Tag Archives: XCMG

XCMG 72-t battery-electric trucks start up at Vale operations

Base metals, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Power supply for mines, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

Vale says it has become the first major mining company to test 100% electric 72-tonne trucks, with the trial of the XCMG Mining Machinery Co. Ltd vehicles at its Brazil and Indonesia operations.

The trial of the vehicles represent another step in the electrification of the company’s assets, it said, which is part of its wider plans to operate with net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The first electric trucks to be used by a global mining company, tested at Água Limpa, in Minas Gerais, and Sorowako, in Indonesia, emit no CO2, replacing diesel with electricity from renewable sources. They also reduce noise, which minimises the impacts on the communities that live near the operations.

The equipment was produced by XCMG Mining Machinery Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co. Ltd, the largest machine manufacturer in China.

Last year, Vale signed an MoU with XCMG Construction Machinery Limited, a subsidiary of XCMG, for the potential supply of mining and infrastructure equipment, including zero-emission and autonomous equipment.

The 72-t electric off-highway trucks, model XDR80TE, are part of the Vale PowerShift program. Their batteries are able to store 525 kWh, allowing them to operate for up to 36 cycles along the established route, just over a day of operations, without the need to stop and recharge, and with the possibility of regenerating energy during descents, reducing the use of mechanical brakes, maintenance work and vibration, in addition to providing more operational comfort to drivers. The machine has temperature control technology, which allows it to adapt to high temperature, humidity and rainy working conditions, and to perform even in extremely cold, high altitude and harsh weather conditions.

Alexandre Pereira, Executive Vice President of Global Business Solutions at Vale, said: “To us, this partnership with XCMG is another important step in our long-term relationship with China and towards more sustainable mining. Our goal is to expand, together with global partners, the development and co-creation of technologies that respect the environment and zero out emissions.”

Dr. Hanson Liu, the Vice President of XCMG Machinery and General Manager of XCMG Import & Export Co., said: “XCMG and Vale have reached a consensus on the green development concept of dedicating to low-carbon mining and realising net zero emissions. The delivery of XCMG’s latest pure electric mining truck, XDR80TE, at this time is a manifestation of the joint efforts of both parties on promoting global environmental protection as well as green and sustainable economic development.”

Currently, emissions from off-highway trucks running on diesel represent bout 9% of Vale’s total scope 1 and 2 emissions.

The Powershift program was created by Vale with the aim of replacing fossil fuels with clean sources in its operations. The program is promoting innovative solutions to electrify the company’s mines and railroads. In addition to the 100% electric truck, Vale’s strategy for the electrification of assets also includes the operation of battery-powered locomotives in the yards of the ports of Tubarão, in Vitória, and Ponta da Madeira, in São Luís. In Canada, the Powershift program has also led to tests with electrical equipment in underground mines – there are currently about 40 that are currently operational.

Vale’s operational equipment electrification strategy also includes a partnership with its peers BHP and Rio Tinto. Last year, the three companies, along with 17 other mining companies, launched the Charge On Innovation Challenge, a global open innovation challenge with the goal of finding innovative solutions to accelerate the safe charging of batteries for future electric off-highway trucks.

XCMG showcases three new US-tailored mining machines at MINExpo 2021

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XCMG has brought three new customised products to MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas, namely its XE950G excavator, XDA45U articulated dump truck and GR3505T5 grader.

This is XCMG’s first time exhibiting at MINExpo, with the company using this time to highlight three new products customised specifically for the US market that are adapted to work under different and highly challenging construction conditions, it says.

The 95 ton (86 t) XE950G excavator is, XCMG says, an efficient and energy-saving model applicable to global markets, featuring an advanced control system and behaviour monitoring system, highlighting dual-pump independent technology. It also excels in comfortable and smart operation and is well suited to extreme mining environments, the company says.

The 45 ton (41 t) XDA45U ADT adopts mature power matching technology and delivers strong passing and reliable braking performance. It is also equipped with precise hydraulic control and is all-terrain adaptive, according to the company.

The GR3505T5 grader has strong traction output and features a high-pressure, high-displacement and load-sensitive hydraulic system. The all-gear rear axle can prevent wear effectively and the hydraulic lock is “error preventive”, XCMG says. The model also provides an upgraded operation experience with speed-sensitive and assisted steering, ergonomic electronic double joystick control system and fresh air circulation with standard cab pressurisation.

XCMG was the earliest manufacturer in the Chinese construction machinery industry to enter the US market and has not only launched products that meet local certification and standards, but also established a comprehensive sales and service network capable of providing complete construction solutions for customers, it says.

Xie Bin, CEO of XCMG North America Corp, says: “XCMG has accumulated a wealth of experience in mining equipment and solutions and is committed to providing highly reliable, efficient and safe products for our customers, and our customisation strategy has enabled XCMG to compete with the world’s best manufacturers in the high-end market.”

Allison Transmission adds to off-highway propulsion solutions with TerraTran

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Allison Transmission has launched TerraTran™, its latest innovation in propulsion solutions purpose-built for the global construction and mining markets.

A variant of Allison’s proven 4000 Series™ transmission, the TerraTran is purpose built for off-highway applications such as mobile cranes, articulated dump trucks and wide-body mining dump trucks.

TerraTran was developed based on voice of customer input, which indicated a need for the proven reliability and durability of Allison’s 4000 Series transmission, but with increased horsepower, torque and gross vehicle weight capability, while also adding fast reverse capability, the designer and manufacturer of conventional and electrified vehicle propulsion solutions company said.

TerraTran has maximum power capability of up to 800 hp, or 597 kW, and torque capability up to 3,025 lb/ft (4,502 kg/m), dependent upon the application in which it is deployed. TerraTran also features seven forward and two reverse speeds. With the additional fast reverse, TerraTran delivers improved productivity and optimised vocational efficiency, according to the company, with field tests conducted over around two years demonstrating that TerraTran delivers enhanced drivability, gradeability and manoeuvrability under demanding operating conditions.

In partnership with Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group (XCMG), headquartered in Xuzhou, China, the TerraTran will be launched first in XCMG’s all-terrain crane application.

Kartik Ramanan, Executive Director, Global Off-Highway Sales, Customer Support and Service Engineering at Allison Transmission, said: “Collaborating with XCMG on their all-terrain crane application is a successful example of Allison working closely with our OEM partners to develop innovative solutions that deliver unparalleled performance and productivity to our end user customers, all in an effort to Improve the Way the World Works.

“TerraTran leverages Allison’s more than 65 years of experience moving earth, minerals and precious metals around the world where Allison Automatics have proven themselves in some of the most challenging conditions imaginable.”

Interact Analysis forecasts slow haul truck electrification uptake in open-pit mining

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The electric revolution looks to be well and truly underway in the mining space, with underground mines of all sizes planning, trialling, or ordering various battery-electric machines to help them decarbonise their operations. Yet, the latest report on the off-highway vehicle market from Interact Analysis has indicated the transition above ground will take a little longer than many anticipated.

Homing in specifically on the 85-t-plus global hauler/dump truck market – broadly applicable to the medium-large construction space and the small-large open-pit mining sector – the market research firm laid out estimates for the annual number of new truck deliveries to 2029.

The surprising aspect of this research was the continued dominance of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle deliveries over this time frame.

The team at Interact Analysis expected the adoption rate/market share to go from 100% in 2020 – when 1,330 new vehicles were delivered – to 96.2% in 2029 – when it expected 1,716 units to be delivered.

The growth is slightly extreme in this comparison, but is partially accounted for by a drop off in deliveries in 2020 due to the effects of COVID-19. For reference, in 2019, 2,065 units were delivered.

Included within the ICE stats are biofuel vehicles, which have been gaining prominence in the mining space as miners realise they can both reduce diesel costs and emissions by incorporating biofuels into their operating mix.

Over the same time frame – 2020-2029 – the analysts see “hybrid” trucks commanding zero percent market share, with no sales.

Fully-electric trucks fare better, moving from zero deliveries in 2020 to two in 2021, five in 2022, six in 2023; to 72 in 2028 and 67 in 2029. The fully-electric adoption rate moves from 0% in 2020 to 3.8% in 2029.

Among these new fully-electric dump trucks is an XCMG EDF531 90 t battery-electric truck that was on show at the Bauma China show late last year (pictured below).

Jan Zhang, Senior Research Director at Interact Analysis, based in China, said this dump truck has already been delivered to a customer.

“In fact, quite a few dump fully-electric trucks below 100 t have already been used in China (in Guangdong),” she told IM. “Many of these have payloads of below 60 t, but a few are 90 t, and are in trial runs, and a few have also been exported to New Zealand, using the LiFePO4 battery from CATL.”

There has been much talk about hydrogen haul trucks taking hold in the mining space. This has been catalysed by Anglo American’s plans to test a 291 t fuel cell electric vehicle, a conversion to hydrogen fuel cell and lithium battery operation of a diesel-powered Komatsu 930E, at the Mogalakwena platinum mine in South Africa. If successful, these tests could lead to a rollout of 40 FCEVs across the global miner’s operations, it says.

Despite this, Interact Analysis’ research has no plus-85 t payload hydrogen trucks included in its forecasts to 2029.

Alastair Hayfield, Senior Research Director at Interact Analysis, based in the UK, explains: “Our statistics only look at new builds and not retrofits. My understanding is that the Anglo American vehicles would be retrofit (although there is limited detail at this point).

“Should some be new build, then we would update our forecast accordingly once we have better visibility.”

It’s worth asking the question: what about hydrogen trucks in mining beyond 2029?

Zhang said: “At present, mining trucks are mainly used in medium and large-scale coal and metal mines, and the use scenario is mainly for downhill heavy payload applications. That is to say where mineral resources are situated in a high up location, and it is necessary to load them from the mountain to the conveyor belt or transfer vehicle (the short distance transportation path is generally 2-3 km).”

She said mining truck electrification is mainly driven by two factors, with the first being operational cost advantages.

Jan Zhang, Senior Research Director at Interact Analysis, based in China

“For example, a mine truck with a total weight of 90 t will cost $45,000-75,000 in standard fuel annually, whilst the cost of electricity is only a third of the cost of fuel under the same circumstances, which means that $30,000-45,000 can be saved in the annual cost, not to mention other costs which are also higher for ICE mine trucks such as repair and maintenance,” she said.

The second factor is environmental protection and policy promotion.

“In China, the ‘National Green Mine Construction Specification’, issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources, has been implemented since October 2018,” Zhang explained. “This measure will surely help to grow the market share of hydrogen trucks in China, although the overall percentage will remain small.”

The last category included in Interact Analysis’ research was “Others” in the global hauler/dump truck market for 85-t-plus vehicles.

No deliveries for this category were registered in 2020, but the company anticipates one delivery in 2021, followed by three in 2022 and five in 2023. This gets as high as eight deliveries in 2025, but, by the end of the forecast period (2029), this category still commands 0.0% of the total.

So, what trucks fit into this category?

Hayfield explained: “We’re talking about diesel-electrics that will enter service into a trolley line operation – we essentially have to make an estimate on how we think the vehicle will predominantly be used. This is analogous to what we do in our on-highway research where we have to make estimates on how class 8 trucks are used for different applications ie long haul, distribution, vocational applications.”

This is not to say there will be no trolley assist trucks coming into the mining space, but, as far as Interact Analysis is concerned, these will not be new trucks coming out of the factory destined to head onto trolley lines. They will more likely be AC drive trucks that are retrofitted later for trolley assist operation.

When consolidated, these numbers show an underlying trend.

Back in 2019, there were 2,065 truck units delivered to the market in this 85-t-plus category, but, even out to 2029, this level is not reached, according to Interact Analysis.

Alastair Hayfield, Senior Research Director at Interact Analysis, based in the UK

In 2020, total deliveries dropped to 1,330 and, in 2021, Interact Analysis sees this rising to 1,545 units. A continual rise is expected in the years following, but it only reaches 1,783 in 2029.

What about beyond this timeframe?

Hayfield answered: “You have two fundamental pressures: a growing, resource-intensive population and a need to re-use/cut consumption because of environmental and/or legislative pressure. I suspect we will continue to see the growth of new mines throughout the 2030s in developing regions, fuelling demand for new trucks. However, I suspect we will see increasing pressure in Europe and North America on sustainability and the need to re-use materials and, hence, a slowing in the opening of new mines.”

This means demand for new trucks could start to drop during the 2030s in Europe and North America, he deduced.

This is not an exhaustive look at trends in the open-pit mining dump truck market – it is more of a taster – but Interact Analysis plans a detailed, mining specific study later in 2021. Such analysis could include forecasts for the retrofit market, providing the complete picture mining industry onlookers are after.

Techking custom-made tyres hit the ground at Rio Tinto WA operations

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Equipped with Techking custom-made tyres 23.5R25 ETD2S, XCMG XC958 front-end loaders have arrived at Rio Tinto’s operations in Western Australia to begin transporting ore to cargo ships.

To gather user feedback on these tyres, Techking Australia branch business employee, Steve Coles, made a recent site visit.

The tyre model is specially designed for XCMG XC9 series high-end loaders to undertake ore transportation tasks. By adopting proprietary formula and chevron patterns, these custom-made tyres dramatically improve performance in cut resistance and overall sidewall strength, achieving a longer life cycle under special working conditions.

Allen Zhuo, an XCMG Field Service Engineer, told Coles that the Techking tyres and XCMG loaders had been put into use at Rio Tinto’s operations and were, at present, working well.

The delivery of customised tyres for XCMG loaders marks the second time Techking has rendered tailored tyre services to two international giants.

“This is another milestone made towards Techking’s goal of becoming a leading global tyre solution supplier for large mining machinery,” the China-based company said.

While Coles was visiting Rio Tinto, a test report with satisfactory results was received regarding the 27.00R49 SUPER ROCK tyres. These tyres were customised for Komatsu 785 rigid dump trucks working at a Rio Tinto copper mine in Mongolia.

“It is shown from the tracking data in March that the 27.00R49 SUPER ROCK tyres have reached an average service life of 4,201 hours to date and could go beyond Rio Tinto’s expectation by reaching an estimated service life of 10,406 hours,” the Techking field service engineers’ report read.

XCMG custom graders get to work at Rio Tinto Western Australia mines

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XCMG says it has delivered six customised GR2605 graders to Rio Tinto, which have recently been put into operation at the company’s mines in Western Australia.

The model, specifically customised for Rio Tinto, is a super-horsepower grader with enhancements in terms of safety, functionality and design to meet Rio’s given needs and cope with local working conditions, the manufacturer said.

XCMG set up an elite project team to take charge of the R&D, manufacturing and quality control of the customisation project, and devoted a year to survey and analyse construction conditions and the client’s demands.

“The project team has made breakthroughs in a series of core technologies such as double-handle electronic control, regional environmental monitoring, machinery status electronic monitoring and more,” Wang Min, Chairman of XCMG, said. “Our comprehensive customisation service not only provides the ideal products to our clients, but also put XCMG on a firmer footing in the global market.”

From setting up the project to final delivery, XCMG conducted nearly 100 upgrades and optimisations in accordance with Rio’s requirements and the working conditions along the railways in Western Australia where they will be used. Much of this focused on improving the safety designs and operator friendliness, including:

  • A mechanical blade safety lock system;
  • Trimark locking system to prevent accidental opening of the engine hood;
  • Adjusted filter and storage battery position for easy troubleshooting and maintenance;
  • New pin bolt system to eliminate suspension loading risks;
  • Spare parts safety system featuring wheeled platform for bucket tooth for safety checkup; and
  • More ergonomic, quick refuelling design.

Prior to the delivery, XCMG provided comprehensive product use and maintenance training to ensure a smooth transitioning to operating the equipment, it said.

Wang Min added: “Taking this collaboration as an opportunity, XCMG will continue to strengthen our independent innovation and move steadily into the high-end markets. We thrive to meet the customers’ needs and create more possibilities by improving the product quality and perfecting the services.”

Back in September, a ceremony marking an XCMG Grader GR2605 fleet delivery and GR5505 Mining Grader Project Commencement Ceremony for Rio Tinto was held at XCMG’s intelligent grader manufacturing base in Xuzhou.

XCMG’s DL560 wheel bulldozer heads to Mongolia mining sector

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XCMG says it has delivered a DL560 wheel bulldozer – its largest wheeled dozer – to a mining customer in Mongolia. The delivery, XCMG says, marks full access for the Mongolia mining industry to the company’s entire product line of large-tonnage loaders and wheel bulldozers.

The DL560 wheel bulldozer is XCMG’s latest generation product developed with a firm structure, strong power and high level of stability and safety. This model is designed to be the first-choice product for ports and large mines, which can help tackle mining challenges brought by complicated complex geological structures.

Wang Min, Chairman of XCMG, said: “We are privileged to provide the very best of XCMG’s innovation and quality for our partners in Mongolia, and we hope such cooperation can help Mongolia, the second largest landlocked country in the world, to further discover its mineral resources.

“Our products, such as the DL560 wheel bulldozer, have been widely used in the country. XCMG has the highest market share in Mongolia among all Chinese brands and is now becoming the first choice for the local Mongolian construction machinery industry.”

Functions of the DL560 wheel bulldozer worth highlighting include XCMG’s new FOPS and ROPS pressurised cab featuring a large space, which offers low noise driving experience with excellent sealing performance. A sound and light warning device incorporated by an advanced electronic monitoring system, as well as a full-hydraulic maintenance-free wet drive axle, enables fast response and safe driving, the company said.

In the meantime, XCMG says it is also taking “green action” by introducing a load-sensing variable hydraulic system to the DL560 model. This can reduce fuel consumption by 7% and prolong the lives of parts, according to the company. Double-pump confluence technology can also improve working efficiency and reduce energy loss.

To ensure the sustainable usage of XCMG’s products in Mongolia, XCMG has also established a large-scale spare part resource reserve and a local spare parts centre in the country, offering comprehensive aftersales support with ultimate service.

XCMG debuts new excavators and truck at Mining Indonesia 2019

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XCMG brought all-new mining equipment to Mining Indonesia 2019, last month, as it went on the charm offensive in one of the major markets for mining trucks and shovels.

The company debuted three large-tonnage mining products as a complete solution set at the show, from September 18-21.

This included the “efficient expert” XE900D mining hydraulic excavator, the “energy-saving expert” XE1250 mining hydraulic excavator and “motor-driven warrior” XDA40 articulated dump truck.

During the show, XCMG also hosted a technology and production promotion conference of large-scale open-pit mining equipment that was attended by more than 100 mining and construction companies across Indonesia, it said.

XCMG signed multiple strategic collaborations with notable Indonesia mining companies, including orders that totalled $50 million, the company added.

Zong Li, Vice GM of XCMG Group, said: “XCMG’s market share in Indonesia is growing year-by-year, the series of events in Indonesia further enabled XCMG to expand its services in the Southeast Asian market as well as local support.”

A key member of China’s ‘Belt and Road’ Initiative, Indonesia has a plethora of mining machinery from XCMG, which have delivered excellent performance in mining projects across Indonesia, aiding the local infrastructure and economic development, the company said.

XCMG bolsters Mongolia offering with spare parts centre

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XCMG has opened its first spare parts centre in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in an effort to provide “all-around support and services” for customers in the country.

The new centre will connect with the Xuzhou Headquarters, Erenhot Distribution Center and mining districts’ On-site Support Warehouses to create a complete “sale-support-repair” service, it said. This will provide “high-quality equipment, flawless support in operation and guarantees for equipment throughout the entire life cycle of XCMG’s products”, the company said.

XCMG’s Song said: “As Mongolia accelerates the construction of infrastructure over the next decade, XCMG will be on-hand to help develop the local market. With our new service centre and complete solution, there will be no limit to what we can build together.”

The company’s exports to Mongolia are increasing year by year, XCMG said, with the total number of machinery shipped to Mongolia up to July 2019 already exceeded the total for 2018, according to recent customs reports. “The dramatic increase underlines the position of XCMG’s large-tonnage mining excavators, loaders, graders and mining trucks as the top choice for operators in Mongolia,” XCMG said.

To meet the ever-growing demand for spare parts support and services, XCMG initiated the spare parts centre project with local dealer AODE in April. Some 20 million yuan ($2.9 million) was invested to construct the 2,000 sq.m site located in Ulaanbatar. This will significantly improve XCMG’s ability to provide spare parts services in Mongolia and its neighbouring region, as well as better sales services in Middle Asia, the company said.

Wang Min, Chairman and CEO of XCMG, said: “XCMG is committed to providing excellent products and service to all our customers, service is part of the product itself, and XCMG will invest heavily to create a global spare parts network and standard service procedures to win customers’ trust.”

XCMG electric-drive XDE120 dump trucks on their way to Australia mines

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XCMG says it has successfully delivered an order of 12 XDE120 electric drive dump trucks to Australia, achieving another breakthrough in the export of large-scale mining equipment in the “high-end market”.

The XDE120 is one of the first 100 t electric drive dump trucks designed for mining. With a 1,200 hp (895 kW) engine, the model XDE120 adopts the industry’s latest AC variable frequency drive system and “leads in function and performance among products of the same level designed to operate in open-pit mining projects”, XCMG says.

Zong Li, Vice General Manager of XCMG, said: “XCMG abides by the golden standard of ‘Advanced and Endurable’ in every link of production, it’s what earned us the trust and recognition in the Australian market, our products satisfy all requirements for mining operations in Australia, and we have tailored professional services to add value and assist our customers further.”

Since 2018, XCMG has exported a series of products to Australia customers, including the mass export of GR3505 mining graders, China’s largest tonnage loader, the LW1200KN, mining solution sets and the latest 12 XDE120 electric drive dump trucks.

To date, XCMG has established more than 30 standards and regulations in design, manufacturing and quality assurance for the Australian market, as well as creating 15 customised designs, it said. “The brand’s mining equipment can overcome a considerable numbers of difficulties, including an extreme surface temperature of 50°C and difficult construction scenarios.”

Li added: “In recent years, XCMG has achieved continuous success in high-end mining markets. Our construction solution sets and technologies are taking the lead in a competitive industry, and we hope more people can learn about the XCMG brand, our strong technologies and reliable quality.”