NORDIC FOCUS
safety more than traditional operation ,” Oikarinen explains . “ There is less chance of fire than with diesel vehicles as there are no hot spots on the electric vehicle which could cause fire . And of course , the fact that there are zero local emissions and less heat generation makes a big difference for the operator ’ s health and wellbeing and results in lower ventilation costs .” Even though electric vehicles are in general becoming more widespread , the hardware must still be built for the conditions . “ In Normet ’ s case , we have built our machines from the ground up . Our control system is designed to support the safety of the whole machine which is naturally of prime concern . We have spent a lot of time opening our solutions to prove their safety and productivity to our customers .”
He adds that it ’ s not only the vehicles themselves that must be adopted , but the entire infrastructure and support that comes along with it . This involves working with partner companies to develop charging stations , for example , that can withstand the rugged conditions and hard use that they are exposed to . Also , overall mining trends bring with them challenges to be overcome as well as opportunities . Deeper mines mean more heat and hazardous environments and therefore an increased need for purposebuilt electric vehicles .
The support throughout a project ’ s lifecycle is a vital part of Normet ’ s customer-focused philosophy . “ Without support there is no future in BEVs . It ’ s really a key element ,” Oikarinen explains . “ We have been developing our customer support team along with the technology and have made sure that all time zones are covered by our local technical support .” The actual operation of BEVs , meanwhile , has been simplified . Along with a comprehensive training programme , this ensures an effective and ergonomic work environment . “ Because we still need the operators to work with the machines , we use our simulators and other training tools to make operation as intuitive as it can be . Education and increasing the availability of skilled workers is an important part of our service offering .”
For Oikarinen and Normet , BEVs are one important step on the road to deeper automation and digitalisation underground . The latter is , in some ways , the glue that binds all these elements together . “ We stress to our customers the importance of remote monitoring and data collection when using BEVs and smart vehicles . Normet ’ s SmartDrive technology and control systems with remote connectivity allows us to gather data , analyse it , and propose accurate preventive maintenance solutions , reducing downtime .”
Eventually , he believes , human error will be removed almost entirely from many processes .
“ As has been envisioned for years already , the ultimate safety solution is to have no humans operating underground at all . There are already vehicles with larger or smaller degrees of autonomous and remote operation working underground .” As charging and battery technology improves , and adoption increases , the future looks bright for underground BEVs .
Alimak ’ s mining elevator excellence
Stockholm-headquartered Alimak ’ s industrial elevators are engineered to perform at peak efficiency in the harsh environments of mines . By eliminating the need for hazardous stair climbing , it says these elevators offer a reliable and efficient method for transporting workers , tools , and materials onsite . This is crucial for equipment maintenance , daily mining operations , and where vertical access is a part of the operational infrastructure .
Typical applications of Alimak elevators in the mining industry include pellet loading terminals , concentrating plants , crushers and headframes . processing facilities , chimneys and smelters , mine shafts and preparation plants .
The Aitik copper mine , Europe ’ s largest openpit copper mine near Gällivare in northern Sweden , showcases Alimak ’ s capability to enhance operational efficiency through innovative vertical access solutions . Alimak provided seven rack and pinion-driven elevators as part of Boliden ’ s substantial investment in expanding the mine ’ s capacity . These elevators are crucial in maintenance and inspection across various operations , including crushing , ore stockpile management , grinding , flotation , and dewatering . Equipped with modern control systems , emergency features , and remote monitoring capabilities , these elevators ensure reliability and durability in one of the most demanding environments .
Over in Australia , the expansion of Fortescue ’ s Christmas Creek mine in Western Australia illustrates another dimension of Alimak ’ s impact on the mining industry . Three Alimak SE 1200 industrial elevators were installed in the mine ’ s processing facilities , marking Australia ’ s first permanent Alimak elevators within an iron ore crushing plant . The elevators were critical to the expansion program , which aimed to increase the mine ’ s iron ore operations capacity significantly . By ensuring efficient transportation of materials , equipment , and personnel , the Alimak elevators
Looking up the Alimak elevator from inside the Anglo American Woodsmith polyhalite project service shaft in North Yorkshire , UK
have become integral to minimising production downtime and enhancing the safety and efficiency of operations .
A third reference in mining is at the UK ’ s in development polyhalite underground mining project at Woodsmith , owned and operated by Anglo American . Alimak has two elevators there - the first elevator is already operational and is installed in the main Woodsmith mine service shaft and reaches about 364 m below ground . IM Editorial Director Paul Moore visited the foreshaft area of the service shaft in 2023 and travelled on the Alimak to return to surface . The service shaft is one of two deep shafts at the mine – the other being the production shaft – both have a 7.5 m diameter . They will reach approximately 1,600 m in the polyhalite seam and will be the two deepest shafts in Europe when complete .
The second Alimak elevator which is almost completed is installed in the Ladycross Plantation access shaft to the project ’ s Mineral Transport System ( MTS ) that will transport the polyhalite for shipping all the way to the portal in Wilton 37 km away . This elevator goes approximately to the same level below ground at 364 m .
Both elevator systems are custom Alimak ‘ double deck ’ rack and pinion type elevators , which comprises of two elevator cars each , interconnected one above the other . Each elevator measures 1.56 m wide x 1.04 m long x 2.17 m high , with each car able to hold a maximum of nine passengers . This means they each have the ability to transport up to 18 mine workers from ground level to below ground as efficiently as possible .
In the case of the service shaft elevator , the elevator shaft was steel lined , which presented a significant challenge in finding the safest way to install the mast connections . The usual option of welding was not possible . Alimak worked with
56 International Mining | MAY 2024