UNDERGROUND LOAD & HAUL
The new truck operator cabin uses the same design as the cabin of Sandvik ’ s Toro™ TH663i underground truck , with the cabin offering premium operator ergonomics with a significant number of adjustment possibilities to facilitate a comfortable operating environment , the company said . The central oscillation frame design results in stability , and front axle suspension , ensuring a smooth ride on rough roads . The cabin is equipped with joystick steering , large touchscreen colour display and the newest control system , providing easy access to equipment data .
First underground BEV fleet for India
In major customer deals , Sandvik and Hindustan Zinc have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for supply of a battery-electric underground equipment fleet to be used at Sindesar Khurd Mine to help it achieve its carbon neutrality ambitions . Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the March quarter of 2023 , with the fleet being the first underground battery-electric fleet to be deployed in India .
The equipment to be delivered includes an 18 t payload LH518B loader and three 50 t payload TH550B trucks as well as a DD422iE drill rig with Sandvik ’ s unique and patented ” charging-whiledrilling ” technology , the company said . Sandvik will also provide batteries , charging systems and a full-range on-site battery and equipment service team . The loader and the trucks will be equipped with AutoSwap , Sandvik ’ s patented
Repentigny , Quebec-based DUX Machinery recently shipped three DT-12 underground trucks to a South American client and will also be shipping a DT-22N unit to another client . The DUX DT-Series underground dump trucks are available with standard dump box , ranging in capacity from 5 to 50 t . The 1.83 m wide DT-12 is an articulated 4-wheel drive underground dump truck which is easy to manoeuvre in confined areas and very well suited for narrow vein mining . It offers excellent load retention and fast tramming up steep ramps with the highest power to weight ratio in its class . A spacious operator compartment is ergonomically designed for maximum visibility and bidirectional tramming
battery self-swapping system , capable of battery changeout in a few minutes .
“ Aligned with our expansion strategy for battery-electric vehicles , I ’ m delighted to sign this agreement with Hindustan Zinc to deliver the first battery equipment fleet in India ,” Henrik Ager , President of Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions , said . “ This is a testament to both the pioneering ambitions of Hindustan Zinc and the technological maturity of Sandvik BEV products .”
The TH550B truck and LH518B loader are based on the Artisan™ technology , which Sandvik acquired in 2019 , and enriched with the latest Sandvik mining technology , contributing to overall productivity improvements of up to 20 %, the OEM said . The machines will be equipped with state-of-the-art battery telemetry solutions enabling automated , on-premise as well as
Cat ® Bolt-together Buckets for Underground Mining Loaders
Designed specifically to reduce time and costs associated with transportation , assembly and rework procedures for underground mining , the new Caterpillar bolt-together bucket is a solution to lower repair costs , reduce machine down time and increase machine productivity . The Cat Bolt-together bucket has the same strength and toughness expected of any Cat Standard bucket but requires no skilled operators for underground welding , resulting in less of a safety risk and better ventilation . It is a multi-component bucket for ease of transportation and assembly offering less frequency of bucket replacement due to higher wearing main consumables eg edges and shrouds . The optimised bucket design and strong bucket materials provide higher durability and less service . It is designed for the demanding underground environment and abrasive materials to be moved . Improved thickness of bucket design provides better strength and a more rigid bucket assembly to aid in easier edge installation and removal . In detail , there is higher grade material ( 400BHN ) for the bucket assembly components and higher grade wear protection Ground Engaging Tools ( GET ) on the removable shroud assembly . This bucket provides more edge replacement cycles before the need for bucket assembly repair . Improved wear life also leads to better cost saving and productivity . The bucket design also takes bucket weight into consideration , targeting a stronger bucket and balanced weight for better overall machine performance . The buckets are of modular design and can be assembled quicker . Multiple Cat GET and attachments are available with this bucket : Three Edge Options ( Bolt-on Half Arrow [ BOHA ],
Modular Weld-on [ MWO ], Durilock [ Three Segment Options ], shroud segments , rock guard , resulting in reduced downtime and accelerated repair . Caterpillar says it and its Cat dealers offer one stop shop which means less accounts . All these GET and attachments are also of modular design so are easy and quick to install and remove . The Cat branded buckets are built in the same factory as its machines and go through the same strict quality controls . They “ best suit the Cat machine balance and support better machine performance in penetrating and loading , supporting high breakout forces .” The Cat bolt-together buckets are currently available for the Cat R1600H , R1700G , R1700 and R1700 XE loaders .
32 International Mining | JUNE 2022