IPCC SOLUTIONS
Metso Outotec example installation option for its Foresight™ SMPG along with conveyors and trucks
ESG and IPCC
The influence of in-pit crushing and conveying ( IPCC ) in mining has increased in recent years thanks to its ESG credentials as a carbon reduction enabler and energy efficient solution . Paul Moore found out more from all the main players
The focus for all the major technology delivery companies is now flexible and modular semi-mobile crushing stations . Truckless mining and fully mobile systems might still be an option for certain projects but overall , mines want to keep some truck flexibility , plus having the semi-mobile at the edge of the pit or at least part of the way out of the pit is now seen as equally valid as having the crusher close to the pit floor . Conveying all the way to the mine face is the ideal but again this is on a case-bycase basis – plus today ore sorting and the appropriate place to divert ore and waste is becoming part of the equation . ESG and carbon emissions reduction are also now often the final deciding factor in opting for IPCC in the first place , as well as dictating the type of system opted for
For this year ’ s article , we started with arguably the newest integrated IPCC player on the market – Metso Outotec , and we spoke to Leif Berndt , IPCC Director , who told IM : “ In terms of a consolidated , global IPCC-specific push , we are relatively new to the market . We had our launch in 2021 and soon after that we also released and then sold a very large Foresight™ semi-mobile primary gyratory ( SMPG ) crushing station for Codelco ’ s Radomiro Tomic . The SMPG Station is equipped with a Superior™ MKIII 60-110 primary gyratory crusher , apron feeder discharge and comprehensive dust collection . But in many ways , we were bringing together many elements we already had - many do not know we have a track record in delivering high capacity conveying and stacking systems and have been doing this for decades in Brazil and Chile , for example . This includes in iron ore up to 21,000 t / h plus we have also supplied large capacity copper ore overland conveying solutions . Added to this we offer Energy Saving Idlers ( ESI ), a patented component that helps boost the energy efficiency of conveyors . These can provide up to 30 % indentation roller resistance savings that converted in many references to + 15 % energy reduction , hence transportation contributing significantly to customer sustainability . And of course , we were already a global leader in large gyratory crushers and apron feeders .”
Berndt argues further that in terms of the building blocks that make for a successful IPCC system that Metso Outotec has one of the world ’ s strongest offerings . He adds : “ In addition to having the key technology components , system performance is also driven by our ability to offer world-class services support . This ultimately will maximise the efficiency of our customers operations . This is all part of our integrated solution .
Resources were added to the Metso Outotec team . From here we drove the productising of the Foresight™ SMPG crushing station and our customer support strategy from application engineering to helping them negotiate IPCC based on the planning constraints of their pit environment and ultimately helping them select the right system for the outcome that they want .” Does Berndt think fully mobile front end type crushing systems following a bench conveyor still have a place ? “ There are quite a few of these types of systems still operating in opencast coal
mines with formations and coal seams that are horizontal or near to horizontal , allowing nonselective block mining . These systems offer little flexibility and are quite rigid in their application . I believe a greater amount of flexibility is going to be required in almost all IPCC cases going forward , which tends to support semi-mobile applications or smaller mobile applications . There is no doubt that in mining today , semimobile solutions with slightly smaller crushers making them easier to relocate but still relying on a smaller truck fleet are dominating . And these will still suit battery operated trucks as these are phased in – most of which will be smaller size classes than today , that will require longer operating times , shorter hauls with less vertical lift in the haul , delivering to a more mobile crushing station in the pit . I believe this is all coming .”
On the fully mobile side , it is worth pointing out that Metso Outotec ’ s fully mobile Lokotracks ® have an ever growing use in quarrying and mining applications , with varying transport options towards the plant , Lokolink ® and conveyor system or truck haulage . At the top end of this offering remains the LT200 which is capable of handling 3,000 t / h and is still operating very successfully at a copper mine in Kazakhstan .
Looking in more detail at the Foresight™ SMPG , what are the determining design options and what are its differentiating elements versus other major options on the market for semimobile stations ? “ We sat down with the minerals processing and mining design , delivery and service expertise and experience we have within Metso Outotec and broke it down into a configurable , modular approach . We looked across all the application types out there and their requirements . It is clear there is no one size fits all for semi mobile solutions . Focus is optimal processing , and the 6 configuration pillars - Capacity , Flow Control , Mobility , Process Control , Dust Control and Safety , Access , Maintenance .
Leif Berndt , Metso Outotec Director IPCC
50 International Mining | MAY 2023