Headquartered in Kolkata, Birla Cements is part of the MP Birla Group, with cement production in seven locations in India and a total capacity of 15.5 Mt/y. The company’s limestone mining operation is located in the state of Rajasthan, near the city of Chittogarh, which is home to the historic Chittor Fort. Since the Chittor Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site, no conventional mining activities are allowed within a radius of 10 km. Therefore, Birla Cements opted for blast-free mining using rig mounted heavy hydraulic breakers for primary rock excavation. For this purpose, they invested in a total of 17 Epiroc HB 10000 breakers and a further five HB 10000ss are on order.
Epiroc states: “In 2015 Birla Cements was looking for a reliable breaker which could work for 3,500 hours without major breakdowns. Epiroc introduced them to the HB 10000, a machine legendary for its sheer breaking power. The power generated in a single impact between piston and working tool corresponds to a weight force of around 760 metric tonnes…and impact frequency is up to 380 blows per minute.” However, to optimise the HB 10000 for the specific task of primary rock excavation the customer discussed certain upgrades with Epiroc’s design engineers. These included features like double ContiLube ™ II for enhanced lubrication, easy-to-fix split wear bushings and modified flange seals to withstand the high temperatures. Epiroc’s patented Intelligent Protection System (IPS), a fully automated, state-of-the-art system that provides simpler, more efficient, and more economical operation, was implemented as well.
The terrain on the mining site near Chittogarh is compact strata, with compressive strength of 100-160 MPa. The rig-mounted hydrualic breakers work three shifts continuously with production at more than 15,000 t/day. Within the scope of Birla Cements’ comprehensive maintenance and spare parts contract, Epiroc is on hand around the clock to ensure trouble-free operation with minimum machine downtime. The contract includes repair and maintenance support, with people available 24/7 to ensure availability and maintain productivity. Extensive aftermarket inventories are maintained at both the customer’s site and at Epiroc warehouse near to the site.
Jerry Andersson, General Manager at Epiroc Mining India Ltd: “Our thanks to Birla Cements for recognizing the true potential of our HB 10000 in their application. They were looking for blast-free mining operations and the technical team here at Epiroc were happy to respond to their suggestions for optimising our equipment for the task. Excellent results are being achieved with our heavy hydraulic breakers, and we have developed a strong partnership with the customer. We will continue to monitor the pulse of their operations and adapt to their needs.”
