The IM July issue includes an article on Narrow Vein & Low Profile mining equipment for which Paul Moore interviewed DOK-ING South Africa General Manager, Tom Sertic. DOK-ING was the first OEM in the world to develop an extra low-profile (XLP) dozer (in 2003) and since then has been leading the way in extra low-profile (XLP) dozers in the South African platinum and gold industries. This machine has been refined and perfected many times since then based on real mine experience and is used across the industry, from Anglo American Platinum to Lonmin, Sibanye, AngloGold Ashanti and many others.
Due to industry ups and downs as well as in-company changes in mining strategy, some have stopped using this type of equipment whilst others have continued or restarted utilisation of XLP dozers and have seen the benefits. None of the other OEMs have been able to achieve the same level of performance and reliability. That said, the XLP machine still has the limitation of being a diesel driven dozer, as well as being limited to work in stoping widths above of 1.2 m given its physical dimensions.
Sertic told IM, that these are exciting times as the company has developed both a fully electric battery version of the dozer as well as fully electric battery drill rig, sweeper and bolter. These machines use lithium-ion batteries which can achieve up to 2,000 charging cycles. The development of this equipment was based on user requirements stipulated by Anglo American Platinum in 2010 which defined the need for an electric machine, which could handle stoping widths of less than 1 m. The first electrical dozer in the world was produced in 2011 with a height of 600 mm (compared to the diesel XLP at 830 mm) but with the same production capacity, and with no noise, diesel particulate emissions or heat generation. The electric dozer is now on its 4th generation after refinements. The other equipment within the suite, have also been completed and undergone testing, the drill rig was completed in 2013 and roof bolter and sweeper were both completed in 2015. All are now working together in production trials at the Anglo American Platinum Twickenham operation. In addition, the bolter is fully automated in its bolting and resin installation, unlike any other roof bolter solution currently available, another industry first. The drill rig is also automated, however such automation has been achieved previously.
Moving to 2017 and the next chapter for DOK-ING. Anglo American Platinum was now looking for another generation of electric extra low profile machines with more versatility, that could handle a range of stoping widths from 0.9 to 1.7 m. Loosely referred to as “narrow reef equipment” (NRE), the machines consist of one common (interchangeable) prime mover for the dozer and sweeper and another common prime mover for the drill rig and bolter. The manufacture of NRE have already commenced. In addition, the machines will have sensors and cameras allowing the production and production data to be monitored in real time from the surface but ultimately it will be possible to also operate them from surface. DOK-ING is developing this with Anglo American Platinum in a phased, stepped approach. The machines are also interoperable with the mine’s main fleet management systems. A big driver for this is further increasing safety in deep level, narrow reef mines.
Finally, another first for these machines is that while previously all DOK-ING machines were made in Croatia at its headquarters, and from end of this year the new narrow reef prime movers will be made in South Africa.
