HIGH PROFILE
Over various mining scenarios , truck numbers and production figures may change , but with the addition of the FMSL , the productivity uplift always remains impressive
A surge in mining benefits
Chris Pearson , MMD Group Business Development Director , talks about the potential on the ground benefits of the innovative Fully Mobile Surge Loader in terms of productivity and fleet versatility
Alot has been said about the ability of MMD ’ s Fully Mobile Surge Loader ( FMSL ) to load trucks faster and create greater availability for the shovel . But how does this translate into a worthwhile investment for an existing mine ? With data provided by over 60 mining operations , MMD has performed an indepth analysis to discover what introducing a FMSL into an existing system could achieve . A range of simulations have been outlined using industry-leading software , and can be applied to individual mining circumstances . In each simulation , inputs other than the truck numbers remain the same to ensure a fair comparison . The simulations focus on three scenarios : 1 . The effect on production by adding a FMSL to the existing truck fleet .
2 . The truck numbers required to match the existing production figures after introducing a FMSL .
3 . The number of trucks required alongside the FMSL to achieve maximum production . The attached Table 1 ( right ) shows the simulation results from a real mining operation .
FMSL versus conventional mining – simulation comparison
In this example , each simulation saw the FMSL integrated to positive effect . It is the mine operator ’ s choice to decide which method is best suited to their application and its future . Simulation 1 shows there was a 26.4 % increase in productivity by combining a FMSL with the existing truck fleet . This is a conservative example , with some mine-specific simulations reaching a 40 % increase . Adding a FMSL to the existing truck fleet is best suited when no more trucks are available , but the system requires an increase in production .
A mine may choose to maintain current production rates but save on operating costs . Simulation 2 demonstrates that adding an FMSL into the example system provides the option to remove three trucks whilst still offering an increase in production by 4.2 %.
Simulation 3 demostrates that by adding six more trucks into the FMSL system there was a production increase of 65.7 %. This is due to reduced spotting times , better fill rates , and the surge capacity of the FMSL . This option is best suited when a larger production increase is required and more trucks are available .
Over various mining scenarios , the truck numbers and production figures may change , but with the addition of the FMSL , the productivity uplift always remains impressive .
FMSL as an enabler
Traditionally trucks and shovels are pass-matched for size . Generally , as the shovel bucket gets bigger , the trucks get bigger to accommodate . Bigger has been considered better when it comes to truck size in open pit mining . This is because the larger payloads of the ultra-class sized trucks offset the increase in fuel consumption . However , there are a host of complications that arise from solely utilising ultra-class size trucks , which often leads to mines deploying a mixed fleet of trucks . This in turn brings headaches for mine planners who must ensure the compatibility of trucks and shovels as the mine develops . The FMSL removes
Table 1 : Simulation comparisons Base Case versus FMSL |
Simulation 1 |
|
Productivity m 3
|
No . of Trucks |
Truck Saving Productivity Increase % |
Base Case |
7,564,138.99 |
14 |
0 |
FMSL System |
9,563,238.11 |
14 |
0 |
26 % |
Simulation 2 |
|
Productivity m 3
|
No . of Trucks |
Truck Saving Productivity Increase % |
Base Case |
7,564,138.99 |
14 |
0 |
FMSL System |
7,881.880.40 |
11 |
3 |
4 % |
Simulation 3 |
|
Productivity m 3
|
No . of Trucks |
Truck Saving Productivity Increase % |
Base Case |
7,564,138.99 |
14 |
0 |
FMSL System |
12,534,784.40 |
20 |
0 |
66 % |
The FMSL is fully compatible with driverless trucks and fits comfortably within an automated system
10 International Mining | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021