By Gleason, William MFrom the massive equipment that moves the earth, to the parts that keep the equipment moving, it was all on display for more than 35,000 people who attended MinExpo 2008 at the Las Vegas Convention Center Sept. 22-24. In the largest show in the illustrious history of MinExpo, the success of the recent commodity boom was reflected in the more than 55,700 hm^sup 2^ (600,000 sq ft) of floor space that was jam-packed with nearly 1,300 vendors. Among them, the makers of the industry's largest machines, displaying their latest and greatest trucks, shovels, excavators, drills and other mining equipment.
During the nearly decade-long commodities boom, equipment makers have worked hard to keep up with demand while also investing heavily in research and development. The beneficiaries of this R&D is the end user who saw first-hand at MinExpo 2008 the many advances that have already been made in safety, comfort and productivity from all the manufacturers.
R&D has also helped spark more talk of automation, which is being used already at some of the world's largest mines. Caterpillar and Komatsu have worked with the technology in surface mining and Bucyrus and Sandvik are among the industry leaders applying the science of automation to underground mines. Technology has increased greatly since the idea of moving massive equipment remotely was first knocked around and the idea of entire fleets operating around the clock seems to be getting closer to reality.
But, until that happens, MinExpo attendees were treated to a show that featured some of the most impressive current machines the industry has to offer.
In the largest booth space of the convention. Caterpillar (www.cat.com) displayed the culmination of an ambitious $280- million dollar investment, with the introduction of its new mining fleet of four new trucks. The F-series was unveiled with common features in safety, cabs, engines, frames and bodies and Tier 2 compliant engines. The F series also features a return to the electric drive option.
"When our customers asked us for improvements to our mining trucks, we responded by making a record investment in every single truck in our line, as well as the increased capacity to produce more of them," said Caterpillar group president Stu Levenick. "New technologies have allowed us to make trucks more reliable, easier to maintain and more friendly to the operator and to the environment."
The 793-series is in the 218- to 227-t (240- to 250-st) class that will be available in both mechanical (793F) and electric (793F ac) versions. The electric drive-only 313- 1 (345-st) 795F was also introduced, while the flagship 797B truck is in the process of being replaced by the new 797F mechanical drive, maintaining its 345- to 363-t (380- to 400-st) target payload. Completing Caterpillar's new mining truck line will be new versions of the 785 and 789 mechanical drive trucks.
The next generation of trucks will be phased into production during the next two years, with the Cat ac drive models expected to go into production in late 2010.
The $280-million investment is Caterpillar's largest commitment ever to the mining industry that included a team of more than 700 engineers, analysts, technicians and others along with a global network of 100 dealer personnel engaged in the project to provide functional design specifications and mine site support during pilot testing. During the process, 22 mechanical electric drive prototypes and pilots were with 15 more scheduled to be built.
Komatsu (www.komatsuamerica.com) used the show to introduce the 860E-1K electric drive rigid frame dump truck with 254 t (280 st) payload with a factory installed trolley capable option. The trolley system can be used on either 1,600 or 1,800 volt lines and the engine is Tier 2 certified.
Komatsu also rolled out its 960E-1 (960E) ac electric drive haul truck. It is the largest of Komatsu's full line of mining trucks. The new model carries a 327-t (360- st) payload and weighs 576 t (635 st) when fully loaded. Komatsu has tested the truck with more than three years of experience from coal fields to deep-pit copper mining.
Komatsu America Corp. was the first to introduce ac drive systems for ultra-class mining trucks in 1996 with the commercial production of the 930E. The 930E is the best selling "ultra-class" truck with more than 650 units operating in the field.
Komatsu also displayed its PC5500 hydraulic shovel with an operating weight between 525 and 540 t (578 and 595 st) and a shovel capacity of 30 m^sup 3^ (38 cu yd); the D475A-5SD crawler dozer with a Tier 2 certified engine and operating weight of 113 t (125 t) and the WA 1200-3 wheel loader with the largest bucket in its class.
For Liebherr, (www.liebherr.com) MinExpo 2008 was the launching pad for the R 9800 excavator, a 780-t (860-st) hydraulic excavator with a nominal bucket capacity of 38 to 42 m^sup 3^ (1,341 to 1,483 cu ft).The R 9800 is the new flagship of mining excavator's with a range that is targeting bucket loads of 75 t (83 st) in both versions, as a backhoe and a shovel execution. Liebherr is providing two engine options for the machine, two Cummins QSK 60 with a installed power of 1,492 kW (2,000 hp) each or two MTU 12V4000 with a installed power of 1,425 kW (1,910 hp).
Along with the R 9800, Liebherr introduced the R 9250 Litronic model, a 250-t (276-st) mining excavator that is the successor to the R 994 Litronic.
Technologies already proven in the larger R 994 B. R 9350, R 995 and R 996 models have been incorporated in this new mining excavator - in particular, the advanced electronic, electrical and hydraulic systems, that are designed to offer reliability and high performance, and the robust, durable specification of the mechanical sections such as the constructional steelwork.
The R 9250 is powered by a 12-cylinder Cummins turbo-diesel engine rated at 960 kW (1,290 hp).
To meet the demand to for its products, Liebherr also announced a US$150-million investment to facilitate capacity extensions at mining equipment locations in the U.S., and in Brazil and for a complete new factory in Colmar, France.
Located close to the airport of Colmar, France, and just a few blocks away from Liebherr's traditional plant for hydraulic crawler excavators, the company is currently erecting a new development, assembly and logistics center for mining excavators from 100 to 800 mt (110 to 881 st) in weight. Construction on the 17-hm^sup 2^ (42- acre) site started earlier this year and is expected to be completed in 2010.
The main purpose of this project is to enlarge mining excavator production capacity, which is currently fully used, and speed up the investment cycle once again. With this new plant, Liebherr will accumulate a state-of-the-art headquarters for engineering, assembly, prototype testing and special executions of large excavators and other equipment in one place.
The new mining center in Colmar will have capacity for all sizes, special execution, prototypes and complete assemblies of all possible Liebherr mining products. However, the new plant does not involve manufacturing capacity for steel structures - these items will be sourced externally and from other Liebherr factories. With this measure, Liebherr is aiming at upscaling its manufacturing capacities to an output of more than 200 mining excavators per year. This target number includes the activities of other manufacturing locations such as Guaratingueta, Brazil, where investments have been allocated accordingly.
Liebherr also displayed its new TI 274 mining truck with a capacity of 290 mt (320 st) and an electric drive. This unique mining truck is in long-term research and development project with Liebherr and a projection on availability for the TI is estimated to be in 2010.
Atlas Copeo (www.atlascopco.com) introduced to the world its new Pit Viper 235 rotary/DTH blasthole drill.
The Pit Viper can be used for many applications including hard rock mining for metals and overburden coal mining. The rig is available in low-pressure rotary or highpressure hammer drilling configurations. The single-pass, 12-m (40-ft) clean hole tower and 152-mm (6-in.) to 250mm (9-in.) hole capacity comes with a reduced horsepower demand on the hydraulic systems.
The rig includes four major areas of advancement high productivity, accessibility, serviceability and operator comfort. Also, the PV-235 can be configured in different sizes and speeds.
Atlas Copeo also displayed the Roofex rock bolt that adapts to large rock mass movements while maintaining a constant load capacity. It has been further developed and tested by Atlas Copeo and is now available worldwide. Roofex is designed to accommodate all spectrums of rock mass movement, with accurate preset deformation behavior.
The new Roofex bolt system is based on steel to steel interaction, with a high quality steel bar that travels through a patented, energy-absorbing element set with resin or cement grout inside the borehole. This system provides a reliable and constant load capacity during yielding.
The Roofex bolt is produced in standard lengths typically used in mining and tunneling, and the displacement capacity is preset to order during manufacturing.
With a focus on the comfort of the operator, LeTourneau (www.lti- mining.com) displayed its LINCS II control system on its newest machine, the L-1 150 loader that was specifically designed to load 136 to 181 1 (150 to 200 st) haul trucks. With its 898 kW (1,205 hp) engine and a standard 19.1 m3 (25 cu yd) bucket, this machine is the first model of a new platform for LeTourneau's loaders. The L-1 150 features a redesigned modern cab, offering improved ergonomics and greater visibility for the operaI tor. The LINCS II control system allows the operator to monitor hydraulics, electrics, engine and traction drive through a unique touch screen dash display. Real time data includes bucket height and angle, net bucket load, cumulative truck load, elapsed time per loading cycle, and total tonnage is automatically stored for future retrieval and analysis. Information is conveyed to the driver by the easy-to-read, touch screen display which is suitable for operation in the brightest light. The L-1 150 can be ordered with a choice of Cummins or MTU Detroit Diesel engines and uses up to 40 percent less fuel than the equivalent capacity mechanical drive loader offering. Adding to the versatility is the fact that the L-1150 uses a readily available tire size (50/ 65-51).
LeTourneau's machines come standard with hybrid diesel-electric drive systems delivering positive traction through independent all- wheel drive, maximum stability and simple operator friendly controls. An exclusive LeTourneau's feature of the hybrid technology is that it captures energy created during the braking process. This energy, that once would have been lost, is now redirected back into the drive system or stored in capacitors for future use. Previously referred to as "regenerative" technology, these hybrid diesel- electric drives bring efficiency and reliability to mining operations.
Although it was not on the show floor, Terex (www.terex.com) used the event to introduce its SHM highwall mining system with a scale model to show its capability.
The SHM highwall mining system is a self-contained, highly productive and cost-efficient highwall mining system. It can mine parallel coal seam entries, rectangular in section, ranging from 762 mm (30 in.) to 4.8 m (16 ft) in thickness and up to 305 m (1,000 ft) deep. It has a specially designed electric cutterhead module that contains carbide-cutting bits. Cutterhead modules are available with 635-mm (25-in.) to 1,117-mm (44-in.) diameter cylindrical drums to match seam conditions.
Two hydraulically powered sump cylinders, with a 6-m (20-ft) stroke push the powerhead forward with up to (172, 365 kg) 380,000 lbs of force and it is operated and maintained exclusively on the surface, requiring no crewmember to ever go underground.
The new Terex Unit Rig MT6300 haul truck and SK-L rotary blasthole drill were also on display as was its Halco RC5 Hammer, and a working scale model of a Terex O&K hydraulic excavator.
The Terex Unit Rig MT6300 was completely designed from the ground up as the world's first true 362-t (400-st) haul truck. It offers customers an impressive array of features and benefits, most notably its industry-leading payload of 363 t (400 st).
The Terex Reedrill SK-L rotary blasthole drill offers proven efficiency, high productivity, low operational cost and the comfort of a specially designed cab. Designed to drill up to 38-cm (15-in.) holes in hard rock formations, the SK-L is configured with a 20-m (65.5-ft) single-pass long, freestanding mast without struts.
Of the many technological advancments that were unveiled during the three-day show, one of the largest was from Bucyrus (www.bucyrus. com) which debuted its "HydraCrowd" technology. The hydraulic crowd replaces rack-andpinion and rope crowds in electric shovels.
Bucyrus shovels using the HydraCrowd technology can load up to 110 t/h (120 stph).
HydraCrowd was designed for extreme mining conditions and is available on 495 shovels or as a retrofit on operating 495 shovels. The HydraCrowd system is centered on a crowd/retract cylinder that moves the the electric shovel handle into and out of the bank. It is ac-drive powered.
Some major pieces of underground mining equipment that were displayed by Bucyrus include the EL3000 shearer with unique mainframe and advanced automation mines seams up to 5.5 m (18 ft).
Other longwall equipment included the latest line pans, that separate wear parts from structural parts, roof supports from the Bucyrus range covering mining heights from 550 to 7,500 mm (1.8 to 24.6 ft) with widths up to 2 m (6.6 ft), and supporting more than 1.75 kt (1,929 st).
The three business units of Joy Global Inc., (ph- min@phmining.com) showcased several innovations for surface and underground mining at MinExpo.
Continental Crushing & Conveying showcased a Continental all- electric Vector winch that is a durable and proven method for controlling even the most complicated high-tension conveyor systems. The booth also featured conveyor components from medium duty to super heavy-duty designs.
A Stamler feeder breaker for operation in underground coal mining conditions was displayed with improved features in the crawler drive assembly, a heavyduty frame with direct drive breaker, and the latest in maintenance friendly and safety designs.
Joy Mining Machinery displayed the largest most powerful roof support ever manufactured. The 2-m- (6.5-ft-) wide support with 480 mm (19 in.) legs provides a rating of 1,750 1 (1,929 st).This is almost 50 percent more than competitive structures.
Joy Smart Services' state-of-the-art machine monitoring and support services designed to help maximize production over the life cycle of the equipment was also on display.
P&H Mining Equipment showcased a production model P&H shovel operator cab featuring P&H Loading Control Center technology.
The company also unveiled the new ultra-class P&H 9030C walking dragline and a high-capacity overburden handling in-pit crusher- conveyor (IPCC) system for coal and oil sand mining operations, both of which feature the breakthrough P&H Centurion control system.
A P&H Optima dipper designed for optimal shoveltruck loading performance was also on display along with numerous other advances that are delivering increased operating efficiencies in mines.
Copyright Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. Dec 2008
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