Tag Archives: copper

Leveraging electric heat-trace cables to prevent freezing pipes and pipelines

Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Water management, , , , , , ,

Feeding water into a mine, the dewatering of groundwater out of it, and the recycling of used water all depend upon a network of reliable piping systems able to withstand mining’s extreme environments, whether the mine is underground or on the surface.

In remote areas such as Alaska or northwest Canada, pipes carrying water, slurry, tailings, chemicals or other liquids can be subjected to dangerously cold temperatures. Unprotected pipes can easily freeze in this cold, expand and then burst, no matter how strong the material they’re made of. A freeze can also result in ice blockages in pipes that cripple production, according to Matthew Gurreri and Kevin Green* write.

One burst or blocked pipe can bring an entire mining operation to a halt, resulting in punishing financial losses. In addition, lives can be put in jeopardy by the depressurising of fire suppression systems, for instance, or by the flooding of tunnels. Another issue is the environment. Leaks of contaminated water containing heavy metals like copper, lead and arsenic may spill into nearby waterways creating an ecological disaster. The high cost of downtime stemming from a frozen or blocked pipe can be exacerbated by a lack of on-site replacement parts. Icy roads are often impassable in winter, leaving delivery of replacement parts limited to cargo planes or sea lifts. Logistics can become extremely complicated, as well as expensive, in remote arctic locations.

Besides water, most air-filled lines operating inside or outside a mine can freeze, even at temperatures as warm as 40° F. As air pressure drops from 100 psi down to atmosphere, the compressed air, which is always at 100% humidity, super cools rapidly and can freeze up lines and seriously damage mining equipment.

The importance of preventing water pipes and air-filled lines from freezing cannot be overstated. Water is involved at every stage in production: mining, downstream processing and product conveyance. Large quantities of water are also used for cooling the cutting edges of machinery, heap leaching, dust suppression, general cleaning, fire sprinklers and fresh drinking water. Air-filled lines are needed to supply critical power to pneumatic tools and mining equipment.

Protecting pipes

Pipes installed in mining operations are made of materials appropriate to the duty required. Steel pipes are the industry standard. However, lightweight, corrosion-resistant and lower cost plastic pipes, such as HDPE and PE, are increasingly being deployed. Pipes are hung by chains from brackets typically attached to roof bolts.

Along with the threats posed by harsh weather conditions, pipes installed in mines must withstand high external loads and surges in pressure, exposure to corrosive chemicals and abrasive slurries, steam purging, caustic acids and accidental damage by moving equipment – all of which can weaken the pipe structure and make it more susceptible to bursting in a freeze. Hairline cracks could develop, causing leakage, and eventually break.

Explosion risks

Statistics from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) indicate that mine explosions occur most often during colder months because of low barometric pressure and low humidity. In cold weather, coal dust can be dangerously suspended in dry cold atmospheres, increasing the hazard of explosion. Low barometric pressures help methane spread easily into active areas, further heightening the risk of explosion. All it takes is a spark from an electrical device, including the switching “on” and “off” of a non-rated heat-trace cable, to ignite a disaster in a classified area containing explosive dust or gases. A lower-quality, malfunctioning heat trace cable can also generate enough heat to set off an explosion in a hazardous location.

Heating cables must be certified for the hazardous location where they are installed. Period. It is extremely dangerous to trust the future of a mine and the lives of its employees to offshore heating cables that may or may not be engineered to the certifications they claim to carry.

Long-distance applications

Mining requires long pipelines and consequently, equally long heat-tracing applications both for freeze protection or for viscosity control and temperature maintenance. Measuring from a few hundred yards to several miles, long distance systems are typically custom engineered. Many variables must be taken into consideration to achieve the most reliable solution for the targeted distance, including factors like self-regulating or constant wattage, supply voltage, minimum temperature at start-up, circuit breaker amperage, pipe diameter, and wire gauge, among many others. In determining heating cable length, the pipe length must be added to the junction box entry and end seal, the number of flanges, and the size and number of valves.

Fire suppression in mines

Ice blockage hinders the suppression abilities of a fire sprinkler system and can break pipes altogether. Frozen sprinkler pipes are dangerous in a commercial building, of course, but can amount to even a greater risk in a mine. In the event of an underground mine fire, it is critical to extinguish the fire in its early stages. Any delay in initiating firefighting activities can result in an uncontrolled fire. Unfortunately, just as sprinkler pipes can freeze, so can the mine’s underground fire hydrants, fire water hoses and surface water storage tanks. All need freeze protection.

Often a sprinkler pipe doesn’t freeze completely. Instead, the water will freeze, thaw and freeze again when exposed to low temperatures. This phenomenon applies added stress to the pipe. Even if a pipe thaws out after a freezing event and appears stable, its integrity is compromised. Hairline cracks can be subtle and difficult to locate until too late.

A frozen pipe in a mine can be dangerous, even deadly.

For instance, in December 2004, a heavy equipment operator in a Kentucky mine was fatally injured while he was trying to dislodge frozen slurry from a slurry pipeline that had iced over.

In 2012 at an oil sands project, about 60 km south of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, a worker was in the process of steaming a frozen pipe when a section of the pipe ruptured, striking the worker in the leg. The 62-year-old worker was transported to a hospital in nearby Lac La Biche where he passed away.

More commonthan these issues is frozen water in pipes that lead to crippling issues ranging from improper functioning of equipment and premature parts failure all the way to more costly damage caused by freeze-and-thaw issues or thermal shock.

Electric heat-trace cables will prevent water, compressed air, slurry and other liquids from freezing in pipes and lines, protecting your property, people and profits.

*Matthew Gurreri is Product Marketing Manager, Emerson Automation Systems, and Kevin Green is National Sales Manager, Emerson Automation Systems

Rajant and STRACONTech boost network coverage at Hudbay’s Constancia mine

Base metals, Communications in mining, IoT, Mine operation news, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rajant Corporation, the pioneer of Kinetic Mesh® wireless networks, and STRACONTech, a Kinetic Mesh Partner in Lima, Peru, say they have increased bandwidth and improved networking coverage at the Constancia mine in Peru, a project owned by Hudbay Minerals.

After reviewing options, the mine selected to invest in Rajant’s solution for mobility, which allows an almost “plug-and-play” integration with the mine’s existing LTE network, Rajant said. Eduardo Rojas, IT Manager at Hudbay, said: “Our mining operation needed a better design for its haulage and loading fleet. With the Rajant hybrid solution, we now have a significant increase in bandwidth, which will allow us to be more efficient.”

With the Rajant Peregrine LTE BreadCrumb®, the mine obtained a four times performance improvement, going from a limit of 10 Mb/s with LTE up to 40 Mb/s.

The Rajant Peregrine LTE allows connectivity on multiple frequencies simultaneously, including LTE. This improves operations so connectivity is not lost with the mining fleet even when interference exists on the 2.4 GHz, 5 Ghz, or LTE band, Rajant says.

Rajant Vice President of Sales (Americas/APAC), Sagar Chandra, added: “All mining operations want reliable and scalable connectivity. We successfully improved the performance of the installed LTE network using the Peregrine LTE, which offers the unique benefit of Kinetic Mesh and direct machine-to-machine connectivity.”

Rajant and STRACONTech teams started with a proof of concept, resulting in a larger phased installation, delivering improved performance.

STRACONTech’s team explains: “We measured 30-32 Mb/s at 1 km while the mine’s LTE had a ceiling of 10 Mb/s. We solved the challenge they had. Moreover, the investment in the Peregrine LTE was a one-time cost for the mine without recurring annual software or maintenance costs, saving them long-term.”

Hudbay’s Constancia mine produced 89,395 t of copper, 58,229 oz of gold and 2.3 Moz of silver in 2022.

Zest WEG to supply Ivanhoe Mines with range of electrical, energy solutions for Kipushi

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Mineral project development, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , ,

As part of Ivanhoe Mines’ refurbishment of the historic Kipushi zinc-copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zest WEG is to supply a range of electrical and energy solutions.

Ivanhoe Mines acquired its 68% interest in the Kipushi project in November 2011; the balance of 32% is held by the DRC’s state-owned mining company, Gécamines.

According to Luveshen Naidoo, Business Development External Sales Engineer for Mining and Industrial at Zest WEG, this includes a 14 MW power plant, motor control centres (MCCs), WEG medium voltage (MV) variable speed drives (VSDs) and a WEG 1,200 kW MV motor for the mine’s ball mill. The company is also the preferred supplier of low voltage (LV) motors, and will supply these to a range of mechanical OEMs servicing the mine. Delivery of the equipment is expected to begin in the September quarter of 2023.

“Our diesel powered plant, which will provide the mine with backup energy, has been designed to comprise 12 generator sets – each rated at 1,587 kVA and 400 V,” Naidoo says. “Assembled at Zest WEG’s specialised Cape Town facility, the plant includes MV switchgear, six 3150 kVA ONAN type 400V / 6.6 kV step-up transformers, a 40,000 litre fuel tank and an automated fuel system.”

He highlights that splitting the plant design into smaller generating units ensured engines and alternators were readily available, securing a quicker delivery time. The configuration of the plant in this way also gives the mine greater energy security in the case of maintenance or breakdown. The gensets can also be transported to site using conventional trucking, without the need for abnormal load vehicles.

The MCCs are being supplied for use in an established substation on the Kipushi zinc-copper mine, as well as for a containerised substation elsewhere on the site. To accommodate space constraints, the MCCs are designed for a back-to-back configuration with a compact bucket size, Naidoo explains.

“This ensures that the equipment will fit in the available space while still meeting the client’s specification and stringent IEC standards,” he says.

For the mine’s SAG mill, Zest WEG is providing the WEG W60 MV motor rated at 1,200kW – a unit for the demanding applications and aggressive environments found in the mining sector, Naidoo says. The reduced motor weight holds distinct benefits, he notes, including a compact base plate or plinth onto which it is mounted – and lower installation costs. The motor’s IP55 rating ensures the motor is well protected from dust or water ingress.

To meet the client’s needs for the MV VSD to drive the ball mill motor, WEG’s MVW3000 unit is being supplied – a compact design with an integral dry-type transformer. To facilitate the dissipation of heat, Zest WEG designed a ducting system for this 1,200 kW VSD which will reduce the need for cooling of the substation.

As the client’s preferred brand of LV motors, the WEG W22 motor is being made available to Kipushi’s mechanical supply OEMs. Among the key benefits of this WEG IE3 motor is its energy efficiency, Naidoo says. This preferred brand strategy makes it more cost effective for the mine to keep the necessary consignments of spares for maintenance and servicing.

In putting together its proposals for the client, Zest WEG worked closely with the engineering consultant METC Engineering in the detailed design stage.

First-line support for Zest WEG’s equipment will come from Panaco, the company’s Value Added Reseller in the DRC.

More SEW-EURODRIVE X.e-series power packs on their way to Kamoa-Kakula

Base metals, Mine operation news, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Uncategorised, , , , , , , , , ,

With well over 100 units already delivered, SEW-EURODRIVE in South Africa is set to continue supplying Ivanhoe Mines’ Kamoa-Kakula copper complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a joint venture with Zijin Mining of China, with a wide range of its X.e-series power packs, the company says.

According to Willem Strydom, Business Development at SEW-EURODRIVE, the power packs – which are integrated units comprising gearbox, coupling and motor – will be part of Kamoa-Kakula’s Phase 3 expansion. Since the mine’s first phase of development over five years ago, SEW-EURODRIVE has worked closely with both Ivanhoe and the engineering, procurement and construction contractor.

“As in previous phases of the mine’s development, our robust high quality power packs will provide reliable solutions in on-site applications such as conveyors, agitators and slurry pumps,” Strydom says. “The size range in the order makes use of our wide capability range to provide a total solution, ranging from 55 kW units to 500 kW units.”

The latest order includes several X.e series power packs for conveyor applications, planetary gearboxes for feeder applications and spare gearboxes. The equipment will be delivered in staggered shipments this year. While the mine typically undertakes the installation of the equipment, SEW-EURODRIVE sends technical teams to site to check final alignment and overall installation parameters.

The company has expanded its after-sales service teams considerably in recent years, allowing it to support the growing base of equipment throughout Africa. Its projects and engineering teams have also grown – developing a depth of experience to assist customers right from design phase onwards.

Strydom notes that SEW-EURODRIVE has significantly developed its infrastructural foundation in South Africa, and plans to develop a physical representation in over 23 other African countries. As a priority country for the company’s strategy, there is expected to be a representative in place in the DRC in 2023, he explains. Field service teams from South Africa are frequently at Kamoa-Kakula to assist with servicing of the existing power packs operating on the site.

“Our local assembly capability in our new facility in Johannesburg – combined with our ability to source from the group’s other global operations – has allowed us to meet the tight delivery deadlines for this substantial order of equipment,” he says. “Our global footprint and production capacity mean that we can deliver faster than most players in our field, and this is often an important factor for our market.”

While the company previously imported the larger X.e Industrial gearboxes from Germany, it is now able to assemble these in the new South African facilities. As part of its service, SEW-EURODRIVE will also handle the logistics of getting this large volume of equipment to site. The company’s training centre – the Drive Academy – in Johannesburg has also made a valuable contribution by providing training on the equipment and its maintenance, it says.

In this project, the tropical climate was another important factor in the customer’s design requirements. This required the inclusion of certain cooling and paint specifications in the contract.

SEW-EURODRIVE Head of Engineering, Andreas Meid, explains that special breathers were part of the design in response to high humidity levels – and served to ensure no moisture in the gearboxes. In outdoor applications where sun exposure was high, covers were also included to reduce heat build-up. Cooling fans were also optimised in certain cases to ensure optimal performance.

He highlights that Kamoa-Kakula is one of many projects in Africa to request the installation of monitoring equipment on the power packs. This facilitates real-time monitoring, using specialised sensors to measure key indicators like vibration and temperature from anywhere in the world.

“This allows the operation to monitor the equipment remotely, receiving early warnings of any issues in performance,” Meid says. “Responding timeously to this information can prevent serious damage and avoid unplanned downtime.”

As a preferred supplier, SEW-EURODRIVE first delivered a multitude of X.e Series power packs between 2019 and 2021 for the mine’s initial development phase.

For Kamoa-Kakula’s Phase 2 expansion, which doubled the concentrator plant capacity, SEW-EURODRIVE supplied many standard X.e series power packs for the conveyors as well as planetary gearboxes for the feeders.

DMC Mining adds Boart Longyear LF160 coring rig and FREEDOM Loader to Sierra Gorda fleet

Base metals, Mine operation news, Mineral exploration, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, , , , , , , ,

DMC Mining Services says it has added a Boart Longyear LF™160 surface coring drill rig to its equipment arsenal at the Sierra Gorda copper-molybdenum mine in Chile, adding to the four pieces of equipment it already has on site.

The LF™160 is a surface diamond exploration rig with up to 1,800 m of NQ capability. This tool enhances safety and increases productivity by allowing 100% hands-free drilling when operating in conjunction with the FL262 FREEDOM™ rod handler, and is also CE Certified, DMC says. It is equipped with an inner tube that will allow drillers to retrieve a full 6-m inner tube out of the rod string using the wireline winch, according to FLSmidth.

DMC’s contract at Sierra Gorda, owned 55% by KGHM 55% and 45% by South32, was one of five new agreements it was awarded at the end of 2019. It is also carrying out work at KGHM’s Franke mine, in the Antofagasta region of Chile.

GlencoreTech-AtlanticCopper

Freeport’s Atlantic Copper enlists Glencore Technology’s ISACYLE solution for waste recovery project

Base metals, Energy minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Precious metals, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Glencore Technology is to help Atlantic Copper, owned by Freeport-McMoRan, to create the first waste recovery plant for metal fractions of e-material in southern Europe.

The ‘CirCular’ project will feature Glencore Technology’s ISACYLE™ technology to process 60,000 t/y of e-material, and is expected to be operational in the March quarter of 2025.

According to Atlantic Copper, the works will begin in September. The company is investing €310 million ($345 million) in the project, which will move Spain from a recycling rate of 50% to 100% of electronic material, Glencore Technology says.

The ISACYCLE-based project will recover, among other metals, copper, gold, silver, platinum, palladium, tin and nickel from what Atlantic Copper describe as waste electrical and electronic equipment or WEEE.

In 2019, Spain generated around 890,000 t of WEEE, of which only around 370,000 t were managed by authorised recyclers. The other 520,000 t of disused electrical and electronic equipment are stored in homes, end up in landfills or are exported to countries where the metals might be recovered in an environmentally unfriendly way, Glencore Technology says.

Atlantic Copper, Spain’s leading copper producer, will use ISACYCLE technology to divert that kind of waste from landfill and instead recover significant value from it.

The CirCular project is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals and with the EU’s Green Deal and the Plan of Reconstruction, as copper is among the key raw materials that Europe will need to achieve that goal of a sustainable, environmentally neutral economy.

Glencore Technology’s Manager for Pyrometallurgy and Hydrometallurgy, Dr Stanko Nikolic, said the project is expected to be the first of many to use the company’s ISACYLE technology, which is a direct evolution from its ISASMELT™ technology.

“ISACYCLE has been purposefully evolved and proven to take residual waste, including e-waste, and transform it into saleable commodities,” he said. “It’s a very scalable technology. This is a project featuring a plant toward the larger scale. But it is also a technology that works in a small scale, ideal for urban utilities and waste processing companies.”

Nikolic said the ISACYCLE technology, on any scale, can virtually eliminate landfill and instead produce recovered metals, a safe slag that can be used as a construction product, energy and clean offgas.

He concluded: “We’re proud to be able to work with such an innovative company as Atlantic Copper. They’re building a major milestone for the region and what will become a showcase for others.”

Ramjack to provide Aeris Resources with tech strategy, roadmap aimed at optimising operations

Automation, Base metals, Mine operation news, Mining services, , ,

Aeris Resources and Ramjack Technology Solutions have announced a partnership to further secure Aeris’ competitive position by leveraging Ramjack’s technology strategy and roadmap services, the METS company says.

The engagement will ensure world-class operational practices are achieved through best-of-breed technology selection, utilisation and integration, providing return on investment within 12 months, Ramjack says.

This phase will streamline the way operational technologies work synchronously across four copper, gold, zinc and silver mining complexes in Australia. Ramjack says it has accomplished Phase 1 by evaluating the interoperability of existing technologies at multiple sites, in various states of adoption, to uncover further productivity improvements and cost efficiencies. The technologies assessed covered production, technical services, maintenance, safety, geology and administration.

Ian Sheppard, Chief Operations Officer for Aeris Resources, said innovation was a critical component of their drive to improve mine productivity.

“The pragmatic application of operations technology is an enabler for our people to innovate,” he said. “We selected Ramjack as experts in operations technology integration because their vendor-agnostic model is such a refreshing change from the confusion that arises from dealing directly with a multitude of technology suppliers. Ramjack has a track record of helping mines to select the right technology to achieve the sustainable and repeatable productivity improvements we need.”

Roy Pater, Ramjack VP APAC, said: “We’re thrilled to engage in partnerships where expert collaboration results in innovation. Aeris knew that a standardised operational model with scalable technology would benefit them in the long run. Our services and partnership with Aeris will deliver at least a 2.5% year-on-year operational improvement for them, compounded annually with any new investment.”

With information gathering done, the next steps include knowledge transfer services to empower the Aeris team to get more out of its systems, make better mining decisions, maximise ore grade, exceed production targets, reduce costs and enhance safety, Ramjack says. Final steps include technology selection recommendations and deployment services that will deliver a major change in how data is collected and used to deliver accurate, actionable information for timely production improvement decisions, it added.

Aeris Resources is a mid-tier base and precious metals producer. Its copper-dominant portfolio comprises four operating assets, a long-life development project and a highly prospective exploration portfolio, spanning Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, with headquarters in Brisbane.

Eriez Magnetic Mill Liners boost safety, energy efficiency and durability at Nexa Resources mine

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Sustainable mining, , , , , , ,

A new report from Eriez® reveals how a set of Magnetic Mill Liners (MML) are significantly improving safety standards, energy efficiency and operational longevity at a Nexa Resources operation in Peru.

The MML is a wear-resistant steel-encased magnet that combines the best qualities of steel and magnetic liners, according to Eriez.

The report highlights the superiority of MMLs over conventional liners by describing the numerous benefits these advanced liners offer. Each MML is composed of individual sections that are much lighter than traditional liners, facilitating safer and easier installation procedures, Eriez says. Weighing only 20-40 kg per section, the MML eliminates the requirement for specialised cranes within the mill, streamlining operations and enhancing safety protocols. Nexa even credits the MML installation with contributing to the company’s achievement of a major Peruvian safety award.

There are considerable environmental advantages associated with the implementation of MMLs, according to Eriez. Heavier steel liners require significant fuel consumption for transportation and material handling while lightweight MMLs can be installed by hand. Additionally, Nexa reports a significant reduction in noise levels with the MML, creating a more favorable work environment overall.

The case study also highlights the energy-efficient aspects of MMLs. In traditional ball mills, small ball chips do not contribute to the grinding process, leading to wasted energy. However, MMLs effectively eliminate the presence of small ball chips, resulting in energy savings of up to 11% during the grinding process, according to Eriez.

The exceptional durability of MMLs is another standout feature discussed in the report. Unlike conventional liners that necessitate frequent replacement, the Eriez MML has garnered a track record of success through many installations in diverse mining operations worldwide, including iron ore, copper, nickel and gold mines, as well as other non-ferrous mines. These installations provide evidence that MMLs outlast rubber or metallic liners by two to three times, Eriez states.

BHP and JX Metals partner on GHG emission reduction plan for copper supply chain

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , ,

JX Metals Corporation (JX Metals) and BHP have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to pursue the development of a “Green Enabling Partnership” aimed at supporting both parties’ ambitions of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the copper supply chain and making the copper supply chain more sustainable.

Through the Green Enabling Partnership, JX Metals and BHP aim to support the continued development of a responsible copper supply chain through enhancing traceability and material origin verification across industry, from producers to downstream consumers such as copper product manufacturers, as well as the semiconductor, information technology and automobile industries.

In addition, the Green Enabling Partnership proposes to advocate for circular economy and GHG emissions reduction through copper concentrates and sulphuric acid supply between both parties, promote knowledge sharing in areas of estimating and reducing carbon footprint of electrolytic copper, and engaging in research and development to support improved material processing and energy efficient smelting operations.

JX Metals and BHP have a long-standing relationship dating back to 1985 with the commissioning of Escondida, BHP’s largest copper mine. This relationship has been strengthened in recent years through various collaboration opportunities – for example, BHP has supplied copper concentrates extracted from its mines in Chile to JX Metals’ smelters in Japan, and in turn, utilised sulphuric acid produced in JX Metals’ smelting processes for solvent extraction in its mines.

“JX Metals’ partnerships in the downstream copper supply chain are expanding in scope,” JX Metals Director and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Kazuhiro Hori, said. “Our efforts to produce more sustainable copper are centered on green hybrid smelting at the Saganoseki Smelter and Refinery, and partnerships with upstream sectors are essential to reduce our Scope 3 GHG emissions reported by JX Metals in copper concentrate production and transportation. We will respond to our stakeholders’ needs by enhancing our ESG efforts in upstream sectors through this partnership with BHP, a vital responsibility for JX Metals.”

In 2022, Pan Pacific Copper (a member of JX Metal’s group), partnered with BHP and Norsepower, a global manufacturer of wind propulsion equipment for shipping, in an effort to reduce carbon emissions from the marine transportation of copper concentrates and sulphuric acid.

BHP’s Chief Commercial Officer, Vandita Pant, said: “At BHP, we pride ourselves on identifying and implementing innovative sustainability. We recognise that solutions are not developed in silos, and partnership and collaboration with our customers and partners across the value chain often bring about the best and most sustainable outcomes in pursuit of these goals. We look forward to working with JX Metals on the Green Enabling Partnership that aims to support further GHG emissions reduction in the supply chain for copper, one of the most critical minerals in the journey towards global net zero ambitions.”

President of BHP Americas, Rag Udd, said: “In a world in which the demand for copper is on the rise, improving the sustainability of producing processes is a non-negotiable. The copper of our mines produced in Chile are fundamental for decarbonising the value chain and for providing the resources the world needs to enable the energy transition. BHP has made significant progress in increasing the sustainability and ESG standards of its copper production, and we always aim to deliver high-quality and responsibly produced copper. I’m sure that this partnership will benefit our customers and will allow us to go even further in our effort to decarbonise through innovative production processes.”

Record Rokion battery-electric vehicle order set for Torex Gold’s Media Luna

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Torex Gold’s Media Luna project in Mexico has been behind a surge of battery-electric vehicle contract activity of late, with the latest recipient being Saskatoon-based Rokion.

The gold mining company has ordered a 28-strong fleet of BEVs from Rokion, set to start being delivered at the back end of the year.

These vehicles will be crucial in providing zero emission and effective personnel transport and production support functions at the project, which is set to extend the life of mine of its El Limón Guajes (ELG) Complex through at least 2033.

Media Luna is located 7 km south of the existing ELG Complex comprised of the El Limón, Guajes and El Limón Sur open pits, El Limón Guajes underground mine, plus the processing plant and related infrastructure. It is an underground deposit primarily containing gold, copper and silver mineralisation, separated from the ELG Complex by the Balsas River.

The underground mine is designed for an average production capacity of 7,500 t/d, predominately using a mining method of longhole stoping with paste backfill, supplemented by mechanised cut and fill stoping where appropriate. It will be a fully mechanised operation with the primary access to the mine via the Guajes Tunnel, which, itself, will have a length of approximately 6.5 km, creating an underground connection between the ELG Complex and the Media Luna mine. The ELG site will continue to serve as the base of mine operations, with all production levels accessible from the internal mine ramp.

Torex expects to bring Media Luna into commercial production in early 2025, ramping up to 7,500 t/d by 2027 and creating one of Mexico’s largest underground mines. It contains reserves of approximately 2.1 Moz gold, 18.9 Moz silver and 444 Mlb copper.

As of March 31, 2023, physical progress on the project was approximately 24%, according to Torex, with detailed engineering, procurement activities, underground development and surface construction advancing. The project continued to track to overall schedule and budget, the company noted.

Equipment deliveries will be key in advancing the project in line with the schedule and, earlier this year, both Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions and MacLean announced sizeable equipment orders – both battery- and diesel-powered – related to the mine’s development and production phases.

Now, IM can reveal that Torex has also sealed an agreement with Rokion.

Rokion are to supply 27 of its battery-powered utility trucks to the operation along with one R700 forklift – the latter representing the company’s first order for a battery-powered forklift.

According to Rokion, these trucks can navigate mine sites with 20% grade at a full gross vehicle weight and full speed while traveling more than 70 km per charge. This is more than enough to get through a full shift without charging. And, while availability is a key selling point, Rokion says its battery-powered vehicles have been designed for simple and easy maintenance. The modularity of the components are “ideal for remote mining locations where the priority is to have dedicated service personnel with expertise in production mining equipment”.

When it comes to vehicle specifics, Rokion outlined that Torex would receive 10 R200 battery-powered trucks – configured to carry up to five passengers – two R200 trucks set up as two-passenger surveyor utility vehicles, two R200 two-person “6×6 Surveyor” utility vehicles and four R200 two-person “6×6 Electrician” utility vehicles. This would be complemented by seven R400 vehicles fitted out to carry 12 passengers – which have four-wheel steering to greatly improve manouevrability, according to Rokion – and two R400s equipped for three passengers able to carry out mechanic duties.

The Rokion order from Torex for Media Luna includes 16 of the company’s R200 battery-electric vehicles

Gertjan Bekkers, Vice-President, Mines Technical Services with Torex, said: “Our light-vehicle fleet will be used to drive fairly significant distances between our work sites on every shift, so the flexibility and range of these vehicles were key considerations for Torex during the procurement phase. The tunnel connecting Media Luna with ELG is like our horizontal shaft, connecting to the internal ramp of the Media Luna mine. Of course, we’ve also carefully considered equipment reliability and we were particularly impressed by the enhancements that Rokion has made to their portfolio since entering the underground hard-rock mining market.”

Kipp Sakundiak, CEO of Rokion, said the two companies have struck up a very important partnership over the last year or so when the engagement began.

“After getting to know the team at Torex, we are excited about the opportunities,” he told IM. “It is a good thing when you have a vendor-supplier relationship whereby both companies share similar values.”

Deliveries of the vehicles will start in October, with the full fleet set to be in place in 2025, according to Sakundiak.