In its Investor Seminar 2019 today, Stephen McIntosh, Rio Tinto Group Executive for Growth & Innovation and Health, Safety & Environment said that its MMD Fully Mobile Surge Loader at the Kennecott (Bingham Canyon) copper operation in Utah was commissioned in October and the 12 month pilot period is starting in November saying any future vision for deployment would depend on these field results.

The company reiterated the potential benefits based on simulations: a 50% increase in productivity of the digging tool expected as a result of cutting shovel hang time, removing spot and reverse at shovel and increasing effective utilisation. Also a 98% accuracy in loading of trucks is expected; on average 75 seconds and trucks positioned within 1 cm.

Rio describes the unit as “an integrated, mobile hopper bin and loading chute” that accepts ore/waste directly from the loading unit and where the loading unit doesn’t have to wait for the truck.

Image supplied by MMD, UK Patent Application No. 1709467.3