Tag Archives: R2900 XE

Alkane Resources bolsters Tomingley underground fleet with Cat R2900 XEs

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Alkane Resources has joined a growing list of mining companies adding Caterpillar R2900 XE loaders to their mining fleets, with the New South Wales-focused miner recently upgrading from the R2900G LHDs it was using at the Tomingley gold operations with four of the new diesel-electric LHDs.

With four Cat R2900G underground loaders fast approaching the rebuild/refurbishment decision after several years of working underground, Alkane, in partnership with Caterpillar dealer WesTrac, started to consider upgrading to the R2900 XEs – currently then in the field-follow stage.

The R2900 XE features a switch reluctance electric drive system alongside a Cat C15 diesel engine, which offers up to 335 kW of power, with Caterpillar saying the machine comes with about 30% increased fuel efficiency compared with the R2900G, with its lower engine revolutions per minute resulting in reduced fuel burn, heat, noise, vibration and exhaust emissions.

These features are being proven out across several operations, with, in Australia, the likes of Gold Fields, MMG and Westgold Resources adding these machines to their underground fleets.

Alkane Resources General Manager of Operations, Jason Hughes, said the productivity and efficiency advantages of this new model, compared with its predecessors, immediately caught the company’s interest.

“There are a number of advantages to these new machines; they are a step change from the old Cat 2900G series and the smarts on these machines will see us get a lot longer life and lower operating costs,” he explained.

“We realised if we made the decision to change in another three years’ time after we had rebuilt the current series, the waitlist probably would have been a lot longer and we would have missed three years of lower cost production.”

Alkane Resources Technical Services Superintendent, Dylan Ullyett, says the loaders have gone to the Roswell underground mine, part of the Tomingley operations, where the company has been developing an ore pass system.

He said the more fuel efficient loaders will make the company’s operations more sustainable, while also creating a better working environment for the 260 workers on site.

“We’re consuming less diesel, so we don’t have to use as much ventilation [underground], which is a benefit for us in the long run,” he says. “Our carbon footprint has been reduced as well by using those Cat R2900 XE loaders, we should be seeing a reduction of about 30% across our fleet in fuel consumption – that’s huge.”

Alkane has also invested in Cat MineStar™ Command, which Hughes first witnessed in use at the Caterpillar Proving Grounds in Burnie, Tasmania.

“The technological gains that this new Command system has from where it was in the underground space even three or four years ago is a large change,” he says. “We’ve used an aftermarket remote system previously, but when we went down to Burnie and saw how Caterpillar have fully integrated the remote system with the technology upgrades on the Cat R2900 XE, we then realised the benefits of using the technology as the OEM intended rather than as an aftermarket setup.”

Cat MineStar Command allows workers to operate the machines remotely, improving navigational accuracy, boosting productivity and optimising shift changes.

Caterpillar Senior Regional Representative, Terence Reeves, says while relocating operators from the cab of loaders improves site safety, the ability to customise the system has been an additional benefit for mining companies.

“It’s no secret that underground mining presents special challenges when it comes to safe and efficient operation,” Reeves explains. “That’s why Caterpillar tailors the MineStar solution to the unique needs of the environment – no matter the size, type or complexity of the underground operation.

“We put it on a building block approach, so depending on what the customer needs; they could have a base level of technology all the way up to full autonomy. Especially in an underground environment, the safer we can make operations, the better.”

According to Hughes, this customised approach to the Cat MineStar Command solution, along with the improvements to productivity and uptime, were key for Alkane.

“Caterpillar were very open to our suggestions on some of the other things we wanted to do on the remotes within the operation,” he says. “We were very happy that Caterpillar wanted to work with us to develop other areas of remote capability on other machines in our operations.”

WesTrac Mining Sales Manager, Richard Peck, believes more mining companies will soon be turning towards diesel-electric machines like the Cat R2900 XE and supporting systems like Cat MineStar Command, as the industry increases its focus on safety and sustainability.

“As mining customers try to remove people from underground operations, more are going to an autonomy-type system or having remote operations where we can have the machines being operated from the surface or from a safer area,” Peck explains.

“I can see autonomy being rolled out a lot more. We’re already talking to a lot of other customers and using Tomingley as a stepping stone to show them that we can do it.”

This next generation of mining equipment also complements Alkane’s sustainability strategy, as the company works towards making its operations more sustainable for years to come.

“Sustainability is important to Alkane, as with all mining companies, and we see the Cat R2900 XE as a step in the right direction for being able to use this new technology and show that not only does it have an economical saving, but an environmental benefit as well,” Hughes explains.

Evolution Mining to evaluate fleet as part of emissions reduction pathway

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Evolution Mining, like many of its gold mining peers, has made a commitment to emissions reduction by 2030 on the way to achieving ‘net zero’ status by 2050. This relates to Scope 1 & 2 emissions compared with its FY20 financial year baseline.

Evolution’s recent FY24 Annual Sustainability Report shows the company’s progress on this journey, demonstrating it is almost halfway to achieving the 2030 goal of a 30% reduction, with the circa-12% reduction in emissions in the last year against the adjusted FY20 baseline.

The company’s emissions reduction pathway includes leveraging partnerships, including a new one with Caterpillar’s Pathway to Sustainability program, as part of its broader focus on emissions reduction, which is a fleet-agnostic approach.

The Caterpillar program was officially launched at The Electric Mine 2024, in Perth, Western Australia. It is a four-year program with multi-pronged experience that provides companies with holistic learning opportunities, energy transition project advisement and additional benefits related to sustainable product access, Caterpillar says.

The emphasis of the program is on understanding each participating company’s sustainability objectives and providing participants with information and tools that will help them understand where they are on their own unique journeys and where energy transition strategies may need to be customised to support individual actions.

Other notable companies to have signed up to the program include NRW Holdings and Yancoal Australia.

As Evolution explained in its Annual Sustainability Report, “We also identified opportunities to improve our understanding of, and partnerships with, low emissions fuel manufacturers and suppliers to assist with planning and assessing future fleet transition needs.

“Our long-term strategy is detailed in our Net Zero commitment. It includes the investigation, trial and shift to renewables, as well as energy storage, low emissions and diesel replacement, hybrid and battery-electric fleet, and nature-based solutions. Four major sources of emissions present opportunities for decarbonisation: power supply, mobile equipment, stationary combustion and process emissions. Activities that deliver cost-competitive decarbonisation reductions continue to be integrated into our business cycle.”

One of these initiatives the company is investigating is the use of diesel-electric loaders. Evolution acknowledges there is more work to do in understanding the benefits that electric and hybrid vehicles can bring. Some research currently suggests this could theoretically reduce felt emissions by 30-35%.

Evolution has already introduced battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) for trials at its Red Lake operation, in Canada, becoming one of the first miners to take advantage of Epiroc’s battery-electric conversion kits to transform diesel-powered loaders to battery-electric driven operation.

The company has also engaged Sandvik as part of its fleet transition plans, with the potential of carrying out a trial on DL422iE battery-electric longhole drills at Red Lake.

The Sandvik DL422iE is a fully-automated, battery-powered top hammer longhole drill designed for underground mass mining in 4 x 4 m or larger production drifts, Sandvik says. It can drill vertical and inclined fans and single or parallel Ø89-127 mm longholes up to 54 m in depth using ST58 and ST68 tube rods.

The drill’s electric driveline includes a battery package and electric motor to allow for zero emissions while tramming and also reduced thermal load. The DL422iE also features Sandvik’s patented Charging While Drilling technology; an innovation for reduced battery charging time without the need for additional infrastructure.

Evolution added in its report: “Application of technologies to reduce Scope 1 emissions from mine fleet is a complex decarbonisation challenge for the industry. A number of short, medium and long-term solutions are currently being assessed, trialled and considered across our operations. These include solutions that are technologically mature, such as hybrid vehicles, as well as technologies that have high potential but have limitations at present due to their practical application within Evolution operating mines and their commercial competitiveness (eg battery-electric vehicles).”

More XE underground loaders on the way, Caterpillar says

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Having additional success selling underground loaders to mining customers, Caterpillar is gearing up to release more machines that leverage that same “architecture” technology as the Cat® R2900 XE diesel-electric LHD, Mike Berry, Vice President and General Manager of Load and Haul for Caterpillar, says.

The diesel-electric R2900 XE is built on the R2900G’s platform, Caterpillar’s most popular underground loader. It features optimised lift arm and component geometry plus load-sensing hydraulics to improve breakout force by 35% over the R2900G, Caterpillar states.

The 18.5-t payload R2900 XE features a switch reluctance electric drive system alongside a Cat C15 diesel engine, which offers up to 335 kW of power. Caterpillar says the machine comes with about 30% increased fuel efficiency compared with the R2900G, with its lower engine revolutions per minute resulting in reduced fuel burn, heat, noise, vibration and exhaust emissions.

These traits have, so far, gone down well. In Australia, there are units at mines owned by Gold Fields, Westgold Resources and MMG. Newmont recently confirmed an order for nine R2900 XEs to the Subika gold mine, in Ghana, while Centamin also added at least one of these LHDs to its underground fleet at Sukari, in Egypt. In Canada, Alamos Gold recently purchased two of these machines for its Young-Davidson mine, while Cementation Americas added the diesel-electric machine to its roster, deploying it at New Gold’s Rainy River project in Ontario, Canada.

Speaking to IM at MINExpo 2024, in Las Vegas, in September, Berry said that the company planned to build on this momentum with more models set to join the platform.

“Similar to rolling out this technology from the surface with the 988 XE wheel loader to this machine [the R2900 XE], yes, we plan to take that technology up and down the underground loader product line,” he said.

Berry’s colleague, Paul Bitter, Product Value Stream Manager at Caterpillar, said the architecture of the XE platform – which also includes a battery-electric loader in the form of the R1700 XE – leaves a “great degree of freedom from a design perspective both for hauling and loading”.

He added: “We see it as platform for loaders and trucks, where, because of the electric drive, you can change power source. This means you can have a diesel machine, a hybrid machine or a fully electric machine.”

The most likely haulage and loading candidates for the ‘XE treatment’ are machines that currently only come in diesel form, have not recently been updated and have large populations out in the field.

On the theme of hybridisation, Berry said the company had no plans to combine the electric drivetrain with a small diesel energy and an on-board energy storage element for load and haul equipment. He and colleague Thad Litkenhus, Director of Product Management at Caterpillar, did raise the prospect of a form of the Dynamic Energy Transfer (DET) solution currently equipped for surface haul trucks being converted for underground use, however.

Designed to both transfer energy to large mining trucks, as well as charge a machine’s batteries while operating with increased speed on grade, the system “provides the industry with options to support both near-term and long-term sustainability strategies”, Caterpillar says.

Litkenhus added: “We define hybrid as having multiple energy sources and, if you think about the fundamental notion of a DET system, that is effectively a hybridisation of your machine to bring more energy to the machine. It just happens to be an off-board one.

“We actually think such a combination could provide the hybrid element that diversifies the power source without any drawbacks that come with having it all happen on board the machine.”

Alamos Gold boosts Young-Davidson mining rates with Cat R2900XEs

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Alamos Gold has become the latest company to add Cat R2900 XE diesel-electric loaders to its fleet, with the Canada-based miner reporting in its latest quarterly results that the LHDs have contributed to a significant increase in mining rates at the Young-Davidson mine in Ontario.

The R2900 XE features a switch reluctance electric drive system alongside a Cat C15 diesel engine, which offers up to 335 kW of power. Caterpillar says the machine comes with about 30% increased fuel efficiency compared with the R2900G, with its lower engine revolutions per minute resulting in reduced fuel burn, heat, noise, vibration and exhaust emissions.

Since being launched in 2023, these loaders have had significant market uptake – thanks to these traits, as well as the increased payload benefits they offer over the diesel-only equivalent.

In Australia, Gold Fields, MMG and WestGold now have units on their books. In Egypt, Centamin’s Sukari underground gold mine also has R2900 XEs within its fleet. Other loaders have also made their way to Africa, with the first two of a nine-strong fleet having already arrived at the Newmont-owned Subika underground mine in Ghana.

Alamos Gold is the latest company to joint this list.

In its June quarter results, the company said its Young-Davidson mine had been positively impacted by the arrival of two of these machines.

Young-Davidson is accessed via two shafts and a ramp system to a depth of 1,500 m. The operation uses large modern equipment, high productivity bulk mining methods (long hole open stoping) and paste backfill. LHDs load, haul and transfer stope production to the ore pass system from where it is hoisted to the surface with minimal ore and waste re-handling. A multi-year expansion of Young-Davidson was completed July 2020 with the transition to newly constructed lower mine infrastructure which is larger, highly automated and more productive. The lower mine infrastructure is designed to operate at 8,000 t/d and replaces the mid-mine infrastructure which was designed for 6,000 t/d.

In the three-month period ended June 30, Young-Davidson produced 44,000 oz of gold, 10% higher than the March quarter and slightly lower than the prior year period. Underground mining rates averaged 7,885 t/d in this quarter, a significant increase from the March quarter, reflecting the delivery of these new “hybrid production scoops” and temporary downtime during the previous quarter to replace the head ropes in the Northgate shaft, Alamos noted.

The new loaders have replaced two R2900G XTRA loaders and one R1700 loader, the company told IM. The standard R2900G comes with a payload of 17.2 t, whereas the R1700 has a 15-t payload. The R2900 XE offers 18.5 t of payload. The gold miner said it was expecting this increased payload and power to boost the loader’s productivity by 101.6% (on a tonnes per hour basis) when compared with the R2900G.

Alamos also highlighted the reduction in emissions expected to be achieved with the new diesel-electric loaders, explaining that fuel consumption was estimated to come in 34% lower than the R2900G, with 54.9% lower CO2 emissions during “high idle”.

The gold miner said its Young-Davidson operation was planning to purchase one new Cat R2900 XE unit “every year” for the foreseeable future.

MMG takes delivery of Cat R2900 XE diesel-electric loader at Rosebery

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MMG has taken delivery of its first Caterpillar R2900 XE diesel-electric loader at its Rosebery mine, in Tasmania, Australia, as part of its strategy to achieve the group’s net zero emission targets.

The operation initially put a prototype vehicle to the test at Rosebery over a two-month period as part of Caterpillar field-follow trials conducted by several members of the Electric Mine Consortium, a growing group of leading mining and service companies, all of whom are driven by the imperative to accelerate progress towards the fully electrified zero CO2 and zero particulates mine.

The results of this trial showed a significant reduction in emissions, 56% drop in fuel consumption and a 15% reduction in heat generation, MMG said.

Following this, Rosebery mine has made a significant investment in three “hybrid vehicles” , it says, with these vehicles being the 18.5-t-payload R2900 XE, which is built on the platform of Caterpillar’s most popular underground loader, the R2900G.

The R2900 XE features a switch reluctance electric drive system alongside a Cat C15 diesel engine, which offers up to 335 kW of power, with Caterpillar saying the machine comes with about 30% increased fuel efficiency compared with the R2900G, with its lower engine revolutions per minute resulting in reduced fuel burn, heat, noise, vibration and exhaust emissions.

MMG Rosebery General Manager, Steve Scott, said investment in initiatives that reduce emissions and have a positive impact on the environment and in turn the local community, are a priority.

“We have aspirations to continue to decarbonise our mining operations and this is a step forward in our efforts to achieve this,” he said. “This is a great result, as we strive to meet MMG’s vision of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

He added: “As we navigate higher operational costs and a community expectation to reduce our environmental impact, the vehicles also provide the added bonus of a cost saving.”

The loaders were purchased from a local Tasmanian dealership, as part of Rosebery mine’s commitment to provide direct investment in small to medium businesses across the state, it said.

MMG Rosebery says it will continue to look at new and innovative ways to meet its net zero emissions targets.

Orders for the R2900 XE have been growing in Australia, with Westgold Resources recently confirming it would purchase another six of the diesel-electric vehicles after initially taking on the first unit off the shelf, and Gold Fields committing to acquiring three R2900 XE’s to work at its underground mines in Western Australia.

Cat R2900 XE

Cat R2900 XE diesel-electric LHDs brought into Gold Fields net zero plan

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As part of a strategy to reduce carbon emissions from its operations and achieve a ‘net zero’ status by 2050, Gold Fields is investing in three Caterpillar R2900 XE diesel-electric loaders for its underground mines in Western Australia.

The gold miner’s ESG strategy, launched in December 2021, was at the same time embedded as one of three pillars in the company’s strategy. Gold Fields has demonstrated this focus over the last few years, especially when it comes to its efforts to decarbonise its mining operations.

In addition to constructing and commissioning several solar plants, renewable microgrids and low-carbon gas turbines across some of its operations in South Africa and Australia, Gold Fields has been at the forefront of decarbonising the load and haul part of the underground mining cycle.

In 2021, Gold Fields started trialling a Sandvik LH518B 18 t battery-electric underground LHD, in addition to a 50-t-payload battery-electric Z50 truck, also from Sandvik. The machines were put through their paces at the Hamlet North mine, part of the St Ives operation, near Kambalda in Western Australia. The results of these trials were shared with members of the Electric Mine Consortium (EMC).

Rob Derries, Unit Manager: Innovation & Technology at Gold Fields Australia, says the results from testing the loader and truck at St Ives have shown the need for an alternative to assist the battery swap functionality for its local underground mines.

“The depth of our mines and the resultant ramp inclines indicate that a battery swap system alone will be a challenge from an infrastructure or financial perspective when rolling out on a larger fleet-wide basis,” he told IM.

Alongside this work, Gold Fields has trialled a hybrid diesel-electric drive Komatsu WX22H (formerly the Joy 22HD), which uses a Kinetic Energy Storage System to capture and reuse braking energy from each of the four wheels, reducing fuel burn and boosting productivity, according to the OEM and Gold Fields.

In 2021, Gold Fields started trialling a Sandvik LH518B 18 t battery-electric underground LHD

Now, the company has committed to bringing three Caterpillar R2900 XEs into two of its underground mining operations, according to Derries.

Built on the platform of Caterpillar’s most popular underground loader, the R2900G, this LHD features a switch reluctance electric drive system alongside a Cat C15 diesel engine, which offers up to 335 kW of power. The OEM says the machine comes with about 30% increased fuel efficiency compared with the R2900G, with its lower engine revolutions per minute resulting in reduced fuel burn, heat, noise, vibration and exhaust emissions.

Derries said Gold Fields does not consider the R2900 XE a “hybrid” machine given it has no battery or energy storage component on board, but stressed that it still offers the reduced fuel burn and productivity advantages the company is looking for as part of its modernisation strategy.

“From the field-follow trial reports we have seen, it can produce a 35% fuel burn reduction,” he said. “This is why we consider it to be part of our plan to transition our operations to zero emissions, just like the Epiroc machine we are working on.”

Last year, Gold Fields entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Epiroc to develop and test a proof of concept for the 65-t class Minetruck MT65 E-Drive with the aim of having a prototype diesel-electric truck running at the miner’s Granny Smith mine, near Laverton in Western Australia, in late 2024.

Derries says the company is also continuing discussions with all OEM partners on potential battery-electric vehicle deployments at its Australian underground mines, explaining that variations on trolley infrastructure, battery charging and battery swapping were being evaluated.

EMC collaboration builds confidence

The field-follow trials Derries references were integral to Gold Fields making the investment in the Caterpillar diesel-electric vehicles.

“In Australia, there were four field-follow units that Cat sent out, all of which went to EMC member operators,” he said. “The feedback and learnings that came back from these trials, which was shared internally within the consortium, provided the confidence we needed to make the investment decision.”

The EMC is a growing group of leading mining and service companies, all of whom are driven by the imperative to accelerate progress towards the fully electrified zero CO2 and zero particulates mine. In the short time since establishment, the consortium’s membership has grown almost two-fold with over 40 equipment trials in 15 different locations mobilised.

Outside of these Caterpillar R2900 XE field follow units, Westgold Resources took delivery of the first commercial R2900 XE at its Midwest operations in Western Australia, as part of an agreement with WesTrac. The mining company has since agreed to purchase another six of the diesel-electric vehicles.

A separate R2900 XE is due to be delivered to another mining operation in Australia later this year, IM understands.

Derries says Gold Fields has felt the benefits of signing up to the EMC.

“The EMC is a great platform for operators like us to gather information without having to trial everything out there,” he said. “Like the companies that shared their data from the R2900 XE field-follow trials, we shared the learnings from our Sandvik trials – not just our operational performance data.

“We were then able to do a cross check between our battery-electric trial data and the field-follow trials from the Caterpillar machines, giving us the confidence to invest in the three LHDs.”

Derries says the new units are expected to arrive at its operations in the next 12 months.

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.

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.

WesTrac to bring R2900 XE and Cat AD63 LHD-truck combo to Diggers & Dealers

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Leading Caterpillar dealer WesTrac is to unveil one of the latest Cat® underground mining trucks to hit Australian shores at this year’s Digger & Dealers Mining Forum in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, next week.

The Cat AD63 Underground Mining Truck was recently released by Caterpillar to the market and has undergone a series of upgrades to improve on the design and performance of its predecessor, the Cat AD60.

The AD63 has been designed and built for the most rugged mining applications while delivering exceptional performance, according to WesTrac. Improvements to payload, powertrain performance and serviceability have also been made.

This includes five optional dump body sizes including a new lightweight option, 63-t payload, a tilt cab to provide ease of servicing access, and eHVAC ducted air-conditioning for operator comfort. The AD63 is powered by the Cat C27 engine, which meets EU Stage V emissions standards.

The AD63 is well matched with a variety of loaders and is a good pairing with the new Cat R2900 XE underground loader, which, with an 18.5-t-payload, can fill the AD63 in three to four passes. The R2900 XE, displayed at MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas, in September 2021, will also be on show in Kalgoorlie.

The R2900 XE itself is designed with the latest diesel-electric technology, offering up to 30% greater fuel efficiency as well as increased payload and breakout force.

WesTrac CEO, Jarvas Croome, said: “Diggers & Dealers is an iconic event on the mining calendar and even with border closures last year, it attracted the second highest audience ever.

“It’s proof that these sorts of events are still high on many people’s priority lists and with borders open again, we should see a more diverse audience this year – and potentially see attendance records broken.

“That makes it even more exciting to be showcasing the Cat AD63 and R2900 XE at Diggers & Dealers.”

Diggers & Dealers is set to run from August 1-3 at the Goldfields Arts Centre in Kalgoorlie.