DECEMBER 2013 Informed and in-depth editorial on the world mining industry www.im-mining.com MINING TYRES ITALIAN TECHNOLOGY REMOTE MINES DRIVES AND CONTROLS OPERATION FOCUS: JSW Zofiowka
DECEMBER 2013
Informed and in-depth editorial on the world mining industry
www.im-mining.com
MINING TYRES
ITALIANTECHNOLOGY
REMOTE MINES
DRIVES ANDCONTROLS
OPERATION FOCUS:JSW Zofiowka
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CONTENTSDECEMBER 2013
AROUND THE WORLD 3 The Leader 4 World Prospects 59 Classifieds 60 Forthcoming events
DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 1
COVER: Stellar Industries
The first Stellar TM20165 was recently put into service in an open pit coal minein the southwest of the US. The Stellar TM20165 is the world's largest truck-mounted OTR tyre manipulator. Capable of handling tyre and rim combinationsweighing up to 20,000 lbs,ithas over 24 ft of reach capability, andat thisreach ithas the capacityto mount and dismount outside as well as insideduals without repositioning the tyre manipulator truck. This feature is first ofits kind. The TM20165 has a clamping span of 44 in up to 165 in, withcontinuous manipulator pad rotation and 315 body rotation.www.stellarindustries.com
10 OPERATION FOCUS: JSW ZofiowkaPaul Moore visited the Borynia-Zofiowka-Jastrzebiemining complex near Rybnik in Upper Silesia, whereowner JSW is well advanced in ensuring the supply ofhard coking coal for the next 30 years of production.
16 DRIVES AND CONTROLSRobert Pell looks at the developments in drives andcontrols for mining equipment and recent installations.
24 OPTIMINEPaul Moore attended the second Optimine forum at theoperations of KWSA Bobrek-Centrum mine in Bytom,Poland, to hear about how new technologies are beingapplied in underground coal mining.
26 HALL OF FAME NOMINATIONS IIIn the second of a two part article, John Chadwickoutlines the story behind more of the shortlistednominations to the International Mining TechnologyHall of Fame.
32 ROCK TOOLSRobert Pell takes a snapshot of how developments inrock tools are leading to improved drilling productivityand accuracy.
36 REMOTE MININGThe right approach to logistics, infrastructure andpower is vital to the success of setting up remotemining operations, reports Paul Moore.
42 MINING TYRESPaul Moore reports that on the whole, the market forlarge mining tyres is mixed, with increased availabilityof larger sizes and lower spot market prices.Maintenance and service is another key area, with alot of new products increasing efficiencies.
50 ITALIAN TECHNOLOGYItalian mining is mainly industrial minerals, beingsignificant globally in feldspar (24% of world output),pumice (18%), gypsum (3%), bentonite (2%), lime(2%), and cement (1%). Its industrial sector accountsfor about 24% of the GDP and includes someimportant suppliers to the mining industry, reportsJohn Chadwick.
56 HIGH PROFILE BIA OVERSEASPaul Moore spoke to Eric Perben, General Manager atBIA Overseas, about its unique experience insupplying and supporting mining equipment in Westand Central Africa.
DECEMBER 2013
Informed and in-depth editorial on the world mining industry
www.im-mining.com
MINING TYRESITALIANTECHNOLOGYREMOTE MINESNEW HORIZONSDRIVES ANDCONTROLS
OPERATION FOCUS:JSW Zofiowka
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Turquoise Hill Resources, the Rio Tinto-
controlled 66% owner of the Oyu Tolgoi
copper-gold project in Mongolia, recently
provided a status update relating to discussions
with the Government of Mongolia, as well as the
timing and availability of project financing. While
progress has been made in continuing
discussions, it is still not entirely clear when the
wider underground project will be approved or
when the expansion feasibility study will be
finalised. The statement said: All parties are
working together to resolve all remaining issues,
including the sharing of economic value from the
project, clarification of initial development and
construction costs, access to water, and the
timing, completion and Oyu Tolgoi LLC shareholder
approval of the feasibility study for the expansion
of operations. Given the delays, the company is
also looking to raise another $2.4 billion from a
rights offering, which is required to repay a
bridging loan as well as maintaining other interim
funding agreements with Rio Tinto. The
government owns 34% of the project and has said
parliamentary approval will be needed for further
financing, meaning the final project finance plan
will not be completed in 2013.
On the plus side, work continues on the
optimisation of the underground mine design and
construction plan and finalisation of the feasibility
study. Progress on the surface mining operations
has been consistent. The Oyu Tolgoi concentrator
has been achieving a throughput capacity of above
95% of during the third quarter of 2013 and is now
operating at nameplate capacity of approximately
100,000 t/d. The surface operations continue to
ramp up and are now expected to produce
between 72,000 and 77,000 t of copper
concentrate for 2013. In addition, by the end of
2013, Oyu Tolgoi expects 90% of its employees will
be Mongolian nationals in line with investment
agreement requirements.
For some juniors active in the country, it is back
to square one, after the government earlier
annulled 106 exploration licences as part of a
corruption investigation into former government
officials accused of illegally issuing them in 2008
and 2009. It has been estimated that the move will
hit 11 foreign and 67 domestic exploration
companies. One of those affected is Kincora
Copper, through the licences for its North Fox and
Tourmaline Hills projects, though its flagship
Bronze Fox licence is unaffected.
For its part, the government regards progress
with mining as steady, particularly with regard to
discussions relating to a new Minerals Law, and its
own flexibility in working
with industry. In an
interview with Elite Special
Sections recently,
Altangerel Bulgaa, the
Ambassador to the US for
Mongolia said of the
changes to the regulatory
and legislative framework for mining investment in
the country: In May 2012, the Parliament enacted
Strategic Entities Foreign Investment Law (SEFIL)
with the aim of tightening regulations regarding
foreign participation in strategic sectors such as
mining, banking and finance, media and
telecommunications. Under the SEFIL,
parliamentary approval was required, if the
shareholding by a private foreign direct investor in
a business entities operating in sectors of strategic
importance exceeds 49% and the investment at
the time is greater than 100 billion MNT
[Mongolian Tugriks, equates to about $75
million]the law was heavily criticised by investors
and seen as one of the key factors in a fall in
foreign investment in Mongolia. Therefore, the
government proposed to amend the law in order to
make foreign direct investment more transparent
and simple. In April, the Parliament amended the
law so that the threshold of 100 billion MNT has
been removed. Also, privately-owned foreign
companies are exempt from the scope of the law
and only foreign state-owned entities need the
Parliaments approval for purchases of stakes of
more than 49% of entities in sectors of strategic
importance. He added that in order to reduce the
negative effects of the rapid growth in the mining
industry on environment, the government is
discussing adopting a new Minerals Law. A draft of
the new mineral law has been initiated by the
President of Mongolia and is now available for
public consideration. Bulgaa concluded: I know
there have been concerns over the law and draft
laws regarding foreign investment and in particular
the mining sector. Some investors have raised
concerns over Mongolias position on the Oyu
Tolgoi projectbut I am an optimistic person and
there is nothing to worry about with regard to the
investment environment in Mongolia. We maintain
a strong democratic society with a readiness and
capability to discuss any issue with our partners,
and we will not take steps back instead we look
forward to a bright future and prosperity with the
involvement of our foreign partners.
Paul Moore
Editor
PublisherJohn Chadwick B.Sc. Min EngEmail: [email protected]
EditorPaul Moore B.Sc (Hons), M.Sc.Email: [email protected]
Assistant EditorRobert Pell B.Sc. (Hons)Email: [email protected]
Editorial BoardProfessor Malcolm ScobleRobert E. Hallbauer Chair in Mining Engineering., University of BC, Vancouver
Jeff RoschykVice President Service, P&H Mining, USA
Peter KnightsBMA Chair & Prof. of Mining Engineering University of Queensland
Stephen StoneWest One ManagementPerth, Western Australia
Dr. Andrew M. RobertsonPresident, Robertson GeoConsultants Vancouver, Canada.
Ed McCordProject ConsultantCaterpillar Global Mining, USA
Jason NitzMining Engineer
Dr Terry MudderManaging Director, TIMES Ltd, USA
Simon TarbuttConsultant, Santiago, Chile
Dr. Mike DanielComminution Process Consultant CMD Consulting Pty Ltd
Editorial Enquiries:Tel: +44 (0)1442 870 829Fax +44 (0)1442 870 617
Advertising Sales:Phil PlayleEmail: [email protected]+44 1442 87 77 77
Advertising ProductionLynne LaneEmail: [email protected]
Publishing ConsultantRobin Peach
Design & ProductionTrevor SheldonEmail: [email protected]
Website:www.im-mining.com
Annual Subscription Enquiries:Emma SmithEmail: [email protected]
Annual SubscriptionUK and Europe 160, 230Rest of the world US$270
International Mining (ISSN No: 1747-146X) ispublished monthly by Team Publishing Ltd, GBRand is distributed in the USA by Asendia USA,17B South Middlesex Avenue, Monroe NJ 08831and additional mailing offices. Periodicalspostage paid at New Brunswick NJ.POSTMASTER: send address changes toInternational Mining, 17B South MiddlesexAvenue, Monroe NJ 08831
Printed by The Manson Group, St Albans Team Publishing Ltd 2013
ISSN 1747 -146X
DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 3
IM uses, as preference, SI units throughout, so, for example, all
tonnes are metric unless otherwise stated.All dollars are US unless otherwise stated
THE LEADER VOLUME 9 NUMBER 12
Mongolia matters
WORLD PROSPECTS
4 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013
GE Mining launched new undergroundmining equipment at the China Coal &Mining Expo 2013 in Beijing in October.
CEO Geoff Knox said the new technologies areproviding innovative solutions to take mineoperational performance to the next level, addressenvironmental issues while driving economicgrowth.
China Coal was a successful show for GEMining, everything we wanted people to beinterested in, they were. On display was GEs Industrea LHD loader, a
safe, purpose built vehicle with best practiceergonomic designs. The operators cabin cansignificantly reduce the risk of occupationalworking injury and increases operator visibility,combined with the advanced motion control. The LHD features a centre mount adjustable
height cabin with a swivel seat to allow theoperator to face the direction of travel and accessto the cabin outside of the articulation zone,which greatly improves operator safety ascompared with the traditional loader. Designed with multiple implement
functionalities the unit has increased towing,lifting and carrying capacities.
Its Tier 3 diesel enginesystem also minimisesemissions in the confines ofunderground coal mines. At GE Mining we are
committed to delivering safeand productivity-enhancingmining equipment to ourcustomers and addressingtheir needs under the mostchallenging environments, Knox said. Also on show was the companys new
continuous miner. Built for low seam mining thenew F330 can selectivity cut and load low-ash coalon the first swing. Knox said the F330 continuousminer is built to improve productivity. By havingthe ability to perform a full-faced centre cut thatoffers 40% more cutting per lift, GEs FairchildF330 increases productivity while optimisingventilation and safety, Knox said. The F330 continuous miner is centre-placed
with true wet head cutters allowing room for air tosweep across the face and dilute dust andmethane. Its unique double helix shearer allowsmine operators to follow the coal seam and stayout of the rock by engaging in full seam or
selective mining of cleaner coal,GE Mining reports. The result islower out-of-seam dilutions underthe harshest conditions, whichreduces maintenance costs andimprove our customers bottomline. Also attracting interest at the
Expo was GE Industreas drillguidance system (DGS) which hasbeen developed for in-seamdirectional gas drainage,dewatering and exploration. TheDGS is operated entirely using a
touch screen and the uphole computer whichautomatically displays the screens relevant to thecurrent operation, enabling the operator to quicklyaccess the specific functions required. DGS is an accurate and reliable survey tool
with international results to back it up. Over1,500,000 m has been drilled using DGS systemsthroughout the world, in countries includingChina, Australia, Russia, South Africa and Japan,the company says. GEs Durathon battery technology, also on
display, features a number of benefits that makethe technology faster, cleaner and better thantraditional batteries, including at least 30% moreoperating range. The battery is 25% smaller and50% lighter than traditional batteries, accordingto GE Mining. Its also safer as it does not releasehydrogen or other flammable gasses duringnormal operation. GE is implementing the technology in its new
powered scoop which it says will provide greatertractive torque, increased tram speeds, lessheating from electrical drive, reduced motor andcable maintenance costs and twice the battery lifeof traditional 128 v DC powered scoops. Its exciting to combine GEs breadth of
engineering, propulsion and motor leadershipwith its energy storage expertise to benefit themining industry in a significant way, Knox said.www.ge.com/mining
GE Mining launches new underground equipment
As more mines go underground, theintroduction of a new ramp design tool inthe GEMS Tunnel Design Module vastly
simplifies the current ramp design process byeliminating many small repetitive tasks, rollingthem into one easy step. Offering a more agileworkflow, GEMS users will also benefit from theability to make changes throughout the designprocess, removing the need to start again whenchanges are necessary. Additionally, the RampDesign tool saves time by selecting the mostcommonly used ramp styles from a range ofpre-configured templates, allowing rapidevaluation and scheduling of the resource,enabling quicker overall mine design.Additional new features include: Regrade-a-line feature allows specified gradeparameters to be preserved when movinglines or segments to new positions,
Gradient Smoothing removes the need tomanually digitise incrementally changing
segments with the ability to mergeintersections with an existing tunnelcentreline so that line segments transitionsmoothly
Quick view options (XY,YZ,XZ buttons) allowthe user to quickly navigate to axis-orientedviews.The new tools in GEMS are great
especially the quick views, which provide amore flexible and intuitive way to view data.The new Ramp Design and Regrade-a-line toolsare also very helpful in reducing the time ittakes to create ramp designs," said SamuelAmoh, Mine Planning Engineer, DundeePrecious Metals.GEMS provides collaborative geology and
mine planning capabilities that support cross-functional teams involved in exploration,modelling, mine design, long-term planning,and production scheduling. InSite 4.4 aims to advance reconciliation
capabilities for mining operations. The companysays InSite delivers advanced reconciliationtools to analyse the variance between plannedand actual production, helping mines improvetheir operational efficiency, lower costs andgain greater confidence in their productiondata, resulting in better planning decisions. InSite 4.4 offers further advances for mine
operations managers, engineers and geologiststo quickly and effectively reconcile largequantities of production data. Enhancements toShift Management, Central Monitoring and thenew Inspect and Correct feature, focus onhelping users overcome the challenge ofidentifying variances and improving thereliability and confidence in their data betweenplanned and actual production. This latestrelease makes it easier to justify and implementchanges to models, engineering assumptions oroperational processes to make plans moreaccurate and achievable.
Major software releases from Dassault Systmes- Geovia InSite 4.4 and GEMS 6.6
GE Mining's new LHD
The new continuous miner
6 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013
WORLD PROSPECTS
News just in that missed the deadline forlast months flotation article is thatFloLevel Technologies, an innovator of
level measurement products, has launched anew self-cleaning acoustic level and flowanalyser for flotation cells. The company saysthis new technology accurately measurespulp/slurry interface and froth height, as well asfroth density and froth flow rate, to providevaluable process feedback to the controlsystem. The accuracy of the FloLevel system willoptimise the mineral recovery in flotation cellsand significantly cut costs.The new FloLevel array transducers are not
affected by colour, density, dielectric, or by thetype of mineral they are recovering. They areself-cleaning and self-checking. The transducersemit extremely high powered acoustic soundpulses independently into the cell at low audible
levels. The pulse amplitude is great enough tocause a phenomenon calledrarefaction, which causes cavitationto be produced from the array transducerdiaphragms as they pulse. The cavitationbubbles oscillate in front of the diaphragm,which cause implosionsthat generate highenergy levels.We have focused on
developing products that canwork in very tough miningenvironments. Flotation cellshave a history of scale andsoluble build-up issues onany device that is installed in thepulp/slurry, froth areas. The FloLevelarray transducers use active ultrasoniccleaning to remove soluble and insoluble
scaling and build-up. This means they willwork consistently and accuratelyproviding instantaneous feedback on ore
characteristic changes, says RobertStirling, Owner and inventor of FloLevelTechnologies. The system is easy to install from the top
of the cell and easy to calibrate. It comes withan adjustable 316SS bracket, with flangemounting options and a colour displaycontroller mounted in a stainless steelenclosure. It can be used for measurementsin all types of cell, with depths greater than6,000 mm and the resolution accuracyoptions available are 2, 15 and 25 mm.Various output capability options areavailable, like 4 x 4-20 Ma, Modbus, ProfiBus,Foundation FieldBus, DeviceNet, andEthernet. www.flo-level.com
Optimal mineral recovery in flotation cells
In order to improve data integrity andeliminate islands of information, Trafigura
Mining Group (MATSA)implemented Geovia InSite. Timely,validated and correct productioninformation is now available.Controlled reporting and dataintegration is automated andanalysis of planned versus actualore produced helps to ensure thatthe mine is operating withinperformance parameters. InSiteintroduces best reconciliationpractises into our company allowingimprovements to models, plans orprocesses, efficiency gains andimproved product delivery, statedRoberto Vargas, Advisor Mining
Technical Solutions at MATSA.InSite 4.4 highlights include:
A new Inspect and Correct feature helps touncover errors that may exist in operationaldata. Highly flexible and easyto-use, thefeature allows users to create various viewsof data and perform calculations on thedifferent views to test the accuracy of thedata and to make necessary corrections.
Updates to the Shift Management moduleenable users to more accurately manage thedetailed plan for each shift by closelymonitoring near real-time progress of theplan through new views of the shift data andmake ongoing amendments, as needed.
Central Monitoring enhancements provide anew dimension for reconciliation bycomparing the progress of operationalactivities against plan to quickly identifychanges through an interactive map of theoperation. www.gemcomsoftware.com
InSite 4 4
Dando Drilling new wireline core and sonic drilling rigs
Dando Drilling International, part ofEnergold Drilling, has launched a newwireline coring rig designed for exploration
drilling to depths of 1,200 m and with a pullbackcapacity of 9,000 kgf. The compact and robustDando Coretec 9000 has been specificallydesigned for deep wireline core drilling and it hasthe ability to collect quality core samples whileoperating on a small footprint. The machinecombines a long stroke of 4 m with a traditionalchuck and clamp arrangement enabling the rig tofill a 3 m core barrel in one pass.Managing Director of Dando Drilling
International, Martin Fitch-Roy, explains: TheCoretec 9000 has been launched as a lightweight,compact and cost effective solution for coredrilling to great depths in remote areas of limitedspace.It features a small drilling footprint and is
crawler track mounted as standard but alsoavailable on 4x4 truck, trailer, skid or customer's
own support vehicle. Other features: Mast dump to 45o Arm mounted drilling control On board flush pump Hydraulic winch High-torque high-speed rotary head withhydraulic side shift and tilt.Also, Dando has been collaborating with Sonic
Drill Corporation to bring a brand new light,
compact sonic drilling rig to the market. SonicDrill, established for over 35 years, is a marketleader in sonic drilling. Ray Roussy, President ofSonic Drilling is the patent holder and thedeveloper of modern day sonic drilling and hasbeen nominated for the International MiningTechnology Hall of Fame Exploration category.The new Sonic SDC375 machine, now available
for purchase through Dando, features the Sonicdrill head which, Dando says, is unrivalled byother competitors for its performance andreliability. The SDC375, like all Dando rigs, isdesigned to be robust and reliable and alsoboasts a small footprint allowing it to operate intight spaces as well as fit inside a standard sizedcontainer for easy transportation.Sonic drilling boasts many advantages over
conventional drilling including being faster,requiring less drilling fluid, continuous highquality coring and greatly reduced hole deviation.www.dando.co.uk
Coretec 9000
Fluids for hard work
Atlas Copco lubricants and greases a cost-effective solutionTodays round-the-clock mining operations and shorter maintenance intervals require equipment to work harder and longer. To protect your equipment from accelerated component wear and failure, Atlas Copco offers high-quality, fit-for-purpose lubricants and greases. Our fluids are specially formulated to realize the increased volume and production speed that todays mining equipment technologies can offer.
Choose a cost-effective maintenance solution choose Atlas Copco lubricants and greases.
Learn more at www.atlascopco.com
WORLD PROSPECTS
8 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013
Volvo Construction Equipments F-SeriesFull Suspension articulated haulers areavailable with the companys
revolutionary On Board Weighing (OBW)technology. The OBW system providescustomers with a new insight intomachine productivity by providingpreviously inaccessible information suchas the weight of carry-back left in thebody after tipping.Fully automatic, the OBW system logs
all transported loads and the ensuingdata is then clearly presented on theoperators display. The information canalso be accessed remotely using Volvosadvanced CareTrack telematics system.Any approved user with a CareTracklogin can benefit from complete payloadmanagement with access to productiondata such as total transported load intonnes, tonnes transported per litre offuel and number of cycles. The easy-to-understand daily, weekly and monthly reportshelp to optimise performance. By measuring thenumber of cycles, total mass moved and loadefficiency, the site manager can compare andimprove operator performance and productivitythrough training. This information also makes iteasy for mining customers to keep track of jobspecific targets and helps when planning futureprojects.OBW-equipped haulers are fitted with a load
indicator light mounted outside the machine.The light is clearly visible to the operator of thewheel loader or excavator loading the hauler. Ayellow light comes on when at part load, thischanges to green at nominal load and finallyturns red when overloaded. This simple toolincreases safety by helping to prevent
overloading and the machine wear, tyre damageand excess fuel consumption that go with it. Thefunction also helps to prevent the machine frombeing operated with too small a load ensuringmaximum productivity and fuel efficiency. The
nominal load can be preset to suit material andsite requirements.Also now available from Volvo, the Full
Suspension system, now available on the A35and A40, increases operator comfort but alsoallows the hauler to be driven safely faster thisalso increases productivity. The system monitorsthe input of weight on the hauler from datatransmitted by the pressure sensors that formpart of the Full Suspension system. Thisinformation is relayed to load softwareintegrated into the machines electronics.Algorithms in the software help to provide anexceptional level of accuracy. The system is fullyhydraulic. Instead of standard bogie beams,rubber springs and shock absorbers, sixhydraulic cylinders one for each wheel connect the machines frame and wheel axles.
The cylinders move independently of each other,increasing machine stability on rough haulroads. The cylinders are connected toaccumulators which are the spring part of thesystem that generate the suspension action.This increases operator comfort, allowing thehauler to be driven safely faster therebyincreasing productivity.
Volvo CE studies have proven thatduring the empty part of the haulcycle, a Full Suspension hauler canbe operated at more than doublethe speed of a standard hauler whilestill maintaining the same level ofcomfort. Mining customers canreduce the number of machines andoperators in their fleet while stillmaintaining the same productionrate.Volvo CEs Full Suspension
haulers deliver a smooth and steadyperformance when operating bothwith and without a load. This isachieved through two low and two
high pressure accumulators which areconnected to cylinders on the trailer unit. Whenthe machine is driven empty, the low pressureaccumulators provide suspension. When themachine is driven loaded, the low pressureaccumulators bottom out and suspension isprovided by the high pressure accumulators. Onboth the trailer and the tractor unit, thecylinders plus sides on one side are connectedto the minus sides on the opposite side. Thisprovides the machine with exceptional stability.Another aspect of Volvo CEs Full Suspensionsystem is the automatic levelling function. Sixlevel sensors two on each A-frame monitorthe frame in relation to the axles and signal thehydraulic system to adjust the suspension. Thisoptimises stability and keeps the machine levelregardless of the load. www.volvoce.com
Volvo on-board weighing technology
Another ThyssenKrupp fully mobile IPCC system commissioned
On September 17, 2013, Baiyinhua Coalheld the official ceremony to celebratethe putting into operation of the first of
four fully mobile IPCC systems at the Baiyinhuacoal field. This first system is being used toremove overburden with a nominal capacity of6,000 t/h and comprises a crawler-mountedcrusher (MC 6000), a mobile conveyor bridgeand a hopper car with cable reel car. Theequipment is designed to operate underextreme climatic conditions as temperatures fallto -40C in winter.A large Bucyrus (Caterpillar) 495HD rope
shovel with a capacity of 50 m3feeds thehopper of the crushing plant, which is equippedwith a double-roll crusher. After crushing, thematerial is continuously transported with beltconveyors, eliminating the need for conventionaltruck transport. Application of this advancedmining equipment shall generate Baiyinhua CoalCorporation a long term economic benefit,
promoting thedevelopment of coalproduction, Liu Yi,Deputy GM of MengdongEnergy, pointed out in hisspeech at the ceremony.It is planned that the
other three crushingsystems will be put intooperation before 2015.Two of them will also beused to removeoverburden with acapacity of 6,000 t/h each. One crushing systemwith a capacity of 3,000 t/h will be used for coalmining. ThyssenKrupp is responsible for thedesign, engineering and construction of all fourcrushing systems.The company states: Demand for fully
mobile in-pit crushing systems is growing inlarge open pit mining operations around the
world. The Mining business unit atThyssenKrupp Resource Technologiesdeveloped these plants for combined use withpower shovels. Fully mobile crushers arepowered exclusively by electricity. In the presentcase annual carbon dioxide emissions can be cutby up to 100,000 t. www.thyssenkrupp-resource-technologies.com
The JSW Group is the largest producer of
high quality type 35 hard coking coal in
Europe and a significant coke producer.
Jastrzebska Spolka Wglowa SA (JSW) wasestablished in April 1993 as one of the seven
coal companies founded at that time. It
consisted of seven independently functioning
mining companies, which were transformed into
a state company, ie a company wholly owned by
the State Treasury. Since then a significant
proportion of the company has been privatised,
but the state retains 57% ownership and overall
control of the group. Reduction of the state
holding to 34% is being considered, but the
state would retain corporate governance under
these plans.
In 2012, the JSW was the only domestic
producer of type 35 hard coking coal and a
major producer of type 34 semi-soft coal. In
Poland, type 34 coking coal is also produced by
Kompania Weglowa, whose Bobrek-Centrum
mine was also visited by IM and will be included
in a future issue. JSWs share in the total
domestic production of coking coal is 80% (66%
in type 35 coking coal and 14% in type 34 coal)
and approximately 6% in the domestic
production of steam coal.
JSW is composed of four hard coal mines: the
Borynia-Zofiowka-Jastrzebie complex visited by
IM, as well as Budryk, Krupinski, and Pniowek,
where coking coal and steam coal is mined. The
group also has a Material Logistics Centre. In
2012, 9.5 Mt of coking coal were produced,
including 7.7 Mt of type 35 coking coal and 4 Mt
of steam coal. In 2012, some 3.8 Mt of coke was
also produced at JSWs own coke plants. The
company estimates that this year's (2013)
production of coal may well exceed 13.5 Mt,
adding: JSW may fulfil this plan with a slight
overrun, despite some problems encountered in
Q3 with launching production on a new wall in
one of the mines. As a result of efficiency
measures implemented since the beginning of
the year, the company has managed to reduce
the unit cost of coal production, excluding
depreciation and labour cost, vis-a-vis 2012.
The financial performance of the group is
benefiting from a marked improvement in coking
coal prices from earlier in 2013.
JSW mines contain approximately 0.56 billion
tonnes of documented recoverable reserves of
coal. The group intends to enlarge the
operational resource base to maintain a strong
position in international markets over the next
60 years.
Expansion plansThe JSW Borynia-
Zofiwka-Jastrzebie
mine really consists of
three mines in one
Borynia, Zofiwka and
Jas-Mos, which were
linked in production
terms to bring down
costs, increase
productivity and achieve
better utilisation of
mining equipment. The
whole complex is
currently well advanced
in preparing operations for the next 30 years of
production (until 2051), with one of the most
significant investments to date being a new
shaft that is being sunk some 5 km from the
existing Zofiowka shaft as part of an ongoing
process to open up new deposits of coking coal.
This process of opening and utilising new
resources started in 2005 to access the Bzie-
Dbina 1-Zachod and Bzie-Dbina 2-Zachoddeposits from the 1,110m level. The resources
planned to be accessed from this level amount
to some 98.6 Mt. After their extraction,
resources down to the 1,300 m level will be
extracted. The deposits contain mainly type 35
hard coking coal. In addition, in Zofiwka itself,
the development of the 1,080 m mining level
that started in 2006 continues, which includes
resources estimated at 47 Mt. The complex
employs some 11,000 workers, not including
contractors. Aside from the key development
and longwall production equipment, men and
materials are transported underground mainly
by suspended monorails from Becker Mining,
SMT Scharf and Ferrit.
Kopex subsidiary and shaft sinking specialist
PBSz is carrying out the work on the new shaft.
In conjunction with this, lateral underground
development is taking place from existing
working areas to link up with the new shaft,
which will be used to transport men and
materials. The new shaft does not represent a
new mine, with the project forming part of a
major mine expansion/extension of existing
operations. At the time of the IM visit, the new
shaft had reached some 475 m, with a final
depth of 1,100 m. Completion is expected by
end-2016, with production commencing in 2017
from the new area. Ultimately, this will include
two new shearers and a new plow working on
three new faces.
All three mines have had their own production
shaft and washing plant to date, however, the
10 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013
Coking coals bright future
Paul Moore visited the Borynia-Zofiowka-Jastrzebiemining complex near Rybnik in Upper Silesia, whereowner JSW is well advanced in ensuring the supply ofhard coking coal for the next 30 years of production
The main JSW Zofiowka shaft, Upper Silesia
OPERATION FOCUS
Becker-Warkop crushermodel used at JSW
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ON A MASSIVE SCALE
shaft at the Jas-Mos operation will eventually
close, with production from there diverted to the
main production shaft at Zofiowka after the
Zofiowka and Jas-Mos mines are connected
underground through new headings. Going
forward, processing will also be focussed at the
Zofiowka wash plant, which is being modernised
and expanded to handle 17,000 t/d.
DevelopmentLateral development for longwall panels is
conducted by engineering contractor PRS, the
owner and operator of the Sandvik MR620 (the
former AM105), which is the largest roadheader
model in the companys mining range. At JSW
the machine has been achieving advance rates
in the order of 5 m/d, which reflects the time
taken for steel rib installation as well as the
geological conditions; but is still much higher
than would be possible with other models. At
KGHM, the MH620 which is a similar type of
machine but used for hard rock applications has
achieved advance rates of between 15-20 m/d in
copper ore in much harder conditions with the
rock hardness exceeding 180 MPa with bolting
used as the only roof support. JSW Vice-
President of the Management Board for
Technical Matters, Jerzy Borecki told IM he has
been very happy with the ability of the MR620
machine to handle the difficult conditions, which
includes the ability to cut waste sandstone in
excess of 120 MPa hardness using the ICUTROC
technology that delivers a low cutting speed for
high torque and low dust generation during
cutting. Machine features include the robust
telescopic cutter boom with optimum cutting
power application and the ability to sump-in
without tramming. It can also excavate a very
straight face, even in high profiles. A
proportional load sensing hydraulic system
allows for the optimum
utilisation of energy
and a high pressure
pick flushing system
makes for efficient dust
suppression and
cooling of cutting tools.
Finally, it also has a
modular design,
allowing for easier
maintenance and
assembly/ disassembly.
Other models used in the mine include
smaller Remag R-2000 (Famur) and other
Sandvik types such as the MR300 (former
AM75), though in both cases these are leased
by JSW. As stated the MR620 model was chosen
due to difficult geological conditions in the part
of the mine where it is
operating, as well as
dealing with harder
waste material. During
the visit, IM went
down the main
Zofiowka shaft to the
900 m level then
laterally 10 km to
within 400 m of the
new shaft bottom,
where development is
currently focussed on
the main ventilation
infrastructure for
future planned
longwall faces, which
includes the
installation of new
Korfmann fans. The
standard Polish
system of using steel arches for roof support is
used. Initially the face is drilled horizontally by
PRS and the methane gas piped to surface for
use in power generation for the wider mining
complex. For conveyor clean-up behind the
active faces, the complex has a fleet of side
dump loaders from Sandvik, Deilmann Haniel
and Ferrit.
ProductionIn terms of the actual longwalls operated by the
mine, Zofiowka currently operates three faces,
along with three also at Borynia and three at
Jas-Mos. These are extracted using a total of
eight shearers and one plow system. The
shearer equipment consists of one Joy shearer,
six Kopex shearers and the plow from
Caterpillar. The Cat plow system is the model
GH800 which operates at the Zofiowka mine on
a 250 m face with 1.2-1.5 m seam height at a
depth of 900 m. A second GH800 plow system
recently finished its work in coal faces at the
Zofiowka and Jas-Mos mines and was moved to
the Pniowek mine to work in a face of similar
dimensions. JSW was the first company to use a
plow in 20 years in Poland and has consistently
achieved production rates of 4,000 t/d but up to
6,000 t/d has been reached in ideal conditions,
where there are no methane or seismic issues.
The Kopex equipment mainly consists of KSW
(such as the KSW-1140E) longwall shearers from
ZZM together with crushers, Tagor powered roof
supports, Rybnik AFCs and Ryfama conveyor
systems as well as electrical equipment from
Elgr+Hansen. The highest face the Kopex
shearers are exploiting is 5.3 m high.
Coal marketsJSW's coking coal is used mainly in the
production of coke for steel production. At its
own coke plants, the JSW Group processes
approximately 45% of the coking coal it
produces, which enables it to offer a final
product that is more processed and of higher
value. The company is also a producer of steam
coal, sold mainly to power plants and CHP
plants.
The products are purchased by customers
from Poland as well as from Germany, Austria,
the Czech Republic, Slovakia, India, and Brazil.
Major external customers for the coking coal
offered by the group include ArcelorMittal
Poland, voestalpine Stahl, Moravia Steel, US
Steel and Koksownia Czstochowa Nowa. Coking coal accounts for approximately 70%
of JSWs sales structure. The remaining portion
OPERATION FOCUS
12 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013
Machine weight 128 t
Machine length 15.5 m
Machine height 2.5 m
Cutting height 5.4-5.9 m
Cutting width 7.9-8.9 m
Total installed power 540 kW
Cutter motor power 300 kW
Sandvik MR620 specifications
Construction of the new men and materialsshaft headframe at the Borynia-Zofiowka-Jastrzebie complex. The shaft itself will becompleted in 2016
Diesel hydraulic floor mounted rack-and-pinion railway KSZS
Diesel suspended monorail with frictional-toothed drive KPCZ-148
Diesel suspended monorail with toothed drive KPZS-148
Diesel driven suspended monorail KP-96
Pushing device UPP
Electric floor mounted rack-and-pinion railway KSZ
Powered roof supports BW 17/43
Crusher KD BW 800/1200
Becker-Warkop equipment at JSW Zofiowka
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includes high-calorie steam coal dust (0-20 mm)
and small quantities of coal in other grain sizes
(0-200 mm ungraded coal; flotation concentrate;
0-1 mm slurry).
Strategies and technologiesFor larger mining equipment Poland has a public
tender system in place that requires three offers
to be considered. Generally the OEMs will meet
the mining department to discuss their needs
before making a final offer, with a final decision
being made on the criteria of price, quality,
delivery and payment terms and productivity
elements such as stated production per hour.
The challenge is that for larger equipment such
as roadheaders and shearers, there is only a
small pool of OEMs to choose from so it
represents quite a strategic decision in terms of
future service and maintenance needs as well as
the level of new technology being offered. Of
course, any new designs of equipment must
also be certified to be used in Poland. This can
create issues where the mine wants to utilise a
technology not currently used in the country
as an example the group looked at using a
particular type of underground drill but the
certification process took over two years.
As far as new mining methods go, due to the
levels of methane encountered within the
mining complex, it is not possible to use
continuous miners at JSW as this would require
the excavation of more headings. Neither can
bolter miners be used due to the necessary
methane gas removal ahead of the face. Borecki
told IM: To date we havent seen any mining
method globally that would improve our
development performance taking our mine
conditions, depth and high temperatures into
account.
That said a lot of
work is going into
innovation on the
longwall side. JSW is
looking at introducing
more automation as
an example an
automated Kopex
KSW-460NE-1 has
been used at the
Pniowek mine, also
operated by JSW, for
seams of small and
medium thickness,
making it possible to
obtain substantially
higher production than
the results obtained to
date in longwalls with
similar parameters. The shearer was installed in
longwall C-1 in seam 404/1 and is now working
at the C-2 operation. However, automating
shearers does come with difficulties, particularly
with regard to the ability of sensors and
cameras to handle dust. Like any other mine
we want to see the automation benefits in terms
of less people in hazardous areas, lower costs
and higher productivity, said Borecki. This does
not only apply to longwalls, as the Sandvik
roadheaders now used are largely remote
controlled so that miners do not have to be
close to the face during actual excavation. More
precise positioning in the development heading
is also now possible. The Remag R-2000
machines at the mine are also remotely
controlled.
The Jas-Mos part of the mine has conducted
operational tests on a longwall shearer called
Mikrus, that was developed by Kopex to extract
low seams. This solution is an alternative to
plows and is used to mine thin seams with a
thickness of 1.1 m to 1.5 m, especially those that
are irregular with a lot of waste where plows can
struggle. The system is outfitted with a GUL-500
cutting and loading head with two cutting
bodies, which is moved on a Ryfama S-850N
longwall conveyor along the coal side wall using
a flexible connector system under sections of a
Kopex 095/17-POz mechanised shield. The
entire system is powered and controlled through
an integrated system outfitted with a central
pulpit placed at the operator's position, which is
situated in the conveyor road.
The move to mine lower faces with equipment
designed for this purpose is a real focus in
Poland due to the access to previously
unmineable seams that it gives. JSW has a lot of
low seams, including those in older mines that
have been left as 20 or 30 years ago the right
equipment was not available. The assessment of
the new Mikrus system is a key development in
this process.
The approach to longwall moves has also
changed. The extensive suspended monorails
and ground rail systems that have been installed
are capable not only of moving men and general
materials but can transport an entire 20 t roof
support. Tenders for monorails today specify
that they must be able to handle equipment
moves of this weight, so for those suppliers this
is also an important aspect of future planning.
Finally, as JSW and other mines in Poland go
deeper, the seismic challenges will only
increase, so consideration of ground support
needs for the future is needed. This may include
the use of higher quality steel in steel arches,
and possibly the use of new bolting/resin/
mesh/shotcreting strategies. IM
OPERATION FOCUS
14 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013
Cutting head of Sandvik MR620 roadheaderoperating at Borynia-Zofiowka-Jastrzebie
The Kopex Mikrus low seamlongwall system during testing at
JSW Jas-Mos
tele pT E L E - R E M O T E M I N I N G S Y S T E M S
HARD-LINE.COM 705.855.1310 or [email protected]
from
We can TELEOP it.
Drives and motors are used to power an
array of equipment in mining operations,
from conveyors, and crushing/grinding
equipment to flotation cells and pumps. The
major challenges associated with powering
mining equipment is the increased scale of
operations and the accompanying requirement
for increased power, whilst maintaining
reliability. There are a range of companies that
provide drives and motors for the mining
industry, some of which are mining specific
whilst others cover a range of industries.
New developmentsThe drive selection for conveyors in mining can
have a large impact on many aspects of a mining
operation. Gearless drives are a proven
technology with both mills and hoists, but are
now being integrated into conveyor drive
systems with the aim of reducing maintenance
work in the field. Instead maintenance on drives
can be completed in repair shops due to the
special base frame that the motor is mounted
on. ABB has been one of the groups at the
forefront of these gearless developments and
has experience in providing geared drives for
large conveyors in mining operations around the
world. ABB noted that one of the important
considerations on larger drives is that as the
length of conveyors increases, so does the
demand for soft, controlled starting and stable
operation, optimised process control and
increased efficiency. ABB recently announced
the acquisition of Alstoms ring motor business
to further enhance its GMD offering. ABB
believes that demand for GMD systems will
grow due to decreasing ore grades and more
complex ore bodies requiring the grinding of
increased amounts of material. GMDs reduce
the amount of components used on a
conventional mill drive system. The gearless
motor is a large synchronous machine which
uses power electronics and magnetic field to
control the speed of motor rotation. The
reduction of the interaction between mechanical
parts increases efficiency and reliability, and
currently has a motor power which can reach 28
MW. Veli-Matti Reinikkala, Head of ABBs
Process Automation Division said: The
acquisition will combine the leading ring motor
product from Alstom with ABBs electrical
offering for GMD systems, enabling ABB to
enhance its position as a strong vertically-
integrated systems provider. The acquired
expertise and market strength will provide new
opportunities for growth.
South Africas Zest WEG Group has experience
in providing drives for mills and crushers in the
mining industry, but also offers solutions for
more standard applications such as pumps and
fans. Zest WEG recently introduced its new
range of 525 to 690 v Variable Speed Drives
(VSDs) with increased automation capabilities,
such as a built-in PLC and extended PLC
proficiency. These new VSDs cover a broader
power range than previously available and offer
a more modular design, which allows for
simplified maintenance, also made easier with
extended diagnostic capability. Zest WEG says it
has experienced particular success with its large
Medium Voltage (MV) AC drives for mill
applications, and the range has now been
extended up to 12 MW as a standard product
and even larger models are available on request.
These drives are built with a modular structure
that can be air or water cooled, and includes MV
drive topology for increased efficiency. MV soft
starter drives are also available for larger power
applications. WEG has also developed motor
drive combinations that are advantageous to
ventilation systems in mines, utilising
permanent magnet motors. This allows
equivalent power supply as from a standard AC
motor, but around one or two frames smaller,
allowing the motor to fit into the duct together
with the fan.
Johan van Niekerk, Zest WEG Group Manager
for Drives and Automation told IM: The
greatest challenge that Zest WEG faces is the
skills shortage in South Africa. The way we
overcome this is to follow the example WEG has
set over many years in Brazil, which is actually a
very similar country to South Africa in terms of
economy, development and environment. This is
to provide training for customers and to make
this training easily accessible and free of charge
encouraging as many people as possible to
attend. The success of this approach is
evidenced by the fact that 4,544 people have
been through the Zest WEG Groups training
centres in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town
and Rustenburg over the past five years. Were
presently establishing a new training centre in
Mpumalanga. He adds that the hardware side
of the drives business has not changed much in
the past five years, with dominating devices still
being IGBTs (insulated-gate bipolar transistors).
Instead, the main developments are taking place
in the areas of software, functionality and size.
Zest WEG recently received significant orders
from Kinsenda Copper in the DRC, Mopani
DRIVES AND CONTROLS
16 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013
Driving forward
Robert Pell looks at the developments indrives and controls for mining equipmentand recent installations
The Siemens gearless compact conveyor stationat Xstrata Antapaccay in Peru. A similarinstallation is undergoing commissioning atXstrata Las Bambas in Peru, along with afurther 5 x 5,000 kW project underway in Chileand due for completion in 2014
The history of ABB process control systems started 40 years ago. Since then, ABB continuously developed state-of-the-art solutions, such as ABBs System 800xA Minerals Library, which successfully operates more than 300 minerals processing and cement plants worldwide. Its suite of object-oriented software control modules enables an efficient and fully parameterized process control and power applications design. Our ability to reduce engineering complexity, minimize downtime and simplify fault-finding leads you to reduced operating costs, increased productivity and opera-tional excellence. For more information, visit us at www.abb.com/mining
Main Technology Center for electrical, control and instrumentation systems 5405 Baden 5 Dttwil, Switzerland [email protected]
Leading you to operational excellence?
Absolutely.
Copper in Zambia and the Magareng mine in
South Africa. These orders have seen several
hundred VSDs being supplied. Van Niekerk said
A customer in the copper sector recently
invested in ten large WEG MV VSDs for mill
drives. This was a co-engineered solution, in
that these drives are driving synchronous
motors and not standard AC motors. This is
the first application that I know of where
this has been done. Every year were involved
in co-engineering a variety of innovative
solutions with the mining industry, a pursuit
that has led to achievements such as the IP65
sealed panel for underground use in coal mines
and increasing the speed of conveyor belts
above nominal to facilitate increased
production.
Bonfiglioli, which has traditionally had a
strong presence in the construction and mining
sector, recently extended its range of mining
market drives by presenting the new travel
drives 724C and 726C. Bonfiglioli is now in the
prototyping stage and carrying out pre-series
development with an aim to commence mass
production in 2014. The 724C develops a
maximum torque of up to 450,000 Nm, and has
been designed for drilling rigs up to 300 t. The
726C transmits a maximum torque of up to
625,000 Nm, satisfying the travel drive needs of
excavators of up to 350 t and drilling rigs up to
400 t. Stefano Baldi, Global Sales Manager of
the Mobile
and Wind Business Unit
at Bonfiglioli said: We
are studying the natural
extension of our current drives in order to grant
to the customers a full product range. We are
targeting travel drives for shovel equipment with
experience in developing smaller models. Baldi
told IM that incorporating a new supply chain
and new technologies in to regular production in
the assembly area was the main challenge in
developing these two travel drives. The
reluctance of the worldwide mining market is
making many leading companies re-think/re-
engineer their own products, guiding them to
equipment specialists for advice on co-
engineering new products. This is one of the
winning characteristics of Bonfiglioli over the
other vendors.
Bauer Gear Motors has launched a new Ex-
approved, IE4 Super Premium Efficiency motor.
The new S Series is the latest development to
Bauers permanent magnet synchronous motor
(PMSM) motor range. The IE4 has the highest
achievable energy efficiency rating within the
motor technology, making the S Series the
most efficient motor that can be used in an
explosion hazardous area. Motors for use in
explosion hazardous areas are exempt from
the EU regulations on minimum energy
efficiency because, explosion protection takes
precedence over energy savings. This has
traditionally meant that overall energy efficiency
has waned, however the S series of Bauers
PMSM motor range, available from 0.55 kW to
15 kW are classified for Zones 1 and 21. The S
series also has the advantage of maintaining
constant speed independent of the load. PMSM
synchronous motors offer considerably
improved efficiency when compared to induction
motors even under partial load conditions; and
extremely high efficiency under rated operating
conditions. They also have considerably higher
power density, which, for geared motors, yields
higher system efficiency with minimal
installation volume and also reduced weight.
Importantly PMSM drives can produce higher
torque values for the same installation volume
as conventional induction motors, a factor that
allows cost savings, through the ability to
specify a smaller motor size in some
applications.
Brevini Power Transmission designs and
Bauer's Ex-approved, IE4 Super PremiumEfficiency motor
DRIVES AND CONTROLS
DRIVES AND CONTROLS
manufactures planetary transmissions, parallel
and right angle gearboxes and winches for
industrial applications and self-propelled
machines. The new conveyor drive series Posired
Advanced, which is made in Germany by PIV
Drives, has been especially designed for the
tough requirements of mining and bulk material
handling. The PIV conveyor drive reducers feature
improvements of thermal performance and
enhanced mechanical efficiency, as well as
allowing users to opt for smaller-sized gearboxes
than traditionally required. The modular system
of the Posired Advanced gearboxes with the
modular thermal system allows particular
requirements to be met for unique local
conditions. The new
conveyor drive reducers
include an axial cooling
fan with higher flow rate
for better cooling of the
gearbox, an advanced
lubrication system, and
an integrated
mechanical oil pump
that improves bearing
life and increases
thermal capacity. Key
benefits of the new
Brevini PIV conveyor drive range include
increased oil change periods up to 7,500 h, and
up to 15,000 h for synthetic oils; contactless
seals in both input and output for greater
efficiencies and improved heat
capacity; active cooling fins on
cover plates on both sides and
the top of the housing for
better air-cooling, with the
finned covers providing an
expanded surface area and
including integrated oil pipes
for bearing lubrication; and
gear teeth optimised to provide
higher torques with less power
dissipation to improve thermal
capacity.The Posired
Advanced series of three stage
helical gearboxes has output torques up to
940,000 Nm. Brevini also offers conveyor tuning
kits and modular thermal systems as retrofit
options to existing Brevini PIV units.
NORD Drivesystems highlighted its new range
of compact NORD Industrial Gear Units (IGU) at
AIMEX 2013 in Sydney. Four new gear case sizes
were shown with an output torque range
between 25.3 kNm and 51.3 kNm. NORD
industrial gear units are suited to conveyor and
bulk materials handling applications and are
developed according to the established UNICASE
principle. Different options and modularity allow
malleable and compact solutions for both
conveyor belt and bucket elevator drive units.
Craig Robinson, Engineering Manager and
Industrial Gear Unit Product Manager for NORD
DRIVES AND CONTROLS
Brevini's new Posired Advanced conveyor driveseries
Industrial Gear-Unit Modules byNor -Drivesystems 307609-xl
DECEMBER 2013 | International Mining 19
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every application
DRIVES AND CONTROLS_proof 20/11/2013 10:57 Page 3
Drivesystems Australia, said: The NORD
SK13407 Industrial Gear Unit complete that
was on display with an integral backstop,
brake disc coupling and caliper hydraulic
disc brake assembly and driven by a 400
kW electric motor, was typical for a breaked
belt conveyor used in many mining
applications.
Naismith Engineering demonstrated its
newly developed Fluidomat scoop control
fluid coupling system at AIMEX. The Indian-
manufactured and designed fluid coupling,
which has been sold worldwide since 1971,
was introduced to Australia in 2007.
Marketing Manager, Jaffer Tambuwala said:
We currently have virtually every size of
fixed speed Fluidomat fluid coupling in our
warehouse, including shaft mounted, radially
displaceable, pulley design and steel bodied for
underground mining requirements. The
Fluidomat range includes two different style of
fluid couplings; fixed speed and scoop-filled.
There are nine different types of fixed speed fluid
couplings manufactured by Naismith. These
couplings can transmit up to 2,000 kW. Scoop-
controlled fluid couplings replace the rotating
body style of fluid couplings with a solid housing
that can be bolted down. They also allow for
more control of the speed of the output by
adjusting the position of the scoop. These
couplings can transmit up to 3,500 kW. The most
recent addition to Naismith Engineerings line is
the USWS spacer coupling, used to connect a
motor and pump, with the ability to disconnect
them for routine maintenance. The design is
suited for larger drives from 70 kW up to 500 kW.
The USWS uses a standard jaw coupling
technology which has important dampening and
misalignment properties with the addition of a
removable spacer at either 140 mm or 180 mm
lengths.
Protecting drive system componentsProtecting machinery and systems against
expensive failures and costly downtime is
indispensable to large scale mining operations;
so many technologies are available to protect
machinery against overloads. Andrew Bargh of
Bibby Turboflex, part of Altras couplings division
indicated that large machinery and rotating
systems can generate enough rotating energy to
cause significant machine damage during a jam,
crash stop, or during uncontrolled braking due
to, for example, a power failure. At very low
speeds, systems can develop a huge amount of
unnecessary torque, which can damage drive
system components such as shafts, gearboxes,
chain and couplings. Some of the technologies
available to protect machinery include:
Shear pins have protected rotating equipmentfor centuries, but lack accuracy and can
require extensive repair time following
overload. To maximise plant uptime and
improve the accuracy of release torque,
vendors have developed a variety of torque
overload release devices with integral
bearings and simple mechanical reset features
Friction clutches are one of the most commontypes of clutch; however, as a safety device in
a higher load application, they can slip and
wear, producing inaccurate and changeable
torque settings
Sensing devices, such as current sensors,monitor one particular aspect of the drive and
provide an output or alarm when that function
deviates from preset norms for a preset time
period
Electronic control devices continuouslymonitor the machine, comparing, for example,
the difference between actual and theoretical
positions of various components
The final two points cover electrical torque
limiting solutions, which are increasingly popular
in many industries as they offer increased
accuracy and reduced downtime following the
overload. A sensor is used to detect a problem,
and initiate corrective actions such as stopping
and reversing the drive, engaging the brake or
shutting down the machine. Bargh states that
the protective functions integrated into today's
sensing and control units are an expedient
supplement to the mechanical torque limiting
clutch, but not a replacement. Thus, mechanical
torque limiters still make sense, but not
necessarily for every application. There is also
the issue concerning the speed of the collision.
For hard collisions, when the speed or mass of
the rotating components is at a high level,
electronic control may not be able to react before
significant damage occurs. At these speeds, only
mechanical overload device can react quickly
enough to prevent damage. The complexity of
each system should also be considered,
especially in applications which are remote
or have limited access. Electronic
monitoring systems need multiple sensors
for data; between the monitoring system
and all of its sensors and other
components, the system has multiple
possible points of failure. Once installed, a
mechanical limiter can be left in-situ with
minimal maintenance, and yet offer
complete reliability in the case of overload.
Bibby Turboflex has developed a range of
UEP modular torque limiters with an
emphasis on simple installation, accurate
release torque repeatability, simple fast
manual re-engagement; and low cost
maintenance. The UEP range of modular
torque limiters was designed specifically to offer
alternatives to shear pin protection for high
torque drives where its accurate release torque
repeatability coupled with fast reset feature
offers a significant reduction in downtime.
The optimised design of the UEP torque
limiters also means that installation is highly
flexible, enabling the centre section of the torque
limiter to be removed without the need to move
the motor or gearbox. Similar design versatility
ensures that any maintenance of the modules is
a straightforward operation, and that
recalibration is a simple removal operation
achieved without having to replace the complete
torque limiter unit. When considering how best to
protect machinery from overload it is important
to consider the different scenarios where this
might occur. Electrical monitoring or sensing
equipment can initiate corrective actions prior to
overload during a slow torque increase, however,
there are times when the increase is too fast and
the electrical system may be too slow to prevent
damage to other components.
Installation case studiesThe Siemens Drive Technologies Division recently
received an order from Bharat Heavy Electricals
Ltd (BHEL)inIndia, to supply 60 gear units for
coal mills. The state-owned, Indian utility
company is planning to build and expand several
coal-fired power plants. The new gear units will
drive the vertical mills which grind the coal in the
plants. The Flender gear units from Siemens
consist of a bevel gear stage and a planetary
gearbox. Their advantage is that higher torques
are achieved by distributing the loads, ranging
between 19 and 670 kNm, to the planet wheels.
Powerful, reliable drives are a key component in
the coal grinding. With the optimal gear ratio,
they continuously drive the vertical mills, in
which the coal is ground to a very fine grain.
BHEL chose the vertical mill gear unit from
Siemens because of its very long service life and
proven drive design. This is exemplified by over
20 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013
DRIVES AND CONTROLS
Naismith Engineering's scoop controlled fluidcoupling
Astec Mining. Five Companies, One Focus.
Astec Mining combines the experience of five global brands into one team, dedicated to providing a completely integrated solution for virtually everyprocess within a mining operation, from mobile mining vehicles, breaker systems,feeders, crushers, screens, mills, to conveyors - anywhere in the world.
astecworld.com2013 Astec Industries, Inc.
4,000 worldwide references, stated Siemens.
Bernhard Hoffmann, Head of Drive
Applications at the Siemens Mechanical
Drives Business Unit in Voerde, said: With
our powerful and reliable drives, we are
making a decisive contribution toward the
security of supply to Indian coal-fired power
plants. By supplying such a large number of
gear units at short notice, we are quickly
helping our customer, BHEL, to expand power
supplies in India. BHEL is an Indian
company and a leading constructor of power
plant and energy equipment. Headquartered
in New Delhi it has a workforce of almost
50,000.
As previously announced by IM, ABB recently
received an order to provide four dual pinion
high-speed ring-geared mill drive systems for the
Swakop Uranium Husab mine in western-central
Namibia. ABB will be supplying variable-speed
drive systems with asynchronous motors,
ACS6000 frequency converters with mill
application controller, transformers, medium
voltage cubicles and system engineering and
spare parts for two 6.75 Mw SAG mills, and two
4.25 Mw ball mills. The first deliveries for the mill
drive systems are scheduled for early 2014.The
proven technology optimises the grinding
process, which makes it ideal for ores with
varying grinding properties. In addition to high
system efficiency, availability and process
reliability, the variable-speed drive also provides
significant energy and operating cost savings by
using less electricity than a conventional fixed-
speed mill drive, stated ABB.
As previously covered in IM, Siemens and
ThyssenKrupp Robins collaborated to develop a
complete gearless driven conveyor system for
Xstrata Coppers new Antapaccay copper mine, in
the Peruvian Andes. Steve Kasper, Sales Manager
Conveyor Technologies at ThyssenKrupp Robins
noted the relative importance of the Integrated
Drive Systems for the efficient and innovative
implementation of the drive system. Kasper
states: The implementation of an Integrated
Drive System with air-cooled SINAMICS SL 150
cyclo-converters including drive control and a
low-speed motor was optimally suited for our
solution. It is significantly more economical in
terms of energy consumption, and it also
increases the efficiency of the conveyor system.
The gearless drive eliminates many of the
traditional components required and has led to
an increased efficiency of between 4-5% on
average. That is only possible because all
components of the integrated drive system are
optimally matched to one another, which also
drastically cuts maintenance costs in operation.
The Xstrata Las Bambas copper mine will also
benefit from a similar system. Each of two new
overland conveyors will be approximately 2.5 km
long and transport ore from the mine to the
processing plant. The belts will be 1,830 mm
wide, travel at 6.5 m per second, and are
designed to transport approximately 9,400 t of
material per hour. Start-up of the new Las
Bambas conveyor system is scheduled for 2014.
The Siemens drive systems for each of the two
overland conveyors are comprised of two slow-
speed synchronous motors each with a total
power of 4,400 kW and the associated Sinamics
SL150 cycloconverters.
Earlier this year, Voith provided the Chinese
Sandaogou coal mine in Shaanxi province with a
CPC 1600 AFC (armoured face conveyor) coupling.
This fluid coupling can continuously transmit up
to 1600 kW, which represents a 60% increase on
a standard fluid coupling of comparable
installation space. The Sandaogou coal face is 7
m high, 350 m wide and 3 km long, so there was
a requirement for equipment that was more
powerful without massively increasing the size of
the drive system. Voith managed to achieve this
compact design with its XL profile design turbine
wheel. The couplings combine maximum power
transmission and small size. Orders for three CPC
1600s have been delivered and are
currently in use in
the Chinese
Sandaogou coal
mine. Tong
Xiangyang, Team
Leader of a coal
face in the
Sandaogou
coal mine, is very
satisfied with the
power and
reliability of the
Voith hydrodynamic
coupling. As a result of using
the new CPC 1600, the coal mine can turn out
350,000 t/mth of additional coal. Since there is
no mechanical connection between the input side
and the output side of the coupling, we can run
our motors up to speed without load. We switch
the motors on one after another to avoid high
current demands that would place an
unnecessary load on our grid power system,
says Tong. The CPC 1600 fluid coupling also
protects the motors against overload. This
overload protection is possible since the fill-
controlled fluid couplings simply slip because
of the hydrodynamic principle. This slip
protects the drive components and the chain of
the AFC against damage. Consequently, the
fluid coupling maximizes the
availability of the entire system and its
productivity. Tongs team can start its
AFC in any situation. With the CPC 1600, users in
Sandaogou can perform as many start-ups in a
row as they wish, explains Tang Min, General
Manager of Start-up Components at Voith in
China. This is important, for example, in order to
break free a heavily loaded conveyor. In this way,
the personnel avoid needing to manually clear
the overloaded system, which is time-consuming
and results in costly, unplanned downtime.
Approximately 50 of WEGs H- and M-Line high-
voltage motors have been chosen to drive
production facilities at the largest single mine
development in Kazakhstan by both volume and
value, the Bozshakol project. Owned by
Kazakhmys, the Bozshakol sulphide and clay
complex has an estimated annual ore processing
capacity of 30 Mt and will employ around 1,500
people, with a similar number involved in the
construction phase. WEGs delivery is based on
the joint efforts and cooperation of several WEG
branches in Australia, UK and Russia, including
the significant contribution of WEGs local partner
in Kazakhstan, the Alpha-Centre company. WEG
is delighted to provide Kazakhmys with reliable
electric machines to ensure process efficiency,
productivity and a high-degree of reliability.
Being a supplier for such a large-scale project
really demonstrates WEGs high-level of
engineering competence and
expertise with complex
international EPC
business, said Sergey
Mushchenko, Managing
Director at WEG CIS. The
development phase of
Bozshakol began ahead
of schedule, with pre-
production mining
scheduled for 2014 and
the first ore to be
processed at the
concentrator by 2015. The
capital cost for the project is
in the region of 1.18 billion. IM
Voith CPC 1600 AFC coupling used at theSandaogou mine, China
22 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013
DRIVES AND CONTROLS
A WEG H-line high voltage motor
OPTI-MINE is a demonstration project,
which aims at integrating, installing and
operating the newest Information and
Communication Technologies (ICT) applications
at an industrial-scale and bringing together all
the technical and economic data in order to
make their European-wide implementation in
the mining industry possible but at a minimum
risk. Not only the new ICT applications
themselves are being demonstrated, but by
integrating the ICT systems into one common
Ethernet (TCP-IP) based open network platform
of high bandwidth and standardised
configuration (internet technology), information
can be exchanged between all applications and
processes. Thus the processes as a whole can
be optimised and the efficiency and safety of
mines increased considerably.
The project covers leading edge ICT for
underground mining processes including
logistics, transport, personnel communication
and information by voice and data, machine
communication, staff localisation, guidance etc.
Individual components developed within the
project will be integrated into a comprehensive
system where possible. The benefits
demonstrated by this comprehensive
optimisation of mining processes are related to
considerable improvements of efficiency, mine
safety, occupational safety and health and
environmental impacts.
The meeting in Bytom was the second
meeting to date and focussed on ICT in
underground mines with the scope covering
optic fibre systems, open architecture,
standardised configurations, and high network
availability. The five mines in question are KWSA
Bobrek-Centrum along with RAG, Hunosa, PRV
and OKD. Technical partners on the project
include Minetronics, AITEMIN, DMT-TFH and
SUT. OPTI-MINE has different application
clusters depending on the subject the focus on
machine communications is focussed on OKD
and KWSA for example; while that for personnel
tracking is focussed on KWSA and Hunosa.
Performance is mainly assessed through KPIs
and the purpose of the forums is to bring
together technology suppliers and potential
technology users to review project progress and
allow members to see the work in action at
theactual operations. In 2014, RAG will host the
forum in Germany and in 2015, it will be held in
Slovenia. The first meeting in 2012 was hosted
by OKD in the Czech Republic.
EU funding of OPTI-MINEThe EU Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS)
funds a series of projects, of which OPTI-MINE is
one. The Fund arose out payments made by the
coal and steel industry as part of the 1952
European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)
formed with the Treaty of Paris, which on
expiration in 2002 saw 1.6 billion
remaining in assets. At the time, the
European member states decided
that the money should be used for
research and thus RFCS was formed
in 2003 to manage the use of the
Fund. Currently, only interest
generated by the Fund is being used.
Overall, some 72.8% of funding goes
to the steel industry, and 27.2% to
the coal industry.
The coal funding targets the whole
chain from mining to combustion. An open call
for interested parties is made every year, with a
distinction made between research projects,
which are eligible for up to 60% funding; and
pilot plants at 50% with accompanying
measures at 100%. Any legal entity within the
EU28 can apply; with the average funding to
date 1-2 million per project. Project duration is
typically three to four years; with 350 grant
agreements running at any one time. Since
2003, 943 million has been spent. In addition,
RFCS funding can accompany other funding
sources such as National Funds. The 2013 RFCS
budget stood at 14 million, or 27.2% of the
total. In 2012, 37 proposals were received for
coal, of which 18 were related to mining. In
addition to OPTI-MINE, other mining related
projects have included the COGAR underground
coal gasification project that was co-funded by
Polands GIG; the AMSSTED research into highly
stressed ground; the RTRO-Coal open pit coal
mine optimisation project; the M-SMARTGRID
project co-ordinated by Aitemin looking at
energy savings using smart mining electrical
grids and the mine water discharge
measurement project MANAGER.
Hunosa and KWSAAt the Hunosa coal mine in Asturias, Spain, a
ZigBee-based tracking system has been
integrated in a cap lamp. The technology was
developed by AITEMIN as part of the RFCS
funded RAINOW project and involved
cooperation with a cap lamp producer. The pilot
test involving 30 lamps went well and a full
deployment on 550 lamps is now underway at
the Sueros Colliery. The cap lamp was chosen as
every miner has one, so was deemed to offer the
simplest option. The system is based on a
Wireless Sensor Network with active tags. The
cap lamp tags can also act as repeaters allow
info to be sent from one tag to another. In
addition to monitoring worker movements, it
can also keep record of the relative charging
level of the lamps. Tracking messages are sent
every 2 to 7 seconds. In the future, Hunosa also
plans to use similar technology to monitor
material movements.
At the Bobrek-Centrum operation, the project
covered the design of personnel access control
system by Minetronics. The purpose is to
monitor the hazardous active longwall area,
covering the entering and leaving of all
personnel. A desirable factor was also to have a
simple, low-cost solution that would be easy to
extend and easy to integrate with other
applications. It also serves as a good example of
an entry into network technology for other
mining companies. The project uses two WLAN
antennas that connect to a WLAN MIC computer
and then to the main mine optic fibre cabling
network the mine had 10 km of new cabling
installed by the end of 2012. The system allows
the mine to monitor all movements of personnel
into and out of the longwall area, whether by
monorail or on foot. Miners also carry a WLAN
pager device that also allows monitoring of
movement and movement direction within the
longwall area, as well as allowing the miners
themselves to send each other text messages.
The system is installed at the entry area to
longwalls 1 and 2 in panel 615. IM
OPTI-MINE
24 International Mining | DECEMBER 2013
Optimising Europes coal minesPaul Moore attended the second OPTI-MINE forum at the KWSABobrek-Centrum mine in Bytom, Poland, to hear about how newtechnologies are being applied in underground coal mining
Diagram showing Minetronics system design forKWSA Bobrek-Centrum longwall area tracking
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