Technology and innovation
OEM unleashes new technologies
The Cat AD22 in action at a deep-level underground mine.
Caterpillar
Original equipment manufacturer Caterpillar recently announced several milestones as new underground mining machines are deployed, a mine development system using leading edge rock-cutting technology is tested, and development of a battery-electric underground loader progresses.
“ Over the past few months, we have delivered the first AD22 articulated underground trucks— three of them to Glencore’ s Mopani Copper Mines in Kitwe, Zambia,” says David Rea, global director of sales and product support for Caterpillar’ s Underground Mining Division. At 22 tonnes capacity, the AD22 is the smallest underground truck in the Cat line.
Regional Cat dealers also recently delivered new R1700 underground loaders, the first of the next generation of Cat LHDs. Furthermore, Rea says that test work on the RH55 Rockheader continues. The RH55 is designed to deliver rapid, cost-effective mine development using Caterpillar’ s proprietary rock-cutting technologies.“ We recently took our proof-ofconcept battery-electric load haul dump truck underground for testing. We are driving forward with new technologies,” says Rea.
The latest model in Caterpillar’ s surface mining line is the MD6250 drill, which is designed for both down-thehole drilling in hard rock and rotary drilling in softer rock. The blasthole drill does single-pass and multi-pass drilling, as well as angle drilling. The MD6250 is also autonomous-ready with MineStar options ranging from remote control to semi-autonomous drilling.
Heads and tails for Bakubung
The first South African mobile ropehandling system has been installed at Chinese owned Wesizwe Platinum’ s Bakubung mine, close to Rustenburg in the North West Province in South Africa.
The Kempton Park, Gauteng-based Tech Edge’ s Winches & Winders Division successfully designed, manufactured, and mounted the mobile rope-handling system. Tech Edge won the tender issued by Worley Parsons, which had been the contractor at Bakubung in April 2016.
The equipment was specifically designed to install head and tail ropes onto a four-rope headgear-mounted Koepe friction winder at the mine. The project commenced in mid- 2016 and was commissioned for the rope-up in October 2017.
The key deliverables consisted of four rope reelers, a large two-drum friction winch, a compression beam with deflection sheaves, and four messenger winches, complete with a sophisticated, integrated and electrical control system.
A mobile rope-handling system has been installed at the Bakubung platinum mine close to Rustenburg in the North West Province.
Tech Edge
MARCH 2018 MINING MIRROR [ 37 ]