One of the most significant developments in the market is the potential combination of Caterpillar’s and Bucyrus’s assets this year, bringing together the leading truck player with a leading rope shovel and hydraulic excavator supplier. However, the deal has had its own knock on effects.

According to local Aurora, Illinois-based newspaper, The Beacon News, Caterpillar is suspending development and capital investment for large mining-class hydraulic excavators that were to be manufactured at the company’s Aurora plant. The company apparently said the suspension was effective immediately and was a direct result of the pending purchase of Bucyrus, which of course includes its successful mining excavator business, based out of the former O&K facility in Dortmund, Germany. Many of Caterpillar’s key global dealers already offer this range in conjunction with Caterpillar mining trucks.

It was in June 2010 that Caterpillar announced that it had selected the Aurora plant for production of a new line of mining excavators.  But the Beacon News reports that Caterpillar officials want to evaluate the Bucyrus shovel programme to see exactly what resources the company needs to dedicate to any new or different products. Of course the basic reason is that there would be little efficiency gained in developing a whole new line of mining excavators when like models already exist within the Bucyrus portfolio, from the RH90 up to the RH400.

The mining excavator programme was seen as somewhat of an offset to the jobs the Aurora plant is due to lose when Caterpillar moves its small to mid-sized excavator line to Texas in 2013. Aurora has been the exclusive place for production of US-made excavators by Caterpillar since 1972.

Hydraulic excavators

It has been a busy year for Liebherr, having opened its new factory and development centre dedicated to mining excavators in Colmar. After an investigation of the best location for the factory, a final decision was taken to have it in close proximity to the existing plant and adjacent to Colmar’s regional airport.

The capacity of the new facility is some 200 machines annually (both diesel and electric).  The company plans to manufacture 211 units in 2011, which may increase further to 250 units should demand warrant it. The facility produces eight mining excavator types, from the 6.8 m3 bucket R9100 through the 7 m3 R984C; the 15 m3 R9250; 18 m3 R9350; 21-22 m3 R9400; 26.5 m3 R995; 34-36 m3 R996B and 42 m3 R9800.

The 800 t R9800, which was six years in development, is Liebherr’s newest and largest mining excavator and three have now been built, two for contractor Thiess and a third for another customer. In its Autumn 2010 newsletter, Thiess published a dedicated article on the first unit it received which has been working at Peabody Coal’s Burton Downs operation since December 2009. As of October 2010, the new R9800 had operated for 4,500 h with no major problems and faster cycle times of under 30 seconds. Thiess itself has stated that it is achieving a 30% improvement in production versus the 660 t Liebherr R996.

Thiess’ General Manager for Plant Bruce Kenny commented: “The R9800 will deliver us a lower unit cost per bank cubic metre of overburden, which means added value for our client…. we were looking for technology that would improve production by 30 percent and this is what Liebherr has been able to do by starting from the ground up and with an understanding of our operational requirements. The initial testing looks extremely good, as we are exceeding that target at times.”

The productivity gains are not just down to the extra 10 m3 available in the bucket, but also the improved cycle times, which have been reduced compared with the R996. All drive system components have been developed in-house within Liebherr, and the entire hydraulic system optimised to ensure maximum circuit efficiency in order to improve cycle time performance. The R996 can load a nominal 230 t truck in four cycles, so the goal for the R9800 was to do it in three.

Outside Liebherr’s largest market of Australasia and Indonesia, growth markets include Mongolia, where there are already two R996 machines at SouthGobi Resources Ovoot Tolgoi coal mine with a third R996 due for delivery by 2012.

Komatsu Mining Germany has announced that the PC8000-6 is now available with a 42 m³ backhoe rock bucket designed to load material up to a density of 1.8 t/m³. The bucket carries a wear package two and is equipped with Hensley XS 800 GET system solution as standard. With respect to the mining customer requirements an ESCO GET S 145 system is also available on request.

The increased capability of the machine is due to the changes in the undercarriage and the boom cylinder size. The undercarriage is wider compared to the PC8000- 1, while the boom cylinder has increased from 450 mm to 460 mm. These changes result in both higher machine stability and an improved boom cylinder pressure level. The standard scope of supply for the latest PC8000-6 backhoe also includes hand rails and tie off points on the boom structure providing a convenient working environment.

Komatsu PC8000 machines are operating worldwide in iron ore, coal, gold and other mining applications and are the best selling hydraulic excavators in this class, with over 80 units now operating. Notable recently delivered machines currently working include a unit at Imperial Oil’s Kearl K2 mine, the latest addition to the Alberta oil sands mines. Komatsu already has four PC8000’s working for contractor KMC Mining (Klemke) in the oil sands. The initial development at Kearl is more than 50 % complete and is progressing on schedule with expected start up in late 2012.  The production rate for the initial development will start at about 110,000 bbl/d.

High altitude mines constitute tough conditions for excavators and trucks alike. Currently, the assembly of three PC8000’s is underway for the Pascua Lama mine on the Chile- Argentina border is underway. These machines will load a fleet of Komatsu 930E haul trucks. The mine, owned by Barrick, is the highest surface mining operation in production with a 5,200 m base level but running up to 5,800 m.

In Australia at the KCGM Super Pit, featured in this month’s Great Mines article, four PC8000 excavator already constitute the main loading fleet but are soon being joined by two more units, brining the total to six.

Rope shovel developments

P&H in early 2010 began placing the first ACdrive P&H 4100XPC electric mining shovels into service following a strong and successful rollout of AC-drive P&H 4100BOSS machines in Canada’s oil sands region in 2008. The company stated recently: “P&H electric shovels have traditionally featured highly reliable and maintenance-friendly DC drive systems, even as AC-drive technology was applied in recent years to various kinds of mining equipment.  P&H Mining Equipment in fact has a long history of AC motors and drives design, manufacturing and applications experience dating back to 1893 when it acquired facilities formerly owned by the Gibbs Electric Company before that firm was acquired by Westinghouse Electric Company.”

P&H Mining Equipment says that its modern-era preference for DC drive technology began to shift with the 2004 introduction of Centurion, a powerful supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. The Centurion SCADA platform made possible unprecedented information processing gains with ample reserve capacity, resulting in material gains in P&H electric shovel productivity and reliability performance. It also provided a platform for a state-of-the art AC-drive system supplied by long-time P&H Mining Equipment drives technology supplier ABB.

Two years after P&H Mining Equipment moved to develop an AC-drive shovel, the first such machine underwent a smooth start-up at Suncor.  That P&H 4100BOSS – and the four that followed in subsequent months – have exceeded customer expectations for productivity and reliability performance value, according to P&H.

As with the AC-drive P&H 4100BOSS shovels, P&H Mining Equipment engineering and manufacturing teams went to work to configure the AC-drive P&H 4100XPC electrical, mechanical and structural systems for optimal fit and performance. While many aspects of the new 4100XPC will be identical to the DC-drive version – and that includes the superb ergonomics, sight lines, controls and access to machine performance and systems health information that comes together in the operator cab or “Loading Control Center” – many other features have been upgraded to handle the increased demands and performance associated with the AC-drive P&H 4100XPC.

In China, by the end of 2010, China National Coal Group Corp added another 20 Mt of capacity with a large and expanding fleet of P&H 4100XPC shovels. Since 2007, seven P&H 4100XPCs have been placed into service with China National Coal subsidiary, Pingshou Coal.  To help push coal production to over 120 Mt, China National Coal is adding three new P&H 4100XPCs sourced primarily from a well established manufacturing infrastructure in China along with service support provided by P&H MinePro Services in China.

Russia’s leading rope shovel producer, IZKartex (part of OMZ) has signed a new supply agreement with leading Russian coal miner Kuzbassrazrezugol (KRU). The deal covers a 2010-2015 delivery program and involves the delivery of 23 new excavator models produced by IZ-Kartex. It covers 12 EKG-18R shovels with 18 m3 buckets, 8 EKG-32R shovels with 32 m3 sbuckets and two EKG-50 shovels with 50 m3 sbuckets.  The parties have agreed that the excavators will be supplied under financial leasing provided by ZAO Gazprombank Leasing, Gazprombank’s designated leasing company.

The long-term agreement is the latest in a series of deals between the two companies. In 2008, KRU and IZ-Kartex signed an agreement which involved KRU acting as a base facility for field testing of new IZ-Kartex machinery.  Within the framework of the agreement, Taldinski coal mine was supplied with a new EKG-1500R shovel with a 18 m3 bucket.  Testing of this new model began in January 2009 and it was commissioned in May 2009.  During the test run the shovel reached a maximum productivity of 480,000 m3 per month.

Additionally, at the end of 2009, the two companies signed a contract for the delivery of two EKG-18R and one EKG-32R shovel, the latter being the most powerful shovel ever produced in Russia. These units are in the process of being delivered.

Wheel loader update

In the large wheel loader market, LeTourneau is now commercially producing its Generation II front-end wheel loaders. This new loader generation has a revolutionary hybrid “Switched Reluctance” (SR) electric drive system that has been designed to recover 100% of the braking energy that would normally be lost during a typical loading cycle, resulting in significantly better fuel efficiency.

Over the past year, two Generation II L-1150 loaders have been operating at mine sites in the western US and Australia, and LeTourneau has been constantly monitoring both machines’ performances. “The new SR technology offered by LeTourneau Mining Products is a considerable step forward in the earthmoving equipment industry,” stated Brad Rogers, Vice President and General Manager of LeTourneau Mining Products.  “Customers will receive significant benefits of reduced machine operating cost and lower environmental impact.”

The new Generation II loaders integrate a LeTourneau SR brushless generator connected to the diesel engine and a set of four LeTourneau SR traction motors with doublereduction planetary mounted within the rim of each tyre, water cooled power electronics, and the proprietary LINCS II IGBT control system.  The SR drive system delivers high electrical efficiency and extended operational life. The energy is recovered through the flywheel effect of the drive train (engine rotation, generator rotor, driveline, pump drive gear box). As the loader brakes during the loading phase and before loading the truck, energy which is normally lost is stored and used to hoist, dump and steer the machine.

LeTourneau has received 11 orders for the L-1150 Generation II loader. With a standard bucket capacity of 19.11 m3 and operating payload of 34.47 kg, the L-1150 is designed to match 150-200 t haul trucks. Generation II technology will be available on all of LeTourneau’s five loaders and dozers, including the L-2350, the world’s largest wheel-based earthmoving machine, by the end of 2011.

In February, LeTourneau announced that it had an order to manufacture and deliver 15 new larger wheel loaders, valued at approximately $85 million. The loaders, purchased by Vale, are scheduled for delivery throughout 2011 and 2012 for its iron ore mining operations in Brazil. The order includes four L-1350 Generation 1 loaders, eight L-1850 Generation 2 loaders, and three L-2350 Generation 2 loaders, and will increase LeTourneau’s mining backlog by about 60%, adding to a backlog that already increased by 87% during 2010.

Brad Rogers commented: “The customer chose our loaders over competing machines due to our new, revolutionary Generation 2 hybrid electric drive technology and our loaders’ high reliability and low operating costs. We plan to roll out this new technology to our entire loader product range in 2011 and are very optimistic about the potential for increased market share.”

Other notable orders recently include eight L-1150 orders from Chinese coal mining customers and six additional L-2350 loader orders for copper operations in Chile and Peru. 

In the market for smaller mining/quarrying class wheel loaders, Volvo Construction Equipment has released its new G-Series range, which feature “new engines and driveline systems for improved productivity, lower emissions, greater smoothness, serviceability and operator comfort.” They are equipped with a Tier 4i/Stage IIIB compliant engine. Producing between 220 and 274 kW, depending on the model, the L150G, L180G and L220G (up to 8.2 m3 bucket capacity) provide high torque at low engine speeds. As well as meeting the low emissions requirements of the legislation, the D13 engine also leads the industry in terms of fuel efficiency, reliability and noise, Volvo claims.  The production of torque and power at low engine speeds, combined with load-sensing hydraulics, removes the need to overrun the engine, which in turn extends engine life as well as lowering fuel usage and dramatically reducing noise.

A variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) has been introduced to continually vary the airflow into the engine. A sliding nozzle allows the exhaust gas flowing into the turbine wheel to vary so as to provide rapid boost at low engine speeds – and to achieve and maintain high boost at higher engine speeds. This contributes to good engine response across the entire engine speed range.

These wheel loaders boast a 20% increase in lifting force and 10 % increase in breakout force. The new improvement ensures smooth, full buckets – resulting in faster cycle times and increased productivity. Two stronger, variable displacement load-bearing axial piston pumps and hoses have been introduced to handle the increased pressures.  These provide superior control of the load and attachments, as well as high breakout force, faster lifting and tilt functions. A new hydraulic cooling system has been designed to reduce the working temperatures by up to 20°C over previous models.

Proximity detection 

Over the past year, Motion Metrics International has been actively expanding its range of monitoring solutions for mining shovels. Their latest additions, RadarMetrics and WearMetrics, are “innovative solutions….which address critical obstacles in day-to-day open-pit mining operations.”

Due to the sheer size and vast blind spots of mining shovels, the frequent and swift swinging action of the shovel can be extremely dangerous for any equipment working in the swing radius of the shovel. RadarMetrics is an advanced collision avoidance system for mining shovels which, according to Motion Metrics, is the “only collision avoidance system for mining shovels which takes into account the swing radius of the shovel when alerting the shovel operator.” This unique intelligence helps to eliminate unnecessary alarms that would otherwise be distracting the operator.

The system actively integrates a strategicallyplaced array of rugged surveillance cameras and heavy-duty radar sensors around the shovel to provide a comprehensive view of the shovel’s surroundings. When an object enters the swing radius of the shovel, the RadarMetrics system alerts the operator by issuing both an audible alarm, through an onboard buzzer, and a visual alarm on the system’s operator display. The intuitive operator display provides a bird’s eye view of the shovel which indicates the location of the detected object relative to the shovel. In addition, the operator can refer to one of three blind spot camera views to visually acknowledge the object’s presence. To avoid unnecessary alarms caused by normal loading cycles, the system intelligently recognises common single and double truck loading patterns.

Hitachi Construction Machinery (HCM) and Clarion Co have developed an overview monitoring system to support operator safety checks surrounding machinery. The system enables synthesised images taken from several cameras mounted on a machine to be shown on a display from the operator’s seat. Basic performance tests using a prototype have been completed and there are plans to commercialise the system in line with the specifications of Hitachi dump trucks and large hydraulic excavators by spring 2012. Based on the development of in-vehicle compact camera technology promoted by Clarion, supporting safe, secure and comfortable driving, the overview monitoring system featuring several wide-angle cameras will be fitted on construction machinery. The images taken from respective cameras will be converted and synthesised and shown on a display as a bird’seye view focused on the machinery. The operator can also switch to “zoom display” and “wide display” in accordance with the machine’s needs requiring wide-area monitoring.  With this functionality, operators can quickly assess their position in relation to other machinery or service vehicles on site.

Up until now, HCM has been continuously promoting initiatives to enhance on-site safety.  In 2001, the company was the first manufacturer to launch a rear monitoring system that comprises a rear-view camera and display as optional equipment for hydraulic excavators. In 2006, HCM introduced this system as the world’s first standard equipment on all hydraulic excavators of 6.5 t or larger.

The overview monitoring system, which has been developed in collaboration with Hitachi Group companies, is expected to significantly contribute to operational safety on site, including the operation of dump trucks and large hydraulic excavators. 

In Hitachi excavator deliveries, Europe and Russia remain key markets beyond sales in Australasia and the Americas. A new EX2500LD has been delivered to copper miner Elatsite in Bulgaria, which is now being assembled. In addition, an EX5500 has also been delivered to SDS Chernigovets in Russia.

Wear parts 

Continued operation with worn shovel teeth reduces the effectiveness and efficiency of a shovel, resulting in increased digging forces, longer cycle times, and an increased likelihood of missing teeth or adapters. According to Motion Metrics, an unplanned change-out can result in up to two hours of unexpected downtime and, when factoring in the cost of lost production, can cost up to 13.8 times more than a planned change-out (according to a 2009 case study of an American copper mine).  To prevent loss of productivity due to tooth failure, careful monitoring of the shovel teeth and an optimal change-out strategy is crucial.

WearMetrics builds on the successful platform of the flagship ToothMetrics missing shovel tooth/adapter detection system, by incorporating automated tooth-wear monitoring. According to Motion Metrics, this system is the “first of its kind” and provides a new approach to tooth-wear monitoring that eliminates the need to manually inspect the status of a shovel’s teeth.

The system uses a harsh environment camera mounted on the shovel with a clear view of the dipper and applies advanced image processing algorithms to automatically monitor the shovel’s toothwear status. The status of each shovel tooth is periodically logged in terms of the tooth’s remaining usable length as a percentage.

The detailed tooth-wear data permits trends in the wear rate and the average tooth lifespan to be determined. With this valuable information, Ground-Engaging Tools (GET) engineers can proactively plan tooth changeouts to find the optimum balance between shovel downtime and teeth utilisation, thereby, maximizing shovel productivity and minimizing maintenance costs.

Leading GET supplier for mining, ESCO has just announced the opening of a new sales office in Johannesburg. The new location, which will serve the region’s mining and construction markets, represents an expanded presence in Africa.

For nearly 50 years, ESCO has maintained a license with Scaw SA for the manufacture and sale of select ESCO products in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. Both companies recently decided not to renew the license agreement which is set to expire at the end of March.

“ESCO has focused on building a worldclass customer service organization and supply chain network to directly support our global customers with quality ESCO products and services,” said Aaron Lian, Managing Director for Europe, Africa, Middle East and Russia.  “This decision proves our commitment to South Africa, which is a key market for ESCO, and we look forward to expanding quickly to meet the growing need in this region.”

A key ESCO mining product is the Posilok Plus system which is available to fit mining class hydraulic excavators, draglines and rope shovels. The Posilok Plus system provides the same strong reliability of the ESCO Posilok system but with the safety of a hammerless locking device. Cast in premium ESCO alloys, Posilok Plus offers “an unprecedented combination of performance, wear life, safety and ease of use.”

Benefits of the Posilok Plus Tooth System include improved safety with a hammerless locking system, where installation and removal of the lock requires minimal manual effort and is easy to use. It features Torque Wedge pin screws in clockwise for easy installation and removal, while a plug keeps fines from building up in the recess of the pin. It is also a two-piece system, which enables efficient use of wear metal and minimises downtime.

Norwegian company Gjerstad has also been working with ESCO, and has recently received orders for three new loader buckets, each being used on a 200 t class loader. Two buckets have been built for Caterpillar 994 wheel loaders, which are equipped with ESCO GETs and are to be used at an open mine in Europe.  Each bucket has a capacity of 18 m3.  A further bucket for a LeTourneau L-1350 with ESCO GETs is to be used in a mine in Africa. It has a capacity of 20 m3. Finally, a Gjerstad face shovel bucket for a 170 t Bucyrus RH90 with ESCO GET is going to Kazakhstan and a bucket for a 390 t Bucyrus RH170 is being used in Russia. IM