NARROW VEIN & LOW PROFILE MINING
to accept the fitted track frames and tracks , powered by hydraulically-driven wheel motors . As this unit is designed to tackle extreme gradients of up to 25 % depending on ground conditions , unique engineering parameters were developed to open new access to areas in mines that are unattainable to traditional trackless mining machines .
As with all UV Botswana utility vehicles , this unit comes fully FOPS- and ROPS-certified , plus has SAHR-type braking systems compliant with SANS 1589 . These vehicles also have upgraded CANBUS platforms in line with the current loader offering to allow for easier fault finding and maintenance . They also have optional JIC or ORFS hydraulic fittings to suit customer-specific needs . Lastly , the fuel and lube vehicles come with their own range of hydraulically-driven air compressors , grease pumps , transfer pumps and bulk oil dispenser pumps .
UNIVERSA solutions extended
PAUS is also used to customising vehicles for narrow and tight size envelopes , leveraging several proven platforms and decades of engineering expertise to tailor solutions to customer needs .
In terms of supplying this equipment to the narrow-vein mining sector – one that continues to make up a niche part of its overall mining business – the company is registering demand from existing operations in need of replenishing their fleets and those planning for brownfield expansions .
“ The market , when looking on a global basis , continues to be affected by political uncertainty ,” Franz-Josef Paus , Chairman of the company , told IM . “ The conflict between Russia and Ukraine , plus the issues with China and the USA , mean we are not seeing the same excitement for new greenfield projects that we were seeing prior to the onset of these events .”
Still , when it comes to narrow-vein mining , PAUS is one of only a few companies able to compete for this business .
“ We can offer them niche products that not too many others can offer ,” Franz-Josef Paus said . “ We never try to compete with the major suppliers ; we focus on the 10 % that is left and offer customised platforms .”
A good example of this – while not focused on the narrow-vein market – is work the company has been carrying out for a client in Mongolia .
Given a project brief of coming up with a vehicle to help change out belt idlers on a conveyor at this underground operation , PAUS developed a design that leveraged its UNI 50 carrier as a transport vehicle but included a customised cassette for the idler exchange process .
Similarly , in South America , the company iscurrently engaged on a project where it will customise the cassette system of its UNI 50 , which offers an up to 7-t payload and has a height and width of 2.11 m and 1.75 m , respectively , to help mine a narrow-vein deposit in the region .
“ Every now and then we create new machines to solve problems that have never been designed before ,” Franz-Josef Paus said . “ Around 50 % of our work is problem solving of this type and the other 50 % is for developing our proven platform technologies .”
Fitting into the latter category is the work PAUS has been doing on its existing UNI-50 platform . This carrier vehicle has multiple uses in underground mining , but , due to its robust design and compact dimensions , is typically seen at underground mines with narrow galleries . Coming with different variants , the UNI-50 can take payloads of 8-16 t and be configured with a width and height of 1.9-2.3 m and 2.26-2.5 m , respectively . These dimensions , along with a plethora of attachments and cassettes , make it suitable for a variety of applications such as material handling transport vehicle , water
Aramine ’ s Jose Bueno showcased how far the company ’ s battery-electric offering has come at The Electric Mine 2023 event in Tucson , Arizona
The new UNIVERSA 55 has spring suspension on the front axle as standard
cannon truck , passenger transporter , tyre handler and concrete sprayer .
Having proven itself as a long-lasting platform , PAUS is now refreshing the UNI-50 .
When speaking to IM , Franz-Josef Paus confirmed that a new platform , the UNIVERSA 55 , was in the works , with the first of these machines currently being assembled .
While the physical dimensions will not change , the machine will have spring suspension on the front axle as standard . It will also be equipped with many of the electronic aids the company has in its arsenal – such as a bird ’ s eye camera , tyre pressure monitoring , gas monitoring system and others .
“ What remains is the robust , easy-to-repair and durable nature of our products ,” he said . “ This is what PAUS is renowned for .”
Battery is best
Aramine has a range of equipment dedicated to narrow-vein mining powered by various sources – diesel , electricity and battery – yet it continues to advocate for using battery-powered equipment in physically-constrained mining galleries .
34 International Mining | JULY 2023