WORLD PROSPECTS
Trolley line commissioned at Husab in Namibia
Back in 2015 , Swakop Uranium invested in a new mining fleet for the new Husab uranium mine near the town of Swakopmund in western-central Namibia consisting of 23 327 t class Komatsu 960E-2KT electric dump trucks and three Chinese NHL NTE330 electric drive trucks of the same class . All the trucks were trolley-ready with a view to starting up the trolley assist operation as the mine ramped up in 2017 .
One main trolley line was completed in 2017 / 2018 but until now the trucks have not been using it . Immanuel Matheus , Senior Engineer , Mining Technical told IM : “ Trolley ’ s benefits for these years have been reduced by the significant decline in oil prices and the increase in local electricity tariffs during . There was also a need to increase the norminal maximum demand ( NMD ) of the mine .”
However , with more favourable power prices plus the general industry push to reduce reliance on diesel , trolley assist at Husab is again in the spotlight to both reduce costs and increase mine productivity due to higher truck speeds . Testing with two of the Komatsu 960E- 2KT trucks under trolley began in late 2022 and with the successful trial completed the line and these two trucks are now commissioned . Matheus said that eventually all of the 960Es and NTE330s will be using the trolley line .
Referred to as trolley line 1 , it is 680 m in length including the supporting poles . It is slightly curved towards the end of the ramp which is a challenge in terms of alignment of the pantographs . Other challenges include the regular road maintenance to keep the profile smooth , and the fact that there are no trolley experienced operators at the mine currently . In addition , Matheus said that the project is labour intensive as for any rejects except due to low speed when connecting to the overhead line , there must be a HT ( high tension ) technician on standby to clear the fault . A high voltage technician must also be on standby in case the trolley line trips .
But the benefits are clear already . Matheus told IM : “ It allows the haul trucks to move faster on ramps and in fact it doubles the on-ramp speed to 24 km / h for the 960E , resulting in reduced cycle times and increased haulage productivity . While on the trolley line , the truck engine goes into idle mode which significantly reduces the fuel burn on ramps . The result is a reduction in noise and CO 2 emissions to the environment .”
The energy is supplied by an external provider ( Nampower ), however the mine also has a 12 MW solar plant to supplement the mine ’ s energy needs . Siemens was responsible for the trolley line construction . The onboard truck trolley equipment was supplied by Komatsu ( the 960E truck has a Komatsu AC electric drive , Siemens
PAMA signs up McLaren Applied for fuel optimisation tech
alternator and liquid cooled Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor inverter system ) with the exception of the pantographs which were supplied by Pamodzi Unique Engineering in South Africa .
As things stand today , the payback period is expected to be roughly three to four years . The project remains , however , sensitive to diesel prices which change monthly in Namibia . Any increases in diesel prices will of course favour the project .
Swakop Uranium is a partnership between the Republic of Namibia and the People ’ s Republic of China of which 10 % is held by the Namibian state-owned Epangelo Mining Company and 90 % by Taurus Minerals Ltd , jointly owned by China General Nuclear Power Group and the China Africa Development Fund . www . swakopuranium . com ; www . komatsuafrica . com
McLaren Applied has announced PT Pamapersada Nusantara ( PAMA ) as the company ’ s latest mining client . PAMA , one of Indonesia ’ s largest mining contractors , provides a comprehensive suite of operations to mine owners across all stages of production and expansion . The partnership will see McLaren Applied ’ s Formula 1-derived technology utilised to optimise the efficiency and fuel consumption of PAMA ’ s mining vehicles , accelerating the decarbonisation of mining .
The statement said : “ With fuel representing up to 50 % of a mine ’ s operating expenses , small gains in efficiency can have large impacts on costs , productivity and pollution . Such gains are hard won , with haul trucks capable of carrying around 100 tons of mined material over steep , uneven ground operating in a dynamic environment which requires constant analysis . Ever-changing variables such as payload , weather , terrain and route all affect the driving technique required to ensure maximum efficiency .”
While traditional fuel analytics can only provide mine managers with performance reports for the previous day or shift , too late to keep pace with the rapidly changing situation , McLaren Applied says its cutting-edge Fuel Analytics Service is far more advanced . " Formula 1-derived technology collects detailed live data from multiple sensors onboard PAMA ’ s fleet of mining trucks , transmitting it to cloud-based servers at much higher data rates than typical telemetry systems and using it to inform a powerful machine learning-based algorithm ."
The Fuel Analytics Service references the data against a full digital model of the mine , using specially developed AI tools to instantaneously calculate what changes the driver should make to optimise fuel efficiency . This information is communicated back to the driver within milliseconds , offering real-time recommendations for optimal driving to maximise efficiency and minimise fuel consumption in any conditions .
Pablo Garcia , Director of Connected Intelligence at McLaren Applied , said : “ With over 30 years ’ experience at the cutting-edge of motorsport , Formula 1 , McLaren Applied has an unparalleled breadth of experience in the optimisation of performance around the globe . To be able to formally bring our expertise to a new sector is therefore an incredibly exciting opportunity . Together , McLaren Applied and PAMA will take vital steps to help accelerate the decarbonisation of mining , bringing benefits to the industry and the environment and creating a blueprint for optimisation which can be copied around the world .”
Pak Hendra Hutahean , Vice President Director at PAMA , said : “ Our new partnership with McLaren Applied demonstrates PAMA ’ s willingness to embrace new mining decarbonisation initiatives . By employing McLaren Applied ’ s cutting-edge technology and unique expertise , we are confident that we will be able to take significant steps towards protecting the planet .” www . mclarenapplied . com ; https :// pamapersada . com
6 International Mining | MARCH 2023