All posts by Paul Moore

Hudbay hoping IsaMillᵀᴹ tech might cut its secondary grinding energy in half

Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining services

Crushing and grinding remains the highest energy consumption in a mining operation. So if an operation can improve grinding efficiency, they get a powerful cost saving and a positive environmental impact. Glencore Technology have been exploring this for some time. But it says now a valued client’s separate agenda to chase the same outcome has led to a valuable demonstration.

Hudbay’s Technical Services – Metallurgy group were actively looking to reduce the energy needs of their primary and secondary grinding circuits. But it took some developments before the combination of technologies were available for what was achieved just recently.

Tests by Glencore Technology some years ago it says showed they had great potential to help secondary grinding shift from a ball mill to a more energy efficient IsaMillᵀᴹ, even though the media available at the time didn’t optimise the results. The largest media suitable was just 5.5 mm. But the gains were still strong. The first tests showed the kWh per tonne dropping from 17.83 to 14.85, or a saving of 16.7%.

Then a second study set out to compare a ball mill against an IsaMillᵀᴹ in a tough application that is usually where ball mills are used: magnetite. The ball mill delivered its p80 of 32 microns for 24 kwh per tonne, and an IsaMillᵀᴹ delivered the same results for just 17 kWh per tonne. That’s a 29% saving, not including the ball mill’s cyclone feed pump.

But Glencore Technology says two things have now aligned to make the proposition powerful. First, the larger 6 MW M20,000 IsaMillᵀᴹ is now available and Glencore Technology is designing a larger 8 MW IsaMillᵀᴹ. And second, the appropriate media is now available at up to 24 mm.

And the timing for Hudbay has been great. “We’re proactively exploring for energy reductions across our comminution assets,” says Chris Marion, Manager, Metallurgy Technical Services at the mining company. Glencore Technology and Hudbay compared processing the feed at Hudbay’s Stall mill in Manitoba which processes copper-zinc ore from the Lalor operation through an existing secondary grinding ball mill against using an M100 IsaMillᵀᴹ.

Marion: “We assumed it would be more energy efficient but were unsure about the performance we’d see, metallurgically.” But the results beat expectations. “The product size distribution mimicked the ball mill, which we didn’t expect, and the energy savings were greater than expected, it was greater than a 50% reduction. It really was very promising.”

Tests demonstrated an estimated 50-80% reduction in energy from the IsaMillᵀᴹ. It also produced a sharper particle size distribution.  “This is positive,” says Marion. “So next, we need to see more data. Does that performance hold across different feed types? And what would wear and maintenance look like for an IsaMillᵀᴹ in a secondary grinding duty? Maybe we won’t completely replace ball mills, but we’ll look to tools like the IsaMillᵀᴹ to replace where we can. It could have quite an impact, reducing operating costs and environmental footprint.”

For Glencore Technology, what this means is that an operation can process coarse concentrate or reclaimed tailings of up to a P80 of 850 microns and get energy savings of between 30 and 70%, easily, from roughly a 70% smaller footprint, and with a better product at the end of it. The company concludes: “When coupled with the IsaMillᵀᴹ having a safer, more maintainable horizontal layout, this is a compelling proposition. This is an important opportunity for improvements in capex, opex, safety, the environment and metallurgical performance.”

Weber on resin for ground consolidation in highly weathered rock in mine tunnel development

Explosives and blasting, Mine shafts and equipment, Mining consumables, Mining safety, Mining services

The development of tunnels is one of the main challenges in underground operations. In unstable ground conditions, most fortification methods are applied post-advancement. These traditional methods, such as anchors and mesh, can be limited when the ground is severely altered, and progress cannot be made. The risks of gallery over-excavation and rock bursts are too costly for underground operations. In these conditions, applying a preventive fortification method using resin injection is crucial for safely advancing underground works.

Weber Mining & Tunnelling points out that in tunnel development, preventive fortification with resin injection implemented within the mining cycle can increase safety and efficiency within the operation. The fortification is carried out by drilling holes in the front ceiling parallel to the progress. “A series of four or five holes (depending on the size of the tunnel) are made to place injection lances and packers in each of them. The holes’ length depends on the mine’s progress cycles, generally ranging between 4 and 8 metres. If the resin injection length is 6 metres, the mine can progress 5 metres before repeating the preventive fortification with resin, ensuring that they consistently advance on the consolidated ground.”

Once the injection lances and packers are in place, the injection can begin in each hole. Weber told IM: “The packer in the hole allows it to be pressurised and for the resin to be injected under pressure into the ground. This optimises the migration of the resin within the ground’s cracks. With a setting time of two minutes, the resin seals the cracks close to the area to be consolidated. This reaction time of the resin not only allows for quick action after injection but also to sectorise the injection. This sectorisation ensures the resin is only injected into the area of interest to be consolidated, reducing the amount of product required. In this way, the cost of fortification is reduced, as well as the logistics and time needed to carry it out.”

Weber argues that the mechanical properties of the consolidating resins make them ideal as preventive systems. In particular, most resins have a compressive strength greater than 30 MPa. “With a bonding strength of 6 MPa and very low viscosity, they have a high capacity to bond and consolidate rock packages when migrating into ground cracks. Additionally, regardless of whether they are injected into constantly stressed ground or in the presence of faults, the resins, being a flexible product, maintain cohesion over time with ground movements.”

It adds that they are also very versatile, as they can be injected into grounds with water or moisture without affecting their mechanical properties. In cases of ground with a high percentage of void, resins that expand two to three times their initial size can be used, optimising the filling of ground cracks without greatly increasing the injected amounts or decreasing the fortification’s strength. Finally, once the template of holes is injected, the mine can resume its operation immediately, given the resin’s reaction in just a few minutes, avoiding delays in its operations even in extreme ground situations.

Weber concludes: “Ground consolidating resins present an ideal option in the development of tunnels in severely altered grounds, providing a good tunnel profile and preventing possible over-excavation or cavity generation in advancements.”

Breuer-Motoren from Bochum becomes part of the international HBT Group

Bulk handling, Coal technology, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Mining techniques, Power supply for mines

On March 1, 2024, Hauhinco Holding GmbH – the parent company of HBT GmbH in Lünen, Germany – took over Breuer Motoren GmbH & Co KG. Hauhinco Holding is acquiring 100% of the shares in the Bochum-based mechanical engineering company – with retroactive economic effect from January 1, 2024.

The traditional mechanical engineering company Breuer is a globally recognised supplier of drive and motor solutions for all market sectors that require robust, reliable, and durable equipment. The head office and main production site is in Bochum, NRW (Germany). All products are developed, produced, and certified here. Founded in 1877, Breuer has been supplying both mining and general industry with high quality products for over 50 years and the oil and gas drilling industry for over 15 years.

For the HBT Group, this acquisition represents a further strategic addition to its current product portfolio in the field of drive technology for the mining sector. HBT is now able to offer its customers complete drive solutions for longwall systems – including electric motors and frequency inverters – from a single source.

HBT’s predecessor companies (DBT, Bucyrus, Caterpillar Global Mining) and Breuer Motoren have been working very closely together for decades on international longwall technology projects.

The acquisition also supports HBT’s efforts to open new markets and regions outside the mining sector. Breuer’s strong position in the oil, gas, and geothermal drilling industry and in the e-mobility sector is of particular interest for the future strategic alignment of the HBT Group. Breuer Motoren has been developing and producing battery-electric and/or fuel cell-powered high-voltage drive solutions in the field of electric driving for many years.The traditional company and product brand ‘Breuer-Motoren’ will be retained and continued in its current form due to its high level of recognition and extensive market recognition in the mining sector.

Salinity Solutions secures £1 million of investment from SQM Lithium Ventures

High tech minerals, Industrial minerals, Mineral processing, Sustainable mining

Salinity Solutions, an engineering tech start-up based in Birmingham (UK) has secured a £1 million initial investment from SQM Lithium Ventures to fund the next stage of its growth. SQM Lithium Ventures, in return, will take ownership of a minority stake in the company, with the option to acquire additional equity in the future.

SQM Lithium Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of the lithium business of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (SQM), one of the world’s leading producers of battery-grade lithium chemicals. Salinity Solutions joins the SQM Lithium Ventures portfolio alongside industry-leading companies like Altilium Clean Technology and Electric Era.

Salinity Solutions developed HyBatchä, its ground-breaking batch reverse osmosis water treatment technology – the first in the world to be manufactured commercially – to dramatically reduce the environmental impact of water treatment. The technology uses less energy, purifies a higher amount of wastewater, generates less waste, and is more compact and portable than traditional reverse osmosis systems. The first of Salinity Solutions’ five registered patents has been approved in the European Union, China and the United States.

Since launching in 2021, Salinity Solutions has completed trials in multiple industries, including lithium mining, industrial and municipal wastewater, and food production. The company has built a strong sales pipeline across multiple sectors and geographies.

“SQM’s investment will help us accelerate Salinity’s growth and achieve our 2024 goals of increasing unit sales and securing our first licencing agreement. Their strategic interests in lithium and water, combined with their geographical reach from Chile to China, offer a perfect fit to support our ambitious growth plans,” said Salinity Solutions’ CEO, Richard Bruges.

The investment goes hand-in-hand with SQM’s ongoing drive to improve efficiency and reduce its environmental impact as part of its sustainability goals. These include reducing the use of groundwater by 40% by 2030, decreasing brine extraction in the Salar de Atacama by 20% in 2023 and 50% by 2030, and becoming carbon neutral in lithium production by 2030. As part of its collaboration with SQM, the Salinity Solutions team will run a pilot project in the Salar de Atacama, with its team members based in Antofagasta and other locations in the north of Chile.

Angeles Romo, Director of SQM Lithium Ventures, commented: “SQM Lithium Ventures is investing in Salinity Solutions in hopes that the company, through its revolutionary technology, will be capable of scaling and making an impact across different industries and geographies. This marks our first investment in water, one of our core focus areas for investment along with lithium and electromobility. At SQM Lithium Ventures, we are always seeking to fund projects in cleantech, specifically water, to accelerate start-ups like this one. In doing this, we seek not only to scale the business, but also make an impact on the quality of life of multiple communities.”

Salinity Solutions’ co-founder and CTO, Tim Naughton, commented: “We are delighted to have SQM as a partner as we commercialise our world-leading technology. Global water demand is set to double over the next five years. Water treatment consumes 4% of the world’s total electricity production and conventional reverse osmosis systems are energy intensive. Working with SQM, we can bring significant energy and water savings to the mining sector and many other industries, in Chile and around the world.”

Pablo Melipillan, SQM’s Lithium Process Director for China, who will join the board of Salinity Solutions, commented: “It is a great pleasure to join the water treatment business through this international partnership. With our experience in running innovation and scaling up and building cutting edge industrial projects, SQM can support Salinity to be successful in reaching its technical and commercial goals.”

Salinity Solutions was formed as a spin-off from the University of Birmingham in April 2021, following 10 years of research and development at Aston University and University of Birmingham under the supervision of Professor Philip Davies. Founder Tim Naughton secured an Innovate UK iCURE grant and seed investment from Clean Engineering, followed by two oversubscribed crowdfunding campaigns on Crowdcube. Existing investors, including the University of Birmingham, have added to this investment round over the last six months, investing over £960,000 alongside SQM, providing a total of £1.96 million in new funding for the company.

AFRY signs framework agreement with Copperstone

Automation, Base metals, Environmental, IoT, Mine shafts and equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, Mining techniques, Sustainable mining

AFRY has signed a two-year framework agreement with Copperstone Resources AB. The agreement is a continuation of previous co-operation. With this framework agreement AFRY says it continues as a trusted partner to support Copperstone to reach their goal of becoming one of the world’s most sustainable producers of copper.

The Swedish mining company Copperstone is planning to reopen the Viscaria mine in Kiruna, Sweden. The mine was closed at the turn of the millennium as demand for copper fell. Today, the need for copper is a key factor in the transition to renewable energy. When Copperstone plans to open up the Viscaria mine in Kiruna, efficient water management and circular flows are important aspects for responsible mining.

Through the framework agreement, AFRY will contribute with expertise through a wide range of competence areas with a focus on sustainable solutions and the Best Available Technologies (BAT). This includes services within multidisciplinary engineering in environment, geotechnics, process, mechanical and piping, electrical, automation, digitalisation, civil and construction and sustainability services.

“Society is changing towards greater use of renewable energy sources, and metals play a key role in this transition. Our calculations suggest that Viscaria could produce 30 000 tonnes of copper per year. Our ambition also extends to optimising the opportunities for reMining – reusing and utilising the material from previous mining operations to a greater extent. In this work, we look forward to continuing our cooperation with AFRY, which has extensive experience and deep expertise in the mining and metals sector,” says Emma Mäkitaavola, Project Manager at Copperstone Resources.

“Through our center of future mining and metal in Sweden together with AFRY’s entire range of services and our focus on sustainability, we have a unique expertise in multidisciplinary engineering needed in mining projects. We look forward to contributing to create a modern and responsible mining operation,” says Lisa Vedin, Head of Process Industries division for AFRY in Sweden.

The agreement is valid from 2024 to 2026. The contract value for AFRY has not been disclosed.

HBT announces new partnership with leading energy sector player TotalEnergies

Coal technology, Equipment maintenance, Mine shafts and equipment, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services

Effective March 11, 2024, HBT Australia and leading energy sector solutions company TotalEnergies Marketing Australia (a subsidiary of TotalEnergies SE) have agreed on ‘a new strong partnership.’

HBT will work with TotalEnergies Marketing Australia to provide resource companies with access to a single solution provider for all their onsite tunnelling, mining fluid, and lubricant requirements, including the Longwall HFA fluid. Through the collaboration, both companies will combine their expertise and expand their global reach, providing the resource sector with a turnkey solution for their extraction needs.

“We are pleased to be working with TotalEnergies Marketing Australia as this partnership further enhances our capability as a single-solution provider for our customers,” said James Yates, General Manager for Deal Capture at HBT. “This collaboration provides our clients with access to a total fluid and lubricant solution, including the Longwall HFA fluid, and predictive maintenance analytics and services, backed by us as the OEM, for all their HBT equipment. In addition to this, another benefit of working with the fourth largest manufacturer of fluids and lubricants provides HBT with the unique opportunity to access a broader range of TotalEnergies products that can be used by our customers in other equipment on the site, providing a true single-source solution for all onsite fluids and lubricants.”

He adds: “I firmly believe this partnership is also a two-way venture that both businesses will benefit from in the short, medium, and long term. It provides significant opportunities for the HBT technologies to be applied to the TotalEnergies fluid and lubricant delivery and monitoring systems which, in turn, provides a unique value proposition for new and existing customers from both sides.”

TotalEnergies Marketing Australia is an affiliate of French energy conglomerate TotalEnergies and is integrated in all sectors of the energy business within the Australian market. Its Lubricants Division focuses on key direct lubricant markets, including Mining, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), Power Generation, and Special Fluids. It has access to the resources of the world’s fourth largest lubricant company TotalEnergies Lubricants, that develops, blends and distributes, including associated services, a wide range of high-performance lubricants for the mining, automotive, industry and marine sectors.

Andrew Druwitt, Marketing Australia National Mining Manager at TotalEnergies said: “TotalEnergies Marketing Australia will deliver our range of cutting-edge, high-performance machine lubricant products to support HBT’s advanced suite of equipment, which plays a critical role in roadway development and underground operations for HBT’s customers. This engagement with HBT will be a significant game-changer for both companies as we can provide a single solution for our combined suite of mining clients by solving their specific equipment and maintenance requirements – HBT will supply the machinery, while we will provide the fluids and lubricants needed to keep things running smoothly. It will allow us to combine our expertise when dealing with global mining clients and provide site and procurement managers for resource companies the opportunity to access the decades of experience both companies can bring to any engagement.”

Rio Tinto bridging time gap to battery electric fleet viability with biofuels & targeted trolley assist

Automation, Base metals, Bulk handling, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining

While large fleets of battery electric trucks in mining remain the ultimate goal for the big mining houses, there is a recognition that major challenges remain in terms of charging strategy, the use of existing fleets plus just the readiness of the large battery electric equipment in energy density terms for full operational deployment, with the very first early models for testing purposes only set to arrive at mining customer sites this year.

In its just released Climate Change Report 2023, Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm states: “We continue to believe electrification is the most efficient and cost-effective way to eliminate our diesel emissions, but we are not expecting large-scale deployment of electric fleets to our operations before 2030. In the interim, we are investigating and deploying transitional, drop-in solutions, including renewable diesel.”

In May, Rio’s Boron operation in California became the world’s first open pit mine to successfully transition heavy machinery from fossil diesel, resulting in an annual abatement of 45,000t CO2. And in late 2023, the miner announced deployment of renewable diesel at nearly ten times this scale at its Kennecott Copper operation in Utah. Stausholm said replacing diesel fuel with renewable diesel at this site in 2024 will reduce emissions at Kennecott by an estimated 80% or up to 495,000t CO2 per year.

Rio Tinto’s broad summary of its expected mobile diesel usage transition

For Scope 1 and 2 emissions, Rio Tinto has committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and set ambitious interim targets relative to its 2018 equity emissions baseline: to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 15% by 2025 and by 50% by 2030. In the Pilbara, it says it remains committed to building 1 GW of renewable energy capacity. “However, due to the extended timeline for deployment of battery electric haulage solutions, we now estimate that 600MW to 700MW capacity is required by 2030.”

The miner’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions stood at 32.6 Mt CO2e in 2023. “This is 6% below our 2018 baseline of 34.5 Mt CO2e and slightly below our adjusted 2022 emissions of 32.7 Mt CO2e (adjusted for acquisitions). Abatement delivered by our projects in 2023 exceeded emissions growth from higher production giving a slight reduction in emissions on a like for like basis. Our 2023 emissions were slightly higher than our actual 2022 emissions total of 32.3 Mt CO2e due to the recent acquisitions of additional equity in OT and MRN.”

In action terms, in 2022, Rio Tinto established six abatement programs to focus on the decarbonisation challenges across its product groups: repowering Pacific Aluminium Operations, Alumina Processing, Aluminium Anodes, Renewable Energy, Minerals Processing, and Diesel Transition. Its pipeline of abatement projects is evolving as projects approach commercial and technical readiness.

From a mining equipment point of view, the program of most interest is Diesel Transition. Rio Tinto spent $1.6 billion on diesel in 2023 and consumed 1.6 billion litres of diesel at its major operations. Some $38 million was devoted to decarbonisation strategy spend in 2023.

Looking at this Diesel Transition program, Rio gave some good insights into the crux of the here and now challenges of a switch to BEVs: “Diesel is the primary energy source for Rio Tinto’s core mining operations, powering our operations globally and accounting for 12% of our total emissions in 2023. Our efforts in developing solutions to decarbonise our operations, which include the modelling of energy systems and solutions, reinforce the view that the long-term solution for transitioning our mining fleet and equipment from fossil fuels is electrification. However, to support meaningful emissions reductions in the mining industry, specialised electric vehicles – distinct from those used in the transportation and consumer sector – are essential.”

It adds: “These vehicles must be adaptable to changing mining plans and must deliver powerful performance to support intense work cycles. Most importantly, they will need to be safe, reliable and capable of supporting extended battery capacity and cycle life under harsh and perpetual operating conditions. A robust fleet is only part of the infrastructure required to support the large-scale transition to an electric mining fleet at our operations. Dynamic and flexible charging infrastructure is also required to support constantly evolving mine plans and equipment routes. It is likely charging stations cannot remain fixed in one location and may need to be complemented by mobile solutions. The charging network must also be underpinned by access to renewable energy sources and the related systems needed to operate these.” Partnerships are highlighted as being crucial to success: “Active partnerships are required to accelerate the development of battery-electric haul trucks and charging solutions, which we believe will be operationally available at scale after 2030, and will be critical to 2050 target.”

The report continues: “Although current technology does not yet deliver the energy density required in large mining vehicles, exciting progress, including the pace of electric vehicles roll-out and breakthroughs in mining fleet development, assures us that these challenges can be met through innovation and working together. We cannot pursue the electrification of our fleet in isolation. This is why we are committed to transitioning away from diesel through parallel investment in research and development projects, and the development of complementary approaches to reduce diesel-related emissions. These include increasing fuel efficiency and biofuels procurement.”

On 2030 targets, it says that biofuels are critical “to ensuring we meet our 2030 Scope 1 and 2 emissions targets and we are exploring short and medium-term commercial biofuel options to rapidly reduce our reliance on diesel.” It also says it is looking to develop and deploy partial abatement solutions with shorter execution timelines and existing technology. “We are prioritising projects that can contribute meaningfully to diesel reduction in line with our 2030 targets. These projects achieve partial abatement and include commercially available technology such as lower fuel-burn dig units and cable electric shovels, and shorter lead-time technology such as innovative trolleys.”

Trolley has a role in Rio Tinto’s roadmap too. It is looking to develop a viable trolley assist option for the existing haul fleet, to enable a substantial reduction in diesel use while on trolley. “We continue to assess this technology to identify suitable operations where it can be deployed, either standalone or as a precursor to wider fleet electrification. Limitations to deployment include retrofitting to existing operations and a dependence on the availability of renewable energies.”

On electrification, Rio Tinto has now completed a six-month test program of a Scania 20 t battery electric truck at its Channar operations in the Pilbara. It also continues involvement in CharIN and the ICMM’s Initiative for Cleaner Safer Vehicles to build on collaborative industry partnerships, to solve challenges related to inter-operability and large electric truck dynamic charging.

Carrying momentum into 2024, the miner as stated will transition its Kennecott Copper operations to renewable diesel. Plus it is set to commence battery electric haul truck trials in the Pilbara. It will also develop a deployment plan for partial abatement electrification options as well as consider options to develop an Australian biofuel supply chain.

 

 

 

MMD wins major order for three semi-mobile sizing stations for Simandou iron ore project

Bulk handling, Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mineral commodities, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Steel and iron ore

Beijing MMD Mining Machinery Co Ltd, on behalf of MMD Group, has signed a major contract with Winning Consortium and Baowu for the delivery of three Semi-Mobile Sizing Stations (SMSS) for the Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS) iron ore project in Guinea.

In November 2019, Winning Consortium Simandou, led by Singapore’s Winning International Group, was awarded the mining concession to develop Simandou Iron Ore Blocks 1 & 2 in the Republic of Guinea. The Simandou iron ore mine is the largest source of untapped open-pit iron ore deposits with the highest grade iron content in the world.

The purchase of MMD Group equipment includes a range of state-of-the-art machinery, designed to streamline various aspects of the mining process. Among the key acquisitions are Mineral Sizers and Apron Feeders tailored to meet the specific needs to develop Blocks 1 & 2 of WCS’s project. MMD stated: “These technological advancements are expected to contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious mining operation, aligning with Winning Consortium Simandou’s commitment to responsible resource extraction.”

Highlights include three Semi Mobile Sizer Stations; three Apron Plate Feeders; three Mineral Sizers; plus two pairs of spare Breaker Shafts along with technical services, unique tools, instruments necessary for installation, maintenance, testing and operation.

Each Semi-Mobile Sizing Station includes a MMD 1150 Series Sizer and a D10 Apron Plate Feeder, which can reliably handle the required 4,500 t/h of run of mine iron ore. To provide maximum system availability, WCS has also purchased two spare sets of Breaker Shafts for quick replacement and relevant technical support and service for installation and commissioning of the three SMSS (Semi-Mobile Sizer Stations).

Ben Zhang, President of Beijing MMD, said: “This order means a lot to us. Beijing MMD has done 60+ SMSS in China, Jordan, Pakistan and DR Congo, and has sold over 600 Sizers in China alone. It is the first time for us to be able to provide Semi-Mobile Sizer Stations into Guinea. We are pleased to have been awarded a contract to produce reliable equipment to help develop blocks 1 and 2 of the Simandou iron ore deposit.”

Martin Vorster, Group Managing Director, said: “As a company, we recognise the scale and importance of the Simandou project. We’re extremely pleased that WCS has chosen MMD Group equipment to help excavate Blocks 1 and 2. This marks a significant achievement for Beijing MMD, and they have support from everyone within MMD Group. We are excited about their collaboration with other MMD Group offices to distribute equipment beyond China.”

The investment in MMD Group equipment the statement said “marks a pivotal moment in the WCS project’s evolution, solidifying Winning Consortium Simandou’s position as a key player in Blocks 1 & 2 of the Simandou project, committed to responsible and technologically advanced resource extraction.”

Komatsu passes 700 autonomous mining trucks including >100 980Es

Automation, Base metals, Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mineral commodities, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, Sustainable mining

Komatsu Ltd has announced that the number of commercial deployments of its Komatsu FrontRunner Autonomous Haulage System (AHS), on mining trucks has surpassed 700 as of February 2024.

This includes over 100 units of the 980E-AT, one of the world’s largest ultra-class dump trucks, capable of carrying 400 tons. The 700th AHS truck was deployed at Glencore’s Lomas Bayas copper mine in Chile, which introduced Komatsu AHS for the first time in November 2023.

This milestone marks a significant achievement for Komatsu, which began AHS trials in 2005 at Codelco’s Radomiro Tomic in Chile and achieved the world’s first commercial AHS deployment  in January 2008 at Codelco’s Gaby mine in Chile.

Since then, Komatsu has deployed AHS at 23 mine sites in five countries, with AHS trucks hauling seven and half billion metric tons of materials by the end of February 2024.

“Our first autonomous trucks are already operating in the region, which means the culmination of the first stage of this great project, which we could potentially – as Copper Department and scale it later to other Glencore assets, so that other sites have the benefit of what is being conducted here today,” said Abraham Chahuán, South America Copper Assets Director, Glencore.

“We express our profound gratitude to Glencore‘s invaluable partnership spirit, which leads successful AHS deployment at Lomas Bayas copper mine. FrontRunner is bringing safer, more reliable and consistent mine operations while lowering operating costs and increasing production. Komatsu continues to be committed to providing quality solutions with our customers through One Komatsu team,” said Masayuki Moriyama, President of Komatsu’s Mining Business Division.

Looking ahead, Komatsu says it remains committed to helping customers achieve their goals, such as improving safety and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, through the utilisation of AHS technology. This commitment is reflected in Komatsu’s mid-term management plan, ‘DANTOTSU Value – Together, to ‘The Next’ for sustainable growth,’ which defines DANTOTSU Value as customer value creation that generates a positive cycle of improvement in earnings and ESG resolutions.

Through DANTOTSU Value, Komatsu says it will strive to create new values in order to take steady steps forward to the next stage for the workplace of the future and pass on a sustainable future to the next generation.

 

Tribe Tech switches on its autonomous RC drill rig engine for the first time

Automation, Mineral commodities, Mineral exploration, Mining consumables, Mining maintenance, Mining people, Mining safety, Mining services, Steel and iron ore

Tribe Technology PLC has given an update in relation to the company’s first generation autonomous TTDS 700 GC reverse circulation drill rig. It says it continues to move forward in relation to the construction of its drill rig and recently successfully switched on the engine of the drill rig for the first time at the company’s 20,000 square foot facility near Belfast, Northern Ireland.

This marks an important step for Tribe Tech on the way towards factory completion of the drill rig and the subsequent production of the drill rig, “as well as ultimately, the advancement of efficiency, safety and sustainability in the drilling industry.”

Derek Loughlin, Chief Technology Officer at Tribe Tech, commented: “We continue to make strong progress in relation to the company’s first generation autonomous TTDS 700 GC drill rig and ultimately, towards creating a safer, more efficient work environment through the use of fully autonomous and safe drill rigs. This is demonstrated by the continued testing and most recently, the successful engine ignition of our first autonomously operated drill rig.”

Factory completion of the drill rig continues to be expected to occur in the first quarter of 2024 with shipment to the customer expected in second quarter of 2024, as originally stated in the company’s announcement on 28 December 2023. To date, reverse circulation drilling has been characterised by a lack of automation due to the complexities of the systems required and the harsh conditions in which these machines operate. The company’s RC drill rigs are being developed to remove operators from the dangers that are involved in traditional RC drill rigs.

Tribe Tech CEO Charlie King told IM during a visit to the factory back in 2022: “There is a huge degree of complexity in RC automation relating to the handling of rods and bits plus the cyclone sampling. You would typically have one or two people on the sampling; one person operating the rod handler; one person doing the actual drilling plus a supervisor plus maybe additional staff such as a geologist, health and safety professional or field assistant. We are very familiar with the challenges, however, due to projects our team members have worked on in previous roles; plus the sheer weight of engineering hours we have put into the TTDS development and the lessons we have learned along the way. I will say that a standard RC rig has three to five people operating it; whereas ours will have nobody on the drill pad at all and we have designed everything around that which has meant a colossal engineering project from the ground up.”

Australia represents a major market for large RC rigs, especially in the Pilbara iron ore hub, so this is the primary initial focus area for Tribe Tech with both mining houses and major drilling contractors. While the drill rig itself is being made in Northern Ireland, the sampling system has been built at the company’s facility in Perth, WA. In February, Tribe Tech’s Australian employees also had the chance to see some of Tribe Tech’s equipment being tested at the Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct (AARP)’s Dirt Lab in Neerabup, about 35 km north of Perth. With a hands-on demonstration, this was an opportunity for the team to get an in-depth look at the innovative automated RC technology.