NARROW VEIN AND LOW PROF ILE MINING
Territory Manager for Zimbabwe, an important milestone was achieved in early 2024 – with a fully automated loop that includes an underground crusher.
“ The years leading up to this point saw a great deal of R & D work from our Finland factory, especially regarding the traffic management system,” Chitenderu says.“ This complex system manages five of our TH545i trucks, to which another five may still be added.”
Among the factors to consider is that the mine runs mainly manual trackless equipment, which must interact with the automated units. The process required constant collaboration between the customer and various expert teams from Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions.
“ The success of these trials makes this intervention the first automated trucking loop in a low-profile, room-and-pillar environment,” Chitenderu says.“ The next step in this phased automation approach will be to have a matching loader, and then go through the various stages of automation for the drills.”
The customer was not named but Zimplats, in its 2024 annual report, stated:“ Mine automation has been introduced at Mupani mine commencing with dump truck automation following a successful trial with full roll-out commencing in FY2024.” Mupani has an underground crusher with the platinum ore then conveyed to surface. In its 2023 annual report, Zimplats said five autonomous dump trucks were used at Mupani mine in FY2023 adding that installation of an LTE network for both underground and surface was completed successfully.
Mine Master’ s market commitment
Mine Master says its extended range of low- narrow-vein mining equipment profile and demonstrates the company’ s commitment to innovation n and operational excellence.
Over the years it has progressively integrated advanced automation, battery technology and versatile machine configurations into its platforms, ensuring it leads the way in enhancing safety, productivity and efficiency in this sector.
Its offering for efficient development and roof support in low-profile and narrow-vein environments includes drill rigs, roof bolters and auxiliary machines.
The FLP1410 drill rig and Roof Master 1.4 bolter are crafted for operational efficiency in sections
The Roof Master 1.7KA, designed in co-operation with J. H. Fletcher, includes an automatic drilling mast for effective bolting
as low as 1.6 m. These machines provide superior drilling coverage and performance while ensuring high safety standards, operator or comfort and ease of maintenance, according to the company
.“ The FLP1410, in particular, is engineered for rugged mine environments and is the only super- low-profile model on the market featuring an Automatic Drilling System( ADS),” Mine Master says.“ This state-of-the-art system stem enhances operational efficiency by enabling autonomous drilling during shift changes, allowing continuous operation.”
Low pr ofile, big impact
Paus has a broad product range of machines for narrow-vein applications that are built with the latest technology equipped to withstand the testing underground mining and tunneling environment.
The latest product in this series is a scaler, the Paus PScale 10-T LP, which is designed for tight spaces. The PScale 10-T LP is based on other Paus scalers like the Paus PScale 8-T and Paus PScale 10-T. All scalers have a 20 degree tiltable cabin, while the hydrostatic drive facilitates fast and r eliable working location changes.
“ The PAUS PScale is a compact, robust and powerful solution for underground mining operations, designed for working heights up to 10 m,” the company says.“ Substantial safety features complete the performance spectrum of the PScale.”
The Paus PScale 10-T LP comes with various changes to the machine design of Paus scalers but is just as compact and powerful. At just 1.9 m height, the PScale 10-T LP navigates through low-profile galleries with ease, with a cabin located to the side of the machine. Its unique construction, coupled with cooling systems and a robust motor concept, ensures optimal performance in difficult conditions – making it perfect for
low clearance paths, the company added.
The PScale’ s elevating cabin can be raised up to 500 mm, providing adaptability to any situation, improved visibility and comfort. The latter is further aided by a climate-controlled and vibration-dampened cabin with
two Joysticks for manoeuvring the PScale 10-T LP. Plus, with a remote
The PScale 10-T LP is based on other Paus scalers like the Paus PScale
8-T and Paus PScale
10-T
control, operators can work fr om a safe distance or vantage point, enhancing efficiency
, security and safety
. Added to this is the scaler’ s 10-m reach and a manipulator capable of multi-axis rotation and tilt. Even with this long reach, stability is ensured with four sustainers. Accessibility and maintenance are also top priorities for the PScale 10-T LP
, with a hinged radiator providing quick access to vital components. The first PScale will be delivered to a salt mine in Germany at the end of May. Other machines from Paus suitable for use in narrow-vein mining include the Uni 40, MinCa 5.1, PMK 10, PFL 8, PFL 10 and TSL 853.
60 International Mining | APRIL 2025