On November 29 last year Aker Wirth and Rio Tinto signed a contract for the delivery and testing of the first Tunnel Boring System (TBS), which has been developed for Rio’s Mine of the Future program. The TBS embodies Aker Wirth’s innovative Mobile Tunnel Miner concept and will be tested at Northparkes copper mine in Australia. This concept is based on Aker Wirth’s experience and competence in underground hard rock mining and tunnelling. It combines the flexibility of a roadheader operation with the robustness of a tunnel boring machine. It uses the learnings of a previous version that was developed and tested in the early 1990s. Using the undercutting technology at the core of the concept, the company says the machine “is capable of meeting the challenges set out by Rio Tinto to improve the safety and speed of tunnel construction in underground mining.” The TBS is 64 m long, has a flexible boring diameter up to 6 m and has minimum tunnel dimensions of 5 m by 5 m.
“We are proud to have this opportunity to partner with Rio Tinto and be part of an important development that may change the face of underground mining,” said Christoph Kleuters, CEO of Aker Wirth. “This project emphasises our passion for technology. It confirms Aker Wirth’s commitment to maintain our position as technology leader in hard rock excavation for the underground mining and tunneling industry.”
The new tunnel boring system is expected to arrive in Australia in early 2012, and be operational with trials completed at Northparkes by end of 2012. Rio Tinto Head of Innovation John McGagh said “Rio Tinto is developing new excavation systems as part of its Mine of the Future program to significantly improve the construction and operation of underground mines. This significant new investment offers the possibility for a step-change improvement over conventional drill and blast practices. Depending on rock conditions, this system should provide a capability to excavate at more than double the rate of conventional methods.”
Aker Wirth has over 40 years experience in the design and construction of tunnelling boring machines used successfully worldwide in numerous projects. Aker Wirth was honoured with an innovation prize for its development of the undercutting technique combined with the established reaming technology on large diameter. The Mine of the Future program is designed to create next generation technologies for mining operations that result in greater efficiency, lower production costs, improved health, safety and environmental performance, and more attractive working conditions. Importantly for Rio Tinto, it provides an opportunity to introduce fundamentally safer processes into the underground mining industry.