MINING TRUCKS
Liebherr to launch T 274 plus continues trolley success
Liebherr is extending its product offerings with the T 274 , a class-leading 305 t haul truck . This new truck bridges the gap between the highly successful T 284 ( 363 t ), and the recently introduced T 264 ( 240 t ). “ Operating the T 274 with other Liebherr Mining products is a great opportunity for customers to achieve the highest production available while minimising operating costs . End-user will experience first-class comfort and safety while driving and servicing this truck . To maximise productivity , a wide range of options are available , including the Liebherr Trolley Assist System , which provides a significant step towards a zeroemission mine . By pairing the Liebherr T 274 ’ s 305 t payload with the Liebherr R 9800 hydraulic excavator or the brand new R 9600 , our customers will enjoy a productive set of equipment . The fast swing times of the Liebherr excavator will ensure a quick load of the T 274 moving more tonnes per hour , leading to high production rates .”
On autonomy , Liebherr is still keeping fairly quiet but did comment : “ Liebherr strives for long-term sustainable solutions , investigating different options centered on safety , cost , reliability , maintainability , and flexibility . We offer a full range of electric excavators , and the full mining truck product range will soon be trolley capable . We have a clear vision and roadmap to achieve low fossil fuel solutions in 2022 , along with fossil fuel-free solutions for the majority of applications by 2030 .”
Zero emissions is a big focus - Liebherr says it strives for long-term sustainable solutions , investigating different options centred on safety , cost , reliability , maintainability , and flexibility . “ We offer a full range of electric excavators , and the full mining truck product range will soon be trolley capable . We have a clear vision and roadmap to achieve low fossil fuel solutions in 2022 , along with fossil fuel-free solutions for the majority of applications by 2030 .”
The trolley journey has been an interesting one for the company - in 2013 Liebherr received the initial request from First Quantum Minerals Ltd
( FQML ) for a 360 t trolley capable haul truck for a future mine site in Panama . The truck would be required to integrate with the trolley power line that FQML had designed and
Liebherr ' s new 305 t class T 274 being put through its paces
developed for the site . Agreeing to this partnership , two Liebherr T 284 trucks were commissioned in May and June 2016 at Sentinel copper mine in Zambia . Twelve months was allotted for the customer to evaluate the trucks , the trolley , and the customer service . Liebherr engineers began testing , verifying , and calibrating all equipment and systems . The system was successfully installed in September and testing officially began in February and March of 2017 . The trial period was determined a success , leading to an official order for six more trucks at Sentinel , along with 30 trolley assist T 284 trucks for Cobre Panama . And since signing the development contract for the trolley system at Bauma 2019 , VA Erzberg has been testing the modified T 236 diesel-electric truck in its iron-ore mine in Eisenerz , Austria . The tests were conducted on a 500 m long test segment that is now being extended to 5 km with the upper section at around 1,055 m above sea level . The T 236 diesel-electric truck is equipped with trolley bars that connect the truck drive system to the overhead power lines on uphill haulage segments . Together with the drive systems Active Front End technology , fuel consumption is significantly reduced whilst in trolley mode . In the long term , VA Erzberg expects to reduce the truck fleet fuel consumption by approximately three million litres of diesel and 4,200 t of CO 2 per year . truck fleet that includes Cat 793Fs . In the Pilbara the new autonomous kid on the block is Roy Hill where ASI Mining has a subcontract with Epiroc to supply its autonomous haul truck solution . ASI Mining has supplied the technology and systems to convert Roy Hill ’ s mixed fleet of 77 haul trucks from manned to autonomous operation which includes Cat 793Fs and Hitachi EH5000s . The project will focus on safe and highly productive operations and will leverage ASI ’ s Mobius™ to achieve an integration platform which can continue to scale for future applications . The project will consist of a phased implementation , with testing and production verification of up to eight trucks undertaken in the initial phase prior to the second phase of full fleet expansion from mid-2021 .
Also in the Pilbara , 2020 saw a new fleet of autonomous trucks arrive at BHP ’ s Newman East iron ore mine . Home to BHP ’ s Innovation Centre , the Newman East mine is the second of the company ’ s Western Australian mines to transition to fully autonomous haulage with 20 autonomous trucks . The first was the Jimblebar iron ore mine , which transitioned in 2017 .
The main Hitachi-driven automation project remains Whitehaven Coal ’ s Maules Creek – where the entire Maules Creek 45-strong 296 t EH5000 truck fleet is planned to be autonomous by FY2023 , and more fleets will be added in the years to come .
In China , the autonomous market has exploded , partly driven by the power of telecoms companies like Huawei and China Mobile who have been rolling out 4G and 5G networks at both underground and surface mines across the country . To give just a few examples of major autonomous truck projects – at the Xiwan coal mine in Shaanxi province , being developed by Shaanxi Shenyan Coal , a new autonomous fleet consists of 32 220 t XDE240 trucks , equipped with MTU 16V4000C23R 2,500 hp engines and Wabtec AC drives . IM understands that while XCMG has supplied the trucks with an automation interface , the tender for a third party supplier to supply the unmanned technology was separately put out to bid in September 2020 and was won by CRRC-owned company Zhuzhou National Engineering Research Center of Converters . CRRC is a huge company best known for its rail equipment and technology but which also makes mining equipment and supplies mining technology .
Leading Chinese autonomous mining vehicle technology group TAGE Idriver is working with leading domestic mining truck manufacturer , Baotou-based Inner Mongolia North Hauler Joint Stock Co Ltd ( NHL ) to partner on the supply a new fleet of ten factory built autonomous electric drive NTE200AT 186 t class mining trucks . The deal is
International Mining | MAY 2021