Tag Archives: mine excavators

National Group brings Hitachi and Liebherr excavators to Bowen Basin coal mines

Automation, Coal technology, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , ,

The National Group has delivered a pair of new excavators to two coal operations in the Bowen Basin of Queensland, Australia.

The first of these excavators, a Hitachi EX5600 (pictured below), was added to BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance’s Peak Downs site where the National Group previously handed over five Liebherr Ultra-Class T 282C Trucks in September.

The second excavator, a Liebherr R 996B (pictured above), was delivered to its sister mine Poitrel, part of BHP’s other Queensland joint venture, BHP Mitsui Coal. The excavator is the first piece of equipment National Group has at the coal mine.

National Group Founder and Managing Director, Mark Ackroyd, said: “We have been working with BHP for some time now, especially at Peak Downs, so to be adding more equipment there is a testament to the machines we currently have operating for them and speaks volumes of our team on-site who do a great job with maintenance when needed.

“Poitrel, on the other hand, we are very excited to be adding our first piece of equipment there and for it to be the ever reliable Liebherr 996 digger. We’re confident they are going to love this machine and hope it is just the beginning of things to come.”

Bringing such big equipment to this part of Queensland is a complex process. National Group says it has the capabilities to handle all transport, assembly and delivery, giving customers peace of mind when securing these long-term rentals.

Ackroyd said: “We know how difficult it can be to get the bigger gear to Australia first of all, let alone having to worry about everything else once it arrives here. That is why we have worked very hard to build brands that complement each other in the entire journey of port-to-pit.”

National Group is coming off one of its best years to date, it said, however the company has no plans to slow down in 2019 with future plans already to invest in technology and enter the automation space.

Ackroyd said: “The mining industry is now following the technology trend around the world and automation is at the forefront of this. It is all about finding different ways to help your customers succeed and embracing innovation to get that edge over competitors.”

Mine excavators gain control with FMS and on-board weighing abilities

Automation, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , ,

A combination of a fleet management system (FMS) and hydraulic on-board weighing technology is set to transform mine excavators into a control centre for increased productivity, according to Position Partners.

The Australia-based positioning technology provider has announced a new solution for excavators working on mine sites, which combines the iVolve FMS (pictured) with RDS hydraulic excavator scales. This enables accurate weighing of material onto trucks, according to the company.

“For haul trucks already fitted with truck scales, the system acts as a tool to validate and compare truck tonnage. If trucks do not have on-board weighing technology, the excavator is able to store and transmit loading information to the truck, allowing mine managers to consistently and reliably track material movement across the site,” Position Partners says.

Andrew Granger, National Manager for Mining at Position Partners, said the combination of iVolve FMS and RDS excavator scales offers mine managers an “exciting productivity tool that maximises an excavator’s capacity by making it the centre of loading operations”.

“In consultation with our customers, we identified a need for this solution in the mining industry,” he added. “Having supported a similar solution in construction for some time, we were able to work with our suppliers to create a tailored system that is specifically designed to meet the needs of Australian mine sites.”

The iVolve fleet management system focuses on operational efficiency improvements directly related to production, maintenance, guidance and safety. This enables customers to increase productivity, cut costs and minimise risk.

The RDS hydraulic excavator scales, meanwhile, give operators accurate bucket weight information at their fingertips, increasing productivity and reducing machine wear.