Tag Archives: diesel-electric

Cummins and China’s NHL commission diesel-hybrid haul truck at Baiyun iron mine

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Cummins Inc says it has commissioned its diesel-hybrid solution in partnership with one of China’s leading rigid mining truck manufacturers, North Hauler Joint Stock Co., Ltd. (NHL), demonstrating progress in decarbonisation for industrial customers.

The hybrid NHL NTH260, a 220-t payload mining truck, rolled off the production line in January and is headed to Baiyun iron mine of Baogang Group, China, to begin field testing in March. As a power solutions provider, Cummins’ optimised hybrid system allows the truck engine to be downsized from the previous 2,500 horsepower QSK60 to the current 2,000 HP two-stage QSK50.

“We’re excited to share this significant milestone in our journey to advance bridge technologies and provide our mining customers with innovative, practical decarbonisation solutions,” Jenny Bush, Cummins Power Systems President, who joined key leaders from Cummins Power Systems China for the commissioning ceremony in the NHL industrial park in Bautou, China, said.

The truck is expected to provide a leading total cost of ownership based on initial cost advantages, fuel efficiency and extended service life of the engine, Cummins says. Improved fuel efficiency directly correlates to emissions and greenhouse gas reductions. Advanced hybrids have the potential to improve fuel efficiency up to 30% dependent on the mine profile and advanced battery technology and controls integration, according to the company.

Haiquan Guo, General Manager, NHL, said: “Our partnership with Cummins spans 40 years and advancing the hybridisation of our equipment is another demonstration of what we can accomplish together for the benefit of miners globally.”

NHL produces trucks with payload range from 35 t to 360 t, with Cummins as the standard engine configuration.

Molly Puga, Cummins Power Systems Executive Director of Strategy, Digital and Product Planning, added: “We are intent on enabling multiple pathways to carbon neutrality for industrial markets, including both first-fit and retrofit solutions. It’s partnerships with our customers like NHL and Baiyun iron mine that will accelerate product availability in the market and make both near- and long-term carbon reduction goals attainable.”

In 2023, Cummins announced approval of unblended renewable diesel use in all industrial high-horsepower engines.

Sandvik retaining the platform approach for load & haul electrification

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Sandvik’s aim to electrify the underground mining space have been gaining traction over recent years, with single machine trials and deployments that typified the early stages of its mission now replaced by fleet-wide agreements that, if not already in operation, will be starting up underground in the years to come.

As with all transitions, the electric one has not been easy. There have been teething issues along the way; whether that is equipping batteries for the harsh nature of an underground mines, educating employees about best practice maintenance and operations of this equipment, or facing an onslaught of questions about potential battery fires witnessed in passenger vehicles via YouTube.

Just how much traction the company has been gaining was made clear late last year during its Capital Markets Day event.

Here, the company outlined that battery-electric vehicles accounted for 15% of all load and haul orders in the year to the end of October. On top of that, it displayed an impressive pie chart showing that, from January-October 2023, Sandvik had won more than 75% of orders for battery-electric equipment.

These numbers do not factor in the cable-electric loaders the company has been selling for decades, plus the underground battery-electric drilling equipment that trams on battery power at mining operations across the globe.

For all this positive momentum, battery-electric does not make sense for everyone…yet.

IM has documented a series of both diesel-electric and hybrid diesel-electric LHD sales in Australia recently, with at least one of these sales following the trial of battery-electric equipment.

Sandvik has made clear that it will have something in store for miners in transition between diesel and fully-electric operation, stating last year that it was developing diesel-electric trucks and loaders for the industry.

Unlike some of its peers, Sandvik is deliberately building this offering with fully-electric operations in mind.

“Currently we are developing diesel-electric solutions both for trucks and loaders,” Juha Virta, VP Sales and Marketing for the Load and Haul Division within Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, told IM. “We aim to maximise the customer value by utilising modular design in our equipment: battery and diesel-electric equipment will have commonalities eg in drivelines, hydraulics, electrics and spare parts.”

This approach will make it easier for customers to transfer from diesel-electric equipment to battery-electric equipment, Virta says. The “commonalities” could also prove beneficial in developing the skill sets required from service personnel.

“Energy storage elements are also included in our development portfolio, enabling, for example, hybrid solutions, delivering positive results in the area of fuel consumption and the equipment performance,” he added.

This is all part of an increasingly diverse offering from the OEM that Brian Huff, Vice President of New Technologies for the Load and Haul Division within Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, mentioned during the Capital Markets Day.

He said: “We’re taking the technology of our battery-operated drills, loaders and trucks, and expanding that with diesel-electric using the same motors, inverters and componentry in a modular approach that allows us to offer diesel solutions with the same electrified driveline from our battery-operated equipment.”

The developments the company is making as part of this project are being displayed on the TH66X diesel-electric demonstrator – a Toro diesel-powered truck that has been retrofitted with an electric driveline – that customers first saw in Turku, Finland, in 2022. This machine is currently in factory tests, according to Virta, saying that component validation and a variety of simulations were also being run.

“The program also includes a significant amount of testing in a real underground mine environment,” he added. “Developing new technology and ensuring its performance takes some time, and sufficient and careful tests are extremely important – we are in a very good progress with that currently.”

For this, Sandvik is using not only its Test Mine in Tampere, Finland, but also the Pyhäsalmi mine. Sandvik is using the latter operation – owned by First Quantum Minerals – as part of its involvement in the Callio consortium: a group of companies focused on developing ‘FutureMINE – the future digital test mine project’.

One of the other participants in this consortium is Byrnecut, who has been partnering with Sandvik based on a recent LinkedIn post by Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions.

“We have long traditions with working in close collaboration with different customers, and that will continue to be Sandvik approach also going forward,” Virta said when asked about this partnership. “Byrnecut is one of our customers and a very important partner for us, and, along with Barminco, will be one of the first companies to test the TH66X in the field.”

Considering the majority of the team focused on this diesel-electric demonstrator are based in Turku, one would expect this facility to have significant influence on the commercial offering that follows.

The facility is undergoing an expansion focused on incorporating an additional 7,000 sq.m of production and storage space previously occupied by Tunturi, a manufacturer of bicycles and fitness equipment. The whole of the plant for load and haul equipment is also set to be enhanced and modernised.

Petri Liljaranta, Supply Director for the Load and Haul Division within Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, says the expansion is progressing as planned with all but a few of the company’s finishing functions relocated according to its plans. “This final part of the project is expected to be finished in the June quarter,” he added.

One of the expansion project’s targets was to increase the manufacturing space at its facilities, and this target has already been achieved, with the company well equipped to respond to growing volume needs in the coming years, according to Liljaranta.

“Based on current views, the battery-electric vehicle manufacturing capacity is expected to meet expected market demand during 2024,” he said.

Barminco and RCT partner on ‘world first’ agnostic remote installation of Cat 2900 XE

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Barminco has enlisted the help of RCT to carry out what it believes to be the world’s first agnostic remote installation on Caterpillar’s R2900 XE diesel-electric underground loader.

The mining services company will be using the R2900 XE loader which has a diesel engine and electric driveline at the IGO-owned Spotted Quoll underground mine, in Western Australia.

Built on the platform of Caterpillar’s most popular underground loader, this new LHD – which was previewed at MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas – features optimised lift arm and component geometry plus load-sensing hydraulics to improve breakout force by 35% over the Cat R2900G, Caterpillar claims.

RCT’s Kalgoorlie Branch Manager, Rick Radcliffe, said: “Technology and innovation are two of Barminco’s core components, so it made sense they chose RCT to carry out the installation of this automation project. We are receiving a lot of interest in this project as it is a hybrid loader which reduces fuel burn resulting in low diesel particulates, which is something companies are looking at doing to mine more sustainably in the future.”

This project is currently underway with RCT’s Kalgoorlie branch completing the installation.

The world’s first R2900 XE was delivered to Western Australia-based Westgold Resources, with the gold miner having since agreed to purchase another six of these loaders.

Sandvik to launch diesel-electric range of underground trucks, LHDs

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Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions says it is expanding its technology portfolio by developing a diesel-electric range of underground loaders and trucks to complement its battery-electric vehicle offering.

For more than 40 years, Sandvik has been driving electrification of underground mining equipment, starting with cable–electric loaders in the early 1980s and evolving to BEV equipment today, it said. Now the company is expanding its load and haul offering to include diesel–electric equipment.

“We see the future of underground mining as a combination of multiple coexisting technologies, with different solutions for varying customer needs,” Jari Söderlund, Product Management Director, Division Load and Haul, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said.“An immediate switch from diesel to battery-electric is not a feasible solution for every mine and application. Diesel-electric is another technology that can help our customers achieve their productivity and sustainability goals.”

Sandvik first showcased its new Toro™ diesel-electric truck demonstrator to customers at a technology workshop in Turku, Finland, in 2022, during which participants shared their expectations for diesel-electric technology, Sandvik said. The demonstrator has since undergone extensive performance testing and the Sandvik product development team is using feedback from the workshop to ensure its future offering meets customer and industry needs.

Customers can expect the diesel-electric equipment offering to boost productivity, reduce total cost of ownership, improve availability and extend component lifetimes, it said. The equipment will benefit from the experience Sandvik has gained with its BEV installed base, and will utilise many common platforms used for the Toro load and haul product series, which has thousands of units delivered around the globe.

The diesel-electric Toro loaders and trucks will be automation compatible and available with advanced Sandvik digital service solutions as well as remote monitoring services, to further improve productivity and safety while reducing total cost of ownership.

Caterpillar boosts payload and speed with lower-emission R2900 XE LHD

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The first diesel electric underground load-haul-dump (LHD) loader from Caterpillar, the new Cat® R2900 XE LHD, has officially been launched with a goal of meeting the underground mining industry’s needs for bigger payloads, faster loading and reduced emissions.

Built on the platform of Caterpillar’s most popular underground loader, this new LHD – which was previewed at MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas – features optimised lift arm and component geometry plus load-sensing hydraulics to improve breakout force by 35% over the Cat R2900G, the company claims.

The world’s first R2900 XE has already been delivered to Western Australia-based gold miner Westgold Resources.

The R2900 XE works faster in tough conditions, delivering 52% quicker acceleration and improved machine response over the R2900G. It accelerates from 0-24 km/h in 6.4 seconds and achieves a 7% higher speed on grade, according to Caterpillar. Variable piston pumps deliver higher flow rates for faster hydraulic cylinder cycle times and powerful lift forces. Boasting a higher, 18.5-t payload for faster load times, the new LHD model offers a 3- to 4-pass match to the Cat AD63 truck for greater efficiency. Combined, these features deliver a 20% increase in productivity for the R2900 XE, Caterpillar says.

The loader’s redesigned buckets are available in four sizes with capacities ranging from 7.4 to 9.8 cu.m to match material density needs for a variety of loading, hauling and dumping conditions. Offering an optimised balance between productivity and bucket life, the full range of Cat ground engaging tools (GET) includes Modular Weld-on, Bolt-on Half Arrow and Durilock™ mechanically attached shrouds. To further protect the bucket, a range of heel shrouds, wear plates and bars are available in weld-on or mechanically attached designs.

The Cat C15 engine on board offers a variety of emission reduction and aftertreatment options, including an EU Stage V/US EPA Tier 4 Final configuration and diesel particulate filter. It delivers the power needed – up to 335 kW – with greater than 31% increased fuel efficiency compared with the R2900G. Its lower engine revolutions per minute results in reduced fuel burn, heat, noise, vibration and exhaust emissions, while offering an increase in power and productivity, according to Caterpillar.

High-efficiency electric drive

Drawing from decades of experience, the new R2900 XE LHD features a switch reluctance electric drive system. It is Caterpillar designed, integrated, validated and supported, and its continuously variable speed control delivers improved power and cycle times, Caterpillar says. With no driveline or powertrain shock loads, it offers smoother directional changing and implemented virtual gears for machine controllability. Automatic retarding controls maintain speed on grade. The drive system prevents coasting in neutral and combines with the anti-rollback feature to further increase operating safety.

Its new axle design offers increased component size and, together with the four-gear planetary final drive groups, provides greater strength and longer life. Larger wheel bearings and increased brake sizing further increase final drive life. Flange-mounted rims allow for safer tyre and rim changes. The differentials and final drives are built to withstand the forces of high torque and impact loads, providing high torque multiplication to reduce drivetrain stress. The traction control system, meanwhile, reduces tyre spin in difficult underfoot conditions to improve productivity, increase tyre life and reduce consumable costs.

The operator environment is built on Caterpillar’s R1700 platform, incorporating the latest improvements in productivity, safety and comfort. The cab’s enclosed design provides fresh, pressurised, temperature-controlled air circulation with air conditioning to enhance operator comfort and decrease fatigue. Resiliently mounted to the frame, the ROPS/FOPS structures isolate the operator from vibration for a more comfortable ride. The cab design incorporates two emergency exits, while available rearview and forward- and rear-facing side-view cameras help to improve visibility around the machine to enhance safety for operators and other workers.

Combining selection of direction, virtual gears and steering into a single lever, the standard STIC™ steering and transmission integrated control delivers maximum responsiveness and machine control, Caterpillar says. Low-effort, electric-over-hydraulic joystick controls feature simultaneous lift and tilt functions to optimise operating efficiency, while a two-pedal design with improved spacing and position facilitates more efficient foot control.

Caterpillar adds that the optional ride control improves cycle times and load retention when operating in rough terrain. By engaging/disengaging the ride control system at preset speeds, the system automatically dampens bucket forces and stabilises the machine, reducing fore and aft pitching motion. It incorporates a nitrogen/oil accumulator system in the lift circuit to act as a shock absorber.

Scalable technology solutions

The new R2900 XE ships from the factory equipped ready for Cat MineStar™ solutions, a comprehensive suite of technology offerings. From machine health monitoring to fully automated haul and dump cycles, scalable levels of technologies can be tailored to meet each mine site’s unique needs, Caterpillar says. Standard Product Link™ Elite boosts machine connectivity by enabling the loader to collect and transmit health and condition monitoring information into locally or cloud-hosted applications.

Mine sites can choose between a range of available MineStar technologies, including:

  • Command for underground – enables remote operation of LHD machines, from line-of-sight to full autonomy, allowing operators to be relocated to a safe, comfortable location to improve productivity, efficiency and safety;
  • Detect for underground – uses peer-to-peer proximity detection to reduce the risk of unintended interactions between people and machines by “seeing” in the dark;
  • Fleet for underground – gives real-time access to accurate information such as cycle time, payload, machine position, and other key operational parameters and automatically tracks and records data up and down the value chain; and
  • Health – collects and transmits equipment data necessary for proactive maintenance services and predictive equipment analysis.

New Autodig technology optimises loading by automating crucial parts of the digging cycle, Caterpillar says.

“When combined with Command for underground, Autodig offers a true automated machine, providing high-speed auto tramming and full cycle autonomy,” the company explains. “Featuring an onboard payload weight scale, Cat Payload Management provides material management, cycle count and timing recording, and wireless production detail reporting capabilities. Optional tyre pressure monitoring is fully integrated into the R2900 XE, allowing operators to determine on-the-fly if the tyres are properly inflated.”

With more robust structures, increased powertrain durability, longer lasting components, improved maintenance and extended service intervals, the new R2900 XE can be maintained in less time, helping to lower cost-per-tonne operation, Caterpillar says. The machine’s electric drive reduces the number of moving parts compared with traditional mechanical drive systems. Extended oil change intervals, together with the electric drivetrain, reduces the amount of oils used. Sight gauges visible from ground level simplify fluid level checks, and all filters are positioned vertically to provide spill-free servicing, Caterpillar claims. Electrical connectors are sealed to lock out dust and moisture, while harnesses are covered for protection.

Machine design eliminates castings and reduces weight to increase the life and strength of the frame without sacrificing performance. The frame, powertrain, engine and components are built to be rebuilt using new, remanufactured, or rebuilt parts and components, allowing mines to take advantage of multiple lives of like-new performance to lower operating costs.

Centamin weighs up use of hybrid diesel-electric units for Sukari Underground

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It has been all change underground at Sukari for Centamin, with a switch to the owner-operator model – from contractor-led operations – likely to be followed by a transition towards an electric fleet at the gold operation in Egypt.

Having successfully grown the underground reserves by 200% in 2021, extending the life of mine in the process, the company made the decision to make the owner-operator switch last year. This move, it says, delivered cost savings and increased mining flexibility. The company went on to produce just over 440,000 oz of gold from the combined open-pit and underground operation in 2022.

Ahead of this change a detailed study on the underground operation was completed. This included assessing the benefits and limitations of using battery-operated equipment within Sukari Underground, according to a company spokesperson.

Within the underground operation, Centamin currently operates 15-t-payload LHDs and 63-t-payload trucks. These, the company says, are the predominant source of heat and diesel particulate matter.

The spokesperson told IM: “At the time [of the study], proven battery-operated equipment commercially available ranged from comparable 14-15 t loaders and smaller 42 t-50 t haulage trucks. As such, we are assessing a staged approach from conventional diesel units to hybrid diesel-electric units in the interim and then to full battery-operated loading and haulage units.”

The basis for this staged approach was driven by technology (availability and advancements), location (country and existing infrastructure), and timing (lead times, technology, infrastructure, current fleet life and underground resource expansion potential), according to the spokesperson.

“Discussions with OEMs are ongoing, not just on the fleet electrification but also to understand the future pipeline of decarbonisation technology, as this continues to be at the forefront of our operating philosophy,” the spokesperson concluded.

Komatsu teams with Rio, BHP, Codelco and Boliden on zero-emission mining solutions

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Working together to rapidly innovate in support of carbon reduction targets, Komatsu has teamed up with several of its customers to form the Komatsu Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Alliance.

The founding members of the alliance are Rio Tinto, BHP, Codelco and Boliden.

Through the alliance framework, Komatsu’s GHG partners will work directly with Komatsu to actively collaborate on product planning, development, testing and deployment of the next generation of zero-emission mining equipment and infrastructure, the OEM said. The alliance’s initial target is advancing Komatsu’s power-agnostic truck concept for a haulage vehicle that can run on a variety of power sources including diesel-electric, electric, trolley (wired), battery power and even hydrogen fuel cells.

“We are honoured that our customers, several of the largest mining companies in the world, have agreed to participate in the Komatsu GHG Alliance and work in partnership with us to develop sustainable solutions for mining,” Masayuki Moriyama, President of Komatsu’s Mining Business Division, said. “We look forward to close collaboration with these industry leaders to accelerate development and deployment of the next level of equipment designed to reduce greenhouse gases from mining operations and ultimately achieve the goal of zero-emission mining.”

The formation of the alliance brings together mining leaders willing to share time, resources and information to deliver zero-emissions equipment solutions, Komatsu said. The company intends to expand the alliance to additional mining companies to enhance industry-wide collaboration on solutions to decarbonisation.

In a separate release, Rio Tinto said it will conduct a pre-production trial of the new equipment at a site and has the option to purchase some of the first trucks from Komatsu once they are commercially viable.

Alf Barrios, Rio Tinto’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Rio Tinto and Komatsu have a shared history of partnership on innovation going back to when we built the world’s largest Komatsu autonomous haulage fleet in 2008.

“Our support of a trial, and the option to buy some of the first trucks from Komatsu, underscores our shared commitment to actively collaborate on product planning, development, testing and deployment of the next generation of zero-emission mining equipment and infrastructure as we look to decarbonise our business.”

As a company, Komatsu, meanwhile, says it is committed to minimising environmental impact through its business, targeting a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions from use of its products and production of its equipment by 2030 (compared with 2010 levels) and a challenge target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

Komatsu has worked to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for customers through product development for decades in many areas including electric diesel dump trucks, electric power shovels, regenerative energy storage capabilities and fuel saver programs, it said.

The company’s initial concept for a haulage vehicle that can run on a variety of power sources, part of the power-agnostic development, is set to make its official debut at MINExpo 2021 on September 13-15 in Las Vegas, USA.