MINING TRUCKS
limitations on battery charge rates . An alternative pathway builds off the battery electric technology but replaces the dynamic or fast charging technology with the less energy efficient hydrogen cycle ( electrolysis and fuel cells ).” – this is a reference to potential use of FCEV hybrids .
Fortescue Metals Group recently announced an agreement with Williams Advanced Engineering ( WAE ) to design , build , test and integrate a battery system to power an electric mining haul truck , as an important first step to decarbonising its mining haul fleet . The project includes the design and construction of a bespoke battery-electric powertrain with the ability to regenerate power as the truck travels downhill . The battery will be built at WAE ’ s facility in the United Kingdom , before being shipped to Perth for integration into a 240 t prototype haul truck for performance testing at Fortescue ’ s mining operations in the Pilbara of Western Australia . To support the full implementation of a battery-electric haulage fleet , the project will also involve the development of a fast charging unit which will harness renewable energy from Fortescue ’ s Pilbara Energy Connect network . Incidentally , phase two of the FMG 240 t future mining truck project will consider hydrogen fuelled FCEV designs . The drivetrains will have the capacity to regenerate power on downhill haulage .
The most proven platform for rigid trucks remains the eMining 65 t eDumper . Lithium System AG took over 100 % of the shares in eMining AG from Kuhn Schweiz AG at the beginning of 2021 . eMining AG was founded in
2017 to build the world ’ s largest , batterypowered dump truck , the so-called eDumper , with a total weight of 123 t and a 65 t payload . Lithium System AG emerged from Lithium Storage GmbH which was a joint shareholder in eMining AG with Kuhn Schweiz and also the supplier of the batteries for the truck . Since it was commissioned at a Ciments Vigier SA limestone quarry , near Biel-Bienne , in Switzerland , the eDumper , a Komatsu HD605-7 conversion with 700 kW NMC lithium battery power , has been in daily use and saves 50,000 litres of diesel thanks to its electric power per year . Since the descent is always loaded , more
New concepts – Loadpro
Australia ’ s Loadpro has been testing the 65 t class X60 Loadpro mining truck since early 2020 and says the new design trucks have performed better than expectation . On short pit hauls with grades off 12 % operating alongside 55 t off highway trucks the X60 hauled 3,055 t compared to the OHT figure of 2,500 t in a nine hour shift using 16.7 % less fuel with 22 % more production . Similar efficiency was seen in short downhill loaded applications which the company says was very encouraging . On medium and long hauls it adds that the efficiency will increase . The first fleet of nine X60 Loadpros were recently delivered to major mining contractor PT Madhani Talatah Nusantara in Indonesia and are operating in coal hauling applications on Kalimantan in medium to long hauls from pit to stockpile and from pit to port . Loadpro says the trucks have excelled in what they were designed for in delivering lower cost haulage . The overall flexibility of the truck is key in that it is suitable for short hauls right up to extended pit hauls up to 30 km . It can be dissembled and reassembled in 40 hours and can be used as a water tank up to 56,000 litres . It is equally capable of handling steep gradients and soft and slippery conditions . It also has a highly efficient powertrain with a low fuel burn plus tri braking system with large cooling capacity . The X60 offers one truck for many haul applications reducing spare parts storage needs .
Truck bodies – SSAB strength in Schlam Hercules HX
When Schlam introduced Hardox ® wear plate in its Hercules dump bodies in 2016 , joining the SSAB ’ s member program Hardox ® In My Body was a natural next step . Hardox ® is a well-known brand in Australia for abrasion-resistant steel . The program adds even more value for Schlam ’ s customers . Supported by SSAB ’ s team of wear expert and design specialists , Schlam developed an optimised designe to make the best possible use of Hardox ® 500 Tuf . The Hercules HX body for mine dump trucks made in Hardox ® wear plate is lighter and stronger than competitor bodies . In fact , it has a 10 to 20 % higher load capacity . This number has been independently verified in actual mining scenarios . When returning unloaded , the lower tare weight also saves on fuel and tyre wear . A 20 % longer service life is another figure with a positive effect on the bottom line . Depending on the load ’ s abrasiveness , the dump body may even last 50 % longer or more by using Hardox ® 450 and Hardox ® 500 Tuf instead of any conventional AR steel .
Nine 65 t class Loadpro X60 trucks are now hauling coal in Kalimantan , Indonesia for contractor PT Madhani Talatah Nusantara electrical energy is generated than is required for the ascent . As a by-product , CO 2-free electricity is generated . eMining had previously IM that it was working on a 110 ton ( 100 t ) class eDumper and Lithium System CEO Roger Miauton confirmed that it is currently evaluating the 100 t truck chassis and is also set to produce more of the 65 t version .
And autonomy …
As stated , AHS is moving far beyond a few early adopters , mainly due to a number of years of proven success and the rise of the retrofit market together with pressure on available operators in remote mining regions .
Starting in the oil sands in Alberta , Imperial Oil was the first operation globally to automate Caterpillar 797F 363 t ultraclass trucks , beginning with one truck in June 2018 , then reached seven by the end of that year , and now says it has reached 22 and was aiming to have retrofitted 25 797F units by end-2020 . It has also transitioned from using the autonomous trucks for waste haulage to actual oil sands haulage including dumping into the crusher . By 2023 it is committed to automating the whole Kearl fleet which could be as many as 75 to 80 trucks .
Working with Komatsu dealer SMS Equipment , Suncor has rapidly rolled out its autonomous haulage program across its sites – the Fort Hills fleet of 980Es is now all autonomous . Millennium will have the largest fleet of 85 autonomous trucks running by 2023 ( 930E and 980E ) while North Steepbank was the first and saw its fleet of 18 trucks ( mainly 930E ) switch to AHS in 2018 .
At Teck ’ s Highland Valley Copper , the company expects that 35 of its 52 Caterpillar 793F trucks will be autonomous by the end of the year after
60 International Mining | MAY 2021