CONTINUOUS CUTTING AND RAPID DEVELOPMENT
“ Mark 1 ” machine next year , Petra has agreed with Sandvik on the delivery of a new “ Mark 2 RMDS ” ( Sandvik MX650 ), scheduled to arrive at Finsch in 2023 , according to a Petra Diamonds spokesperson .
When delivered , this new machine is expected to benefit from many advances the company is making in its cutting division , currently applied to its line of roadheaders .
Digitalising development
During Sandvik ’ s Innovation in Mining event at the end of September , members of the company ’ s mechanical cutting division talked up a move to digitalising and automating the cutting process through its Cutronic system .
Previously referred to as AutoCut , Cutronic was developed in Germany ’ s underground mining sector and applied commercially for the first time in the US , according to Thomas Vallant , Director Sales Support , Mechanical Cutting .
The mine in question was Nevada Gold Mines ’ Cortez operation , with a Sandvik MH620 cutting the Range Front decline . This roadheader was equipped with the OEM ’ s automatic cutting system , designed to enable a consistently accurate profile that reduces ground support costs .
Cutronic has since been used on a Sandvik MT520 roadheader at a K + S salt mine in Zielitz , Germany , where it carried out a fully-automated cutting cycle , as well as other underground applications .
“ In addition to the fully automated cutting cycle , we ’ ve also implemented a cutting path planning tool , which helps our customers individually plan and optimise the way the cross sections are cut ,” Vallant said during the event . “ On top of that , we also have a fast profiling tool , which helps , especially in tunnelling applications , where accuracy is of utmost importance .”
The Cutronic system also increases machine life as the cutting functions are optimally operated at all times , Vallant added .
During the same event , Uwe Restner , Product Manager , Roadheaders and Digitalisation at the mechanical cutting division , discussed the company ’ s developments in providing teleremote options for its mechanical cutters .
“ The plan is to have a phased development with intermediate targets , which can be rolled out to the market as single products at defined dates ,” he said .
Restner showed a video of the teleremote solution working on a MT720 roadheader in one of Sandvik ’ s workshops . In this example , the operator recreated tramming the machine forward to the tunnel face , putting the rear stabilisers and loading table down to the tunnel floor , and initiating the Cutronic system for automated cutting of one full cycle .
“ When Cutronic is in action , it ( the machine ) takes hold ,” Restner remarked of the automated cutting solution . This allows the machine to continue cutting over shift breaks to increase cutting productivity .
Restner concluded : “ Ultimately , the project should
Cutting collaboration
Vale , in 2021 , is due to embark on a major hardrock cutting project at its Garson mine , in Sudbury , Canada .
Part of the mechanical cutting demonstration within the CMIC Continuous Underground Mining project , it will see the company test out a Komatsu hard-rock cutting machine equipped with Komatsu DynaCut Technology at the mine .
With an aim to access the McConnell orebody , as well as provide a primary case study for CMIC members to learn from , all eyes will be on this Sudbury mine in the June quarter of 2021 .
Vale plans to demonstrate the ability to cut rock in excess of 250 MPa ; cut at a commercial rate of more than 3.5 m / shift ; quantify the cost per metre of operation and start to look at the potential comparison with conventional drill and blast development ; assess the health , safety and environmental suitability of the mechanical rock excavation ( MRE ) process ; and gain insight into the potential of an optimised MRE process .
Another Komatsu unit has already been assembled and ( by now ) is most likely operating at the Cadia underground mine in New South Wales , Australia , operated by Newcrest Mining . Vale will be watching developments here , where a threemonth “ pre-trial ” cutting hard rock will take place .
Vale has laid out a testing plan for its own machine , with the unit set to cut around 400 m for the trial period . IM had to find out more about this . Fortunately Vale ’ s Luke Mahony , Head of Geology , Mine Engineering , Geotechnical and Technology & Innovation for the Global Base Metals Business ; and Andy Charsley , Project Lead and Principal Mining Engineer , Technology & Innovation , were happy to talk .
IM : Why do you think industry collaboration is key in the underground hard-rock cutting space , in particular ? Why has it been harder to develop and apply this technology in mining compared with other solutions such as automation , electrification and digitalisation ? LM : There are many various OEMs entering the market with hard-rock cutting equipment . All of them approach the problem a little bit differently , so it is difficult for one company to trial all of the options . At the same time , we are trying to leverage these new technologies and processes across the industry for a mechanical cutting type of future . For
bring us to the situation where underground mechanical cutting machines operate autonomously and they are just controlled from surface by a teleremote station .”
Jürgen Grössing , Director Commercial Parts and Services , Mechanical Cutting , concluded the presentation with a mention of the remote monitoring
me , this is essential if we are to get the safety , cost and productivity benefits we need to make some of these new underground mines viable .
Comparing it to automation and electrification shows it is a ‘ revolutionary ’ concept as opposed to an ‘ evolutionary ’ one . Automation and electrification are more evolutionary concepts – automating an existing scoop or truck or electrifying it – whereas hard-rock cutting is more revolutionary and transformational in the sector , so industry collaboration is even more important .
IM : Since the project was presented at CMIC ’ s ReThinkMining Webinar , in June , have you had a lot more partnership interest in the project ? LM : We have seen a few other industry members ask questions and connect regarding this project . Some mining companies , while interested , are a little unsure of how they can get on-board with a project like this . What we have done is to utilise the CMIC consortium to make it the foundation of this collaboration , ensuring it is as easy and efficient as possible to join . Also , we want to cover the key concerns that mining companies have when it comes to collaboration , which CMIC is well aware of and can address .
CMIC is well connected with underground professionals and like-minded companies , and is able to pull in interest and facilitate the collaboration framework .
IM : What has happened to the MRE project timeline since June ? Are you still on for receiving the machine in early 2021 to start testing later in the year ? AC : The machine has been assembled and we will mobilise it to Canada in early 2021 . All of the underground cutting , in Canada , is scheduled to start in April 2021 .
Komatsu have assembled two units – the first unit has come off the assembly line and is about to start trials at Cadia any day now . The second machine has just completed final assembly and will undergo Factory Acceptance Testing in the next few months , while we monitor the initial performance of the first machine . The second machine will come to Canada early next year and , if there are any modifications required , we can carry them out , prior to it going underground .
IM : How has the machine changed from the prototype that was initially deployed at Cadia and
capabilities on these ‘ connected ’ machines .
The company set out to not only obtain visibility of equipment , but also use this connection to access and analyse equipment data , either live or at regular intervals .
“ You need to put the data into context and gain service intelligence to help protect and enhance the
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020 | International Mining