One has to note that there is an important differentiation between the acronyms EPCC and IPCC . With ex-pit crushing and conveying ( EPCC ), the crushers and conveyors are located outside the pit or at the pit rim ; with in-pit crushing and conveying ( IPCC ), they are located inside the pit . The degree to which level of material size you have to crush , the location of the crusher , and the possible mobility or relocations of the crusher come in various permutations . Generally , the flexibility of truck and shovel systems allows the mining system to be adapted to the pit . However , as continuous mining systems are less flexible , the mine design has to be tailored to the requirements of the system – this is especially relevant for fully-mobile mining systems .”
For these reasons , TK says that IPCC mining systems of the future have to decrease operational constraints imposed by the system to achieve as much flexibility as possible . “ It is not the aim to eliminate trucks rather than reducing the number of trucks while they do the short haul in the pit with limited lifts to a semimobile crushing plant or truck unloading station .”
A change of mind in open pit mining worldwide to continuous open pit mining technology not only leads to a reduction in running operating costs , but in particular to potential savings in CO 2 emissions as well . “ In the growing market for raw materials , the combination of newly designed , fully mobile inpit crushing plants with innovative belt conveyor system technology in particular can achieve reductions in CO 2 emissions the size of up to 150,000 t per year and per installed system for raw materials extraction , compared to conventional truck transport .”
TK adds : “ The deposit characteristics of open pit mines in unconsolidated and solid rock also has a substantial impact on transport distances for the extracted raw material or the overburden and is thus also a major factor determining energy use and resulting CO 2 emissions . Flat deposits in unconsolidated rock usually require transport routes over long distances but with little difference in elevation . Ore deposits , in contrast , extend to greater depths , and their extraction therefore requires extreme elevation differences . In this case , the energy required for transportation by truck increases substantially .”
There is also the advantage of optimisation of personnel costs . While discontinuous transport systems are based on a large number of individual transport units like haul trucks , a continuous system minimises the number of operators . “ While in truck transport systems , each vehicle is operated by at least one person , combined with multiple work shifts per day , a continuous system can be operated by fewer personnel during the same time . Innovative control and monitoring systems , as implemented by thyssenkrupp on a large scale , even more optimises the amount of personnel needed for safe and economic operation of the transport system .”
On automation and digitalisation , thyssenkrupp has developed and successfully applied various technologies as a supplement to the product portfolio of which some of them are unique on the market of conveying technology . It highlighted to IM its continuous truck loading automation in the application of in-pit crushing plants , its automatic transfer point alignment system and the use of drones for inspections .
The company also says the efficiency of thyssenkrupp gyratory crushers in primary crushing is second to none . “ thyssenkrupp gyratory crushers represent today ‘ s state-of-theart . With crushing chambers of varying designs , these machines have either a high crushing ratio for preparing raw materials for secondary crushing or a low crushing ratio for reducing overburden for transportation by belt conveyors .