Tag Archives: mine haulage

Coronado Global Resources looks at running updated waste mine gas truck trial at Curragh operations

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , ,

Coronado Global Resources’ plan to capture and use open-pit waste mine coal gas from its Curragh operations in the Bowen Basin of Queensland, Australia, are accelerating, with the company confirming at its AGM last week that first gas from pilot wells was achieved in January 2024 with better than anticipated flow rates.

Curragh has been operating since 1983 and was acquired by Coronado in 2018. It is made up of two active open-pit mines – Curragh South and Curragh North – which are serviced by four large draglines, one electric rope shovel, 13 truck and excavator fleets and two coal preparation plants. It produces high-quality, low-vol hard coking coal, semi-soft coking coal, pulverised coal injection and thermal coal.

Curragh’s gas project is targeting the capture and beneficial use of open-pit waste mine coal gas from operations, with priority downstream use cases being for power generation and use  as a diesel substitute in mining fleets.

The company says it now has wells operational, with surface production facility installation works complete and thee anticipated flow rates from first gas achieved in January exhibiting better than anticipated flow rates.

The next steps for the project are to run an updated converted gas truck trial to test feasibility of transitioning to waste mine coal gas conversion on more trucks.

As part of Coronado Global Resources’ emissions strategy, the company conducted a trial to test gas-converted haul trucks, working with its partners Mine Energy Solutions (MES) and Thiess. Over an eight-week period beginning in July 2023, it converted a single 793F haul truck to dual fuel and operated it within a normal production environment. Results from the trial proved that the operational performance of the trucks remained within the normal range of a diesel truck, it noted.

The company said in its recently released 2023 sustainability report: “We also developed an understanding of the key partnerships and requirements for larger-scale deployment and the challenges we need to overcome for operational readiness.”

Achievements and findings from the trial included:

  • Saving of 19,200 litres of diesel;
  • A 17-20% reduction in diesel exhaust pipe CO2 emissions;
  • No observed decrease in truck horsepower, engine life or other components due to burning compressed natural gas (CNG);
  • More than 320 hours of dual-fuel operation and 547 hours of overall operation;
  • No observed decrease in travel time, cycle time or speed on grade; and
  • Operators’ positive feedback that vehicles operated similarly to non-gas 793F haul trucks.

Fenix in it for the long haul at Iron Ridge

Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fenix Resources says it has executed a contract for the road transport component of its Iron Ridge project, in Western Australia, with Fenix Newhaul Pty Ltd.

Fenix Newhaul, formerly Premium Minehaul Pty Ltd, is the incorporated joint venture company established to implement the strategic alliance between Fenix and Craig Mitchell, the founder and former owner of Mitchell Corp, a major supplier of transport and logistics services to the Western Australian mining industry, as announced in May 2019.

Fenix Newhaul is 50% owned by Fenix and 50% owned by Newhaul Pty Ltd (formerly Minehaul Pty Ltd), an entity controlled by Craig Mitchell.

Fenix Newhaul has already ordered prime movers and trailers for the project and secured funding for this specialist equipment through an equipment manufacturer, Fenix said. Fenix Newhaul also has funding for start-up costs and equipment deposits through shareholder loan facilities totalling up to A$3.9 million ($2.8 million).

The contract is valued at around A$360 million for the estimated six-year life-of-mine, based on a terminal gate diesel price ex-Geraldton of around A$1.34/litre (current diesel price is around A$1.05/litre). It is due to commence in December 2020, in line with the current project development timeline.

Fenix Managing Director, Rob Brierley, said: “Road transport was quickly identified as the largest cost component for the commercialisation of Iron Ridge. We took an innovative approach to optimise this aspect and we strongly believe that the joint venture concept with Craig Mitchell has been the right way to go. Fenix Newhaul plan to commence operations with a mix of sub-contract and owned fleet and they are actively recruiting for personnel, with most of their employees to be Geraldton-based.”

The terms of the contract are in line with the company’s feasibility study, announced on November 4, 2019, which outlined that circa-8 Mt of high-grade hematite, grading some 64% Fe, will be extracted over a 6.5-year life of mine.

Last week, Fenix awarded the drill & blast, mining, and crushing & screening contract for Iron Ridge to MACA Ltd.

Caterpillar and the next generation of productive hauling

Automation, Communications in mining, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Caterpillar says it is leading the way in the next generation of productive hauling through game-changing efficiency advancements with the Next Generation of Cat® Mining Trucks.

The 785 large mining truck was Caterpillar’s first entry into the mining industry more than three decades ago and, the company says, has been a top performer on sites around the world ever since. It is fitting, therefore, that it is the first of a new generation.

Designed by operators, for operators

“Where does the next generation of productive haulage begin? It all starts with operators, who work in an environment designed for them by other operators,” Cat says.

Truck operators provided input, worked alongside Cat’s large mining truck design team and shared feedback to help create a state-of-the-art environment on board the 785 designed for efficiency and ergonomics, and equipped with features that increase comfort, automate functions and boost confidence, from the smallest operator to largest operator around the globe, the company said.

The next generation operator experience is safer, more consistent, more predictable and more intuitive, shortening the learning curve and boosting productivity of less experienced operators, according to the company.

The new speed coaching feature gives operators real-time feedback on how to operate the truck to maximise its productivity, Cat told IM. In field trials, the new AutoHoist controls, meanwhile, have shown reductions of up to 12 seconds in the dumping cycle. “This feature can also reduce fuel burn during this portion of the haul cycle,” the company said.

Features such as Hill Start Assist, Anti Roll Back, Enhanced Traction Control, Dynamic Stability Control, Anti-lock Brake System, Machine Speed Limiting and Cruise Control improve machine responsiveness and controllability, while improving cycle times and reducing operator fatigue, the company added.

Serviceability and reliability

In addition to enhancing the operator experience and efficiency, the next generation truck platform delivers significant improvements in serviceability and reliability, according to Cat.

“We’ve worked to reduce key contributors to downtime with features like the new modular HVAC (heating, ventilation and air condition) system, which improves reliability and consolidates components so the entire system can be removed and replaced quickly,” Cat said.

Field studies have shown this modular element alone can improve physical availability by up to 0.5%.

New “Remote Flash” and Remote Troubleshooting capabilities reduce downtime and maximise machine availability, according to Cat, providing the ability to troubleshoot the machine remotely or update the software of an electronic control module on an engine or machine through cellular service.

“A manager in the back office can securely push machine software updates over the air to the truck,” Cat explained. “This feature reduces machine downtime and technician time, allows updates to be performed when most convenient, and keeps the machine up to date with the most recent software.”

Connectivity and technology integration

Mine sites have access to real-time information and analytics that improve their total cost of ownership, the company claims, with these next gen pre-production machines “quantifying the full value of new features” at multiple customer sites right now ahead of the start of manufacturing in the March quarter of 2021, Cat says.

Cat says it will be easier to integrate Caterpillar and certain third-party current and future technology solutions on the next generation platform, with offerings such as Cat MineStar™ – which includes fully autonomous haulage with Command – able to deliver a step change in productivity, efficiency and safety.

This integration can provide valuable data and analytics to enable near real-time decision making, maintenance troubleshooting, and the ability to predict and proactively prevent failures, according to the company.

Included on the truck is an improved payload monitoring system that comes with more accurate measurements, improved monitoring and an improved interface, according to Cat.

“Information is more accurate and the system provides access to more data,” the company said of this system. “The new system also provides accurate dipper counts, reduces false loading triggers and overload detection, while carryback calculations are more accurate.”

The system also provides detailed haul cycle segmentation and remote access through telematics, Cat added.

The backbone of advanced connectivity on the Next Gen truck platform is the ability to communicate through dual mode cellular 4G/LTE and Satellite, or local Wi-Fi networks – “whatever benefits the mine plan”, Cat says.

“Next generation connectivity delivers faster data transfers, better access to data, consistent and reliable data communication, more insightful and actionable data, improved data analytics and new diagnostic capabilities,” the company explained.

“The NextGen telematics systems can collect and transmit information securely into locally-hosted or cloud-hosted applications, such as Cat MineStar Fleet, MineStar Edge, and Health Equipment Insights. These applications boost productivity and improve maintenance and machine life.”

Built on a solid foundation

With nominal rated payload of 138 t or higher with optional larger tyres, the 785 has delivered lowest cost per tonne in a wide range of mining applications ranging from flat hauls to deep pits, and solid roadways to challenging underfoot conditions, the company said.

Its 3512E engine offers selectable power options so miners can either match the speed of their current fleet or speed up their cycle times, according to the company. The optional Tier 4 engine has shown a reduction in fuel usage by as much as 9%, while advanced electronic transmission controls deliver faster cycle times, faster acceleration, less spillage and reduced haul road maintenance, on top of improved engine and powertrain life. Longer-life components, extended service intervals and easier maintenance contribute to higher mechanical availability.

“The individual features, components, software and systems that make up the Next Generation 785 have one very important thing in common: they are all manufactured by Caterpillar and supported by the Cat dealer network.

“This integration ensures that the entire truck, from tyres to transmissions, engines to electronics, can be fully optimised to deliver the lowest cost per tonne in any manned or autonomous site applications in the world.”

RPMGlobal helps Arianne Phosphate with Lac à Paul mine to port haulage

Energy minerals, IoT, Mineral project development, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , , , , ,

RPMGlobal says its leading mining simulation product has brought Arianne Phosphate a step closer to bringing its Lac à Paul phosphate project in Quebec, Canada, into production after enabling the company to optimise key haulage routes for its development.

Arianne Phosphate selected RPMGlobal’s HAULSIM during its critical engineering study phase so it could evaluate several haulage scenarios and effectively link the Lac à Paul project in Quebec’s Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region to port facilities 240 km away.

HAULSIM is a 4-D Discrete Event Simulation (DES) tool which enables the user to build a digital twin of any mining operation to evaluate different scenarios, fleet options, haulage routes, stockpile and dump placement and much more, according to RPMGlobal.

“The solution delivers an accurate representation of haulage operations within a mine site and provides capability to quantify the impact of changes,” the company said. “The model reflects the complex and dynamic nature of a mine site in its entirety; including the variability, interactions and dependencies that occur in these systems.”

Using HAULSIM, Arianne Phosphate was able to gather critical insights on the optimal operating conditions for the haulage routes within the Lac à Paul project, according to the company.

By modelling, analysing and enhancing different scenarios for the ideal haulage network, Arianne Phosphate now has confidence in its recommendation to invest capital in its mine to port haulage route with a clear view of predicted outcomes, RPMGlobal said.

Jean-Sébastien David, Chief Operating Officer of Arianne Phosphate, said: “RPMGlobal’s commitment to improving efficiency and value of our mining operations through cutting-edge solutions made the decision to select HAULSIM a natural one.”

He added: “Partnering with a global leader in the development of leading mining and haulage systems enabled us to demonstrate the attractive returns that the Lac à Paul project is set to generate.”

Arianne is looking to process 55,000 t/d of ore at Lac à Paul to produce 3 Mt/y of phosphate concentrate (apatite) over a 26-year mine life. Once development is complete, the project is set to consist of an open-pit mine, a concentration plant and deepwater port facilities.

Sandeep Sandhu, RPMGlobal Americas General Manger, said: “It has been great to work with a passionate company like Arianne Phosphate and it has been very rewarding to see our solutions making a valuable contribution towards advancing the Lac à Paul phosphate project.

“RPMGlobal has more than 40 years’ experience in mining and haulage systems and adds value at all stages of the mining value chain. We’re proud to be able to contribute to the Lac à Paul project and achieve results through the use of HAULSIM that will create positive social and economic impacts for all stakeholders.”

Severstal to circumvent haulage cost hike at Tsentralniy open-pit with new conveyors

Bulk handling, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , ,

Severstal is readying an investment in a new conveyor system at the Karelsky Okatysh iron ore complex in northwest Russia as part of a major project to reduce haulage costs at the Tsentralniy open-pit mine.

In the company’s capital investment 2020 announcement at the end of January, it said one of the major investment projects being run by its Severstal Resources division was the “construction of a conveyor belt for run-of-mine transportation at the Tsentralniy pit”.

This conveyor system will help the complex continue to process 20 Mt/y of iron ore and 45 Mt/y of overburden.

Since this announcement, IM has received more detail about this planned installation from a Severstal spokesperson.

The conveyor complex will consist of three production lines, according to the spokesperson:

  • The ore production line includes a semi-mobile gyratory crusher, with capacity of up to 3,500 t/h, a conveyor that lifts the crushed ore to the pit surface and transports it to a warehouse for storage, a warehouse conveyor and a stacker;
  • The second production line is for overburden. It has a more powerful semi-mobile gyratory crusher with capacity of up to 7,300 t/h, lifting and transmitting overburden conveyors and a dump conveyor that feeds the overburden to the spreader that forms the tailings heap; and
  • The third production line is intended for “contaminated ore”. It consists of an eccentric crusher, a dry magnetic separation unit and a conveyor system. After separation, refined ore will be fed to the first ore line and the waste rock will be fed to the second overburden line.

The total length of all the conveyors is 6.5 km, with the largest single conveyor being 1.85 km. The spokesperson said the height of the overburden lift by the conveyor system is 320 meters.

Severstal Resources says the goal of the project, which should launch in 2023, is to reduce haulage costs associated with transporting rock using dump trucks.

“Today the Tsentralniy pit is 350 m deep, 4 km long and 2.5 km wide,” the spokesperson said. “Dump trucks are carrying ore and overburden for about 5 km; by 2023 this will increase to 7 km – hence the decision to build the conveyor complex.”

The project has the added benefit of reducing emissions as there will be less exhaust from the equipment in the pit, the spokesperson added.

Newhaul Bulk JV to serve Mackay potash project in Western Australia

Energy minerals, Mineral project development, Mining services, , , , , , , ,

Agrimin and Newhaul Pty Ltd have formed a 50:50 incorporated joint venture named Newhaul Bulk Pty Ltd to provide road haulage and maintenance services for the Mackay potash project in Western Australia.

Craig Mitchell, the Founder and Former Owner of Mitchell Corp, one of the largest suppliers of trucking and bulk logistics services to Western Australia’s mining industry prior to being acquired by Toll Group in 2011, has been appointed CEO of the new joint venture.

The JV will provide Agrimin with benefits, including:

  • The potential for cost savings over the project’s 20-year life through the elimination of management role duplication, sharing the benefits of innovation and maximising locally sourced labour;
  • De-risking product haulage by using a proven Western Australia bulk logistics operator, while retaining control of the logistics chain;
  • Greater transparency relating to a future haulage contract; and
  • Development of driver training programs in order to maximise the opportunity to use local and Indigenous truck drivers.

The establishment of Newhaul Bulk, in partnership with an experienced operator, represents a significant milestone in the risk management and reduction of costs in relation to Agrimin’s future product haulage, Agrimin said.

The contract terms relating to the provision of haulage services for the initial 20-year project life are to be agreed in due course and, pursuant to a future haulage contract, to be executed between Agrimin and Newhaul Bulk.

Newhaul Bulk’s haulage operation is planned to include a fleet of around 24 road trains to transport 426,000 t/y of potash from Lake Mackay to Wyndham Port, where Agrimin’s proposed shiploading facility will be located.

“Newhaul Bulk has been established with the clear objective of maximising the employment of local and Indigenous people involved with the haulage of Agrimin’s potash production,” the company said. “A plan to achieve this includes the development of driver training centres and job readiness programs in regional communities, including Kununurra and Halls Creek.”