IPCC
them . We focus on those variables that help address any complexity for the client and as much as we can make things simpler to operate and actually use . A big part of this is driving up efficiency as more efficient equipment can mean smaller equipment – and smaller equipment is much easier to modularise and design to be relocatable and flexible throughout whatever process you are putting it through .”
He adds : “ At FLS our flavour of engineering and supply of equipment – for IPCC but also in general – is to have very knowledgable people who can demonstrate with their history ways to implement solutions that are reliable , effective and less risky than others because we ’ ve done it before . Many mining groups even today still feel uncomfortable with IPCC versus the simplicity of trucks and shovels – but we have been and are showing them that in fact it can be a lot less complex to work through that they think .”
On the coexistence of IPCC with trucks , Mentges stated :” A completely truckless hard rock mine is no longer really a focus in the industry . Often we are dealing with narrow mining areas in mountainous regions with steeping dipping deposits and steep pit walls . You can still have an in-pit crusher inside the mine but as much as you can run the truck fleet on the horizontal level of the pit and let conveyors do the majority of the haulage work . Again this means lower OPEX and faster decarbonisation . The mining truck industry led by Caterpillar and Komatsu is driving forward with battery electric models that will soon begin trials and testing – if they can run these trucks only horizontally and not up long steep ramps , it is much more efficient and also saves them a lot of headaches related to charging .”
Drescher echoed this : “ Coexistence of trucks with IPCC will continue – and battery trucks will play their role in decarbonisation . Trucks of course are still needed to feed the crushing station in a hard rock mine . You also have situations where due to high volatility in annual capacities , trucks can to some extent bolster the IPCC system that is handling the base load by accommodating peak loads .”
What about the increasing focus again on trolley assist ? Mentges : “ Trolley systems need a long ramp to run trucks from a deeper part of the mine to the pit edge . So you have to adapt these ramps into your mine planning . If you have to adapt the ramp situation in the mine , then adapt it for conveyors , not trolley as this is a much more efficient way to move tonnes .”
Ormsbee adds : “ I will always stand be the idea that conveyors are a more efficient means to transport bulk material – yes they are a little bit more rigid but with the right planning this is easily overcome . The more tonnage you can convey the better . But yes , we always look at trucks to compare against and also include in a comprehensive haulage solution . At FLS we try to be as holistic as possible , and our MissionZero overarching approach means we need to look at making the whole process flow as efficient as possible . So we understand that in many cases to be efficient , there are flexible portions where you need trucks to connect the dots and work together with conveyors to achieve the most efficient and cost effective solution . But I would say while trolley trucking brings you electrification like conveying to help achieve decarbonisation – decarbonisation is not only about electrification – it is also a lot to do with efficiency , and that is where we at FLS are very good at what we do .”
Is the truck fed semi-mobile primary gyratory crusher housed in a modular steel structure with feeder to conveyor now pretty much becoming the standard IPCC approach ? Drescher : “ Yes it is fair to say that this combination is playing the major role in our IPCC projects today , almost to the point of being standardised which ties in very nicely with modularisation . For the gyratory crusher itself especially for the largest models , both our 130 ” TSUV and KB represents the best available in the performance scale . As I ’ ve said with the acqusition of TK Mining , we actually now have two model ranges for large gyratories in our portfolio – and the only ones available in the market with top service technology . I would argue top service has become the preferred solution and even a benchmark in the industry due to its maintainability .”
Away from the largest operations , however , and for certain types of materials , Drescher says the FLS ABON ® sizer and Eccentric Roll Crusher ( ERC ® ) both have a role to play in IPCC as well . “ These allow a different crushing station design with a lower footprint as well as less weight and less CAPEX cost plus high flexibility . On the crushing station itself , today these are almost always semi-mobile and steel structures . There is no appetite anymore for bringing a lot of concrete into the mine to make permanent structures – its very costly but also inflexible plus involves a much longer erection time which again is not ideal due to disturbance of mine operations . And the relocation of semi-mobiles has been done at many of the largest mines to the point where it is almost routine .”
Plus sometimes you can break things down to achieve benefits . Mentges : “ In certain cases in IPCC there is also validity in looking at two stations to achieve the required capacity – for example two 6,000 t / h stations to achieve the required 12,000 t / h total . This is all about redundancy plus allows for less footprint in the mine as you have a lower bench height for the stations , plus it might give you the option to look at the ERC instead of the large gyratory . And these smaller plants are lighter so are easier and quicker to move .”
Finally , is there also standardisation at the interface between the crushing station and the conveyor – ie the tail section ? Ormsbee : “ As a group FLS has completed a large number of projects so has the ability to apply all those learnings . More and more today if you compare one project to another , you will see more shared engineering in areas like the tables , transfer points and chutes as well as stackers , with designs just adjusted as necessary to allow for different capacities and loads . And to repeat the earlier point – higher efficiency equipment means you can have smaller equipment , which is cheaper but also makes it easier to incorporate standardised practices . And this efficiency philosophy has also led to new innovations like the Rail Running Conveyor where all the pulley sizes and the steel structure are smaller making it easier to assemble . But of course no conveyor route is the same so there is also going to be some reengineering related to curves , downhill and uphill section , for example , as the tensions will change .”
Metso ’ s new foresight for IPCC
Metso has looked at the IPCC system status quo and decided to take a new more nimble and streamlined approach in how IPCC projects are planned , engineering and delivered . Leif Berndt , Metso Director IPCC told IM : “ Based on feedback from the market and observations from events like The Electric Mine , at Metso we felt that the IPCC systems community was still telling the same story that it has been telling for the last 20 years . That is , trying to move operators towards high capacity fully mobile and continuous mining , which for hard rock mining is very difficult to do and in many cases not realistic based on the mine plan or the mine life .
Nearly all true continuous mining that does exist apart from a few projects realised in the past is really in coal but that has always been the case . “ For hard rock we are selling a lot of semimobile primary gyratory crushers and C-Jaw crushers in the market – through our Foresight™ SMPG and FIT™ stations offering , for example , with our Superior™ MKIII 60-110 teamed with an apron feeder for large mines . FIT™ is designed for mid-size operations like lithium , gold and silver . The Lokotrack crushing units provide a very flexible and cost-efficient solution for tight and space restricted mining areas . Most of these mining size mobile units are fully electric or hybrid .”
He adds : “ For IPCC the story was always that it was quite complex , needed a complete change in mine planning and scheduling approach , plus required a lot of full on engineering that needed the system supplier involved very early plus a lot
32 International Mining | MAY 2024