WORLD PROSPECTS
Komatsu unveils new underground hard rock BEVs at MINExpo
Komatsu Ltd showcased its latest underground hard rock mining equipment at MINExpo 2024 recently in Las Vegas . In particular , Komatsu is strengthening its underground hard rock mining equipment business through an enhanced lineup , the development of new mining methods , and strategic acquisitions , and will showcase its latest initiatives .
First off , Komatsu says it is excited to introduce its first battery-electric powered LHD machine , the WX04B , along with a 150 kW battery charger engineered specifically for underground hard rock mining . Designed for narrow vein mines , this 4-t LHD features industry-leading battery technology with best-inclass energy density , offering up to four hours of run time on a single charge .
And one of the standout features of the WX04B is its innovative battery swap system . Unlike many traditional systems that require extensive underground infrastructure , the WX04B ’ s battery swap can be performed at ground level without additional equipment or risks of rigging overhead loads . This streamlined process reduces costs and complexity , making it a more efficient and user-friendly option for underground mining operations .
Additionally , key features of the 150 kW battery charger include power efficiency , broad compatibility with mining power sources ( 400 VAC to 1,000 VAC ) and no need for an external transformer . This design minimises infrastructure requirements , offering mining operations greater flexibility without the need for a dedicated charging station .
Komatsu also showcased for the first time two machines from GHH Group GmbH , the German manufacturer of underground mining , tunnelling and civil engineering equipment acquired on July
1 of this year , under the Komatsu brand . The WX15 is a 15 t class LHD with a maximum bucket capacity of 9 m ³ and the HX45 is a mining truck with 45 t capacity - new additions to Komatsu ’ s lineup with these specific vehicle sizes . Both machines are designed to work in tandem , offering productive three-pass loading cycles for maximum efficiency in mining operations .
Komatsu is further excited to introduce its first medium-size class drill jumbo ZJ32 and bolter ZB31 to its lineup , further broadening Komatsu ’ s selection of offerings for the underground mining industry . The Z3 machines are built on a universal platform and designed with a focus on modularity and efficiency . This focus offers improved productivity that can help reduce service and maintenance costs across operations . The Z3 also boasts universal operator controls , simplifying user adoption and increasing training efficiency . In the near future , additional battery and intelligent machine control models of the Z3 series will be added to the lineup to provide customers with a comprehensive range of offerings to meet their demands . www . komatsu . com
Cat ® 793 XE Early Learner battery electric trucks begin testing at customer sites
Caterpillar announced recently that it has achieved the next milestone in the company ’ s battery electric truck development journey , reinforcing its commitment to providing zero-exhaust emissions solutions for customers .
The next generation of Caterpillar ’ s battery electric Large Mining Trucks have arrived at select customer sites for testing and validation . Caterpillar says it has now completed building and testing seven Cat ® 793 XE Early Learner battery electric trucks at its Tucson Proving Ground facility in Green Valley , Arizona .
This marks the second development phase of the company ’ s Early Learner program following the successful demonstration of its first battery electric 793 prototype in November 2022 . Caterpillar will also continue testing and validating some of the Early Learner model trucks at its proving ground facility .
The company highlighted one of these next generation 793 XEs at the Tucson Proving Grounds to a select group of media including IM prior to MINExpo 2024 . Caterpillar also showcased a prototype 775 XE , a batteryelectric version of the 70.5-ton payload dieselpowered truck .
Caterpillar Group President , Denise Johnson , says : “ We added this Early Learner phase to intentionally send battery electric trucks to customer sites earlier than we have before in our traditional product development process . These Early Learner machines will be used to refine requirements , develop processes and validate both the machine and technology designs . Testing these trucks at our customers ’ sites will provide invaluable feedback for our battery truck program .”
Caterpillar launched its Early Learner program in 2021 to accelerate its development and validation of Cat battery electric large mining trucks with support from key mining customers and Cat dealers . The company expanded the Early Learner program to include Off-Highway Trucks to support increasing demand from the quarry and aggregates industries .
One of the primary objectives of the program is for Caterpillar to collaborate more closely with its customers to better understand the impacts of the energy transition on a mine site ’ s people , processes , infrastructure and technology . The Early Learner phase of the program will be key to witnessing those impacts in real world environments . It will also be critical to validate the enhanced design elements of the 793 XE . Caterpillar Vice President Brian Weller
explains : “ In less than two years , we went from retrofitting an existing piece of equipment at our proving ground to designing a ruggedised solution ready for validation at our customers ’ sites . This was not a small change . Just about everything in the powertrain has been enhanced while still leveraging proven components of our Cat 793 model . With these changes , we still have learning to do with our customers in real-world applications .”
Caterpillar ’ s next phase of the Early Learner program will be to integrate multiple electrified trucks at sites , validating the integration of a battery electric fleet with Caterpillar ’ s autonomous and fleet management systems . www . cat . com
4 International Mining | OCTOBER 2024