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First Mode to produce 36 nuGen™ systems annually at new Seattle facility
WORLD PROSPECTS

Liebherr introduces R 9300 mining excavator

Liebherr Mining ’ s latest addition to its excavator portfolio – the R 9300 Generation 8

( G8 ) – is now available for purchase . This new machine was first presented to an international audience at the 2022 Bauma exhibition in Munich and will take over from the R
9250 in the 250 t class .
The R 9300 is the second Generation 8 excavator in Liebherr ’ s product range and as such comes with the latest Liebherr Mining technology as standard . This technology provides the machine with improved onsite performance as well as compatibility with Liebherr ’ s Assistance Systems and future product enhancements such as automation , zero emission technologies , and digital services .
As part of the validation phase for the R 9300 ,
Liebherr Mining partnered with its customer PT
Karunia Armada Indonesia ( Karunia ) to establish the capabilities of the excavator on site . Karunia – a mining contractor based in East Kalimantan ,
Indonesia – began operating a pre-series unit of the R 9300 in September 2022 to remove and load overburden into 100 and 130 t trucks at the Tabang coal mine .
Since September 2022 , the R 9300 has averaged 486 operational hours per month and
94 % availability – surpassing Karunia ’ s KPIs for the machine . These results highlight the true potential of the excavator for improving onsite productivity , says Liebherr .
To further demonstrate the capabilities of the R
9300 , a production study of the pre-series excavator at Tabang mine was conducted in March
2023 . During the study , the R 9300 achieved a 26- second average cycle time , helping the excavator reach instantaneous productivity of 1,371 bank cubic metres ( BCM ) per hour ( 3,017 t / h ) – an
impressive result for an excavator in the 250 t class . “ The R 9300 also attained a fuel efficiency ratio of 9.22 BCM per litre of fuel burned . When considered alongside the productivity of the machine , this establishes the next-level efficiency of the R 9300 .”
As a result of Liebherr Mining ’ s commitment to reducing emissions , the R 9300 has been designed to lower fuel consumption , and therefore decrease the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted by the machine . The R 9300 ’ s engine is available in FCO and US EPA Tier 4 / EU Stage V compliant versions ( with SCR after-treatment technology ) to adhere to strict international emissions standards .
Liebherr Power Efficiency ( LPE ) – a proprietary engine and hydraulics management system that helps to decrease the amount of fuel a machine consumes while maintaining optimal productivity and performance – comes as standard in the R
9300 . With this system , the R 9300 reduces fuel consumption by 15 % when compared to its predecessor , the R 9250 . Further , this decrease in fuel consumption contributes to a 25 % increase of fuel efficiency for the R 9300 compared to
Liebherr ’ s previous 250 t excavator . An electricdrive version of the R 9300 is currently under
development and will be available in the near future .
To increase productivity and efficiency , a range of design improvements have been implemented in the R 9300 , setting this new machine apart from other excavators in the 250 t class . The R 9300 has an updated attachment design that is lighter and stronger than that of the R 9250 . The new attachment comes with high-performance components such as a new stick and boom design and aluminium covers all installed as standard .
This lean design has enabled an increase in bucket size in both the backhoe and face shovel configurations . The standard bucket sizes of 16.5 m3 in backhoe configuration and 16 m3 in face shovel configuration ( at 1.8 t / m 3 with the heavyduty wear package ) make the excavator an effective pass match for trucks with 100 , 130 , and
180 t payloads .
The R 9300 has also been designed for simplified maintenance and a longer service life .
This excavator shares parts commonality with
Liebherr ’ s current excavators to help minimise maintenance costs and streamline onsite inventory . The lifespan of the R 9300 has been increased by 33 % above the R 9250 from 45,000 to 60,000 hours . Extending the service life of the R
9300 helps the machine to better align with the service life of major excavator components .
Further improvements can be found in the cab design of the R 9300 . The new cab includes enhanced cabin ergonomics , larger touch screens , a new control panel design , and optimised visibility to help promote operator wellbeing while increasing safety . The R 9300 will enter serial production in 2024 , with the backhoe shovel configuration from Q2 . www . liebherr .
configuration available from Q1 and the face com
First Mode to produce 36 nuGen™ systems annually at new Seattle facility

Carbon reduction company First Mode has announced construction of its first manufacturing facility in Seattle , Washington , USA . The factory will produce zeroemission powerplants and associated ground infrastructure for First Mode ’ s nuGen™ haulage solutions , which replace diesel engines in mining haul trucks and locomotives by retrofitting customer ’ s existing fleets with battery and hydrogen fuel cell solutions .

“ Our First Mode manufacturing facility is a crucial step towards fulfilling our mission to eliminate diesel from heavy industry ,” said First Mode CEO Julian Soles . “ This factory allows us to demonstrate our zero-emission powertrain solutions at scale and enables our customers to deliver on their decarbonisation commitments .”
At scale , the manufacturing facility will
produce components to retrofit 36 vehicles with nuGen™ systems annually , the equivalent of removing 25,000 passenger vehicles from the road each year . The factory will also validate the company ’ s manufacturing processes and establish a foundation for expanding First Mode manufacturing capacity near customer locations .
“ We ’ re incredibly pleased that First Mode is establishing its first manufacturing facility in Seattle ,” said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell . “ Seattle has always been known for big , progress-driving ideas , and this announcement speaks to our continued status as a hub for innovation and being on the cutting edge of world-changing technology . We look forward to how this state-of-the-art facility helps First Mode achieve its mission of decarbonising heavy industry , brings clean energy jobs to our city , and builds a
more sustainable future for the next generation .” Set to begin operations later this year , First Mode ’ s manufacturing facility will be the largest clean technology manufacturing facility in the city of Seattle . In recognition of this investment , First Mode recently received the Evergreen Manufacturing Grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce to support factory construction . s
4 International Mining | AUGUST 2023