International Mining

Holistic tailings management solutions Weir is rethinking the basic assumptions the mining industry has about tailings; it’s committed to reducing the risk and the environmental impact of tailings’ operations at the lowest total cost of ownership. To this end, Weir is researching and developing innovative technologies and processes in a way that transforms the current value proposition and ensures more sustainable tailings operations. Weir carries out extensive testing and analysis to identify ways to optimise tailings processing methods, reduce the amount of tailings generated and ensure it’s a more manageable product. Weir’s focus on research and development underscores its dedication to driving positive change in the mining industry’s approach to tailings management. Hear more about this and the way that Weir is Rethinking, Reducing and Repurposing tailings in this video interview with Erik Vlot, Global Manager Tailings & Backfill, and Job Kruyswijk, Slurry Solutions Manager. Weir Minerals #tailingsmanagement #Rethink #Reduce #Repurpose

Leveraging lubricants #Lubricants play an important role in #mining in terms of machine uptime and efficiency relative to their cost and volume. Again we look at key developments and products. According to Shell’s ‘Breaking New Ground: Shaping a Successful Future for Mining’ report, a third (33%) of site managers say that rising consumable costs will significantly impact their operations in the next three to five years. Shell Lubricants argues that investing in high performing lubricants and lubrication programmes could provide the answer to meeting productivity, cost, and sustainability challenges all at once. OEMs are also playing a role in promoting latest lubricant technology. Komatsu Mining has partnered with vendors to create environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) that meet established EPA standards without sacrificing performance. Komatsu: “We have developed new EALs as part of our sustainability commitment and are seeking partners to put them through real-world paces - specifically on electric #ropeshovels. These new, more environmentally sensitive formulations have met all Komatsu’s standards in our rigorous testing protocols and are ready for the field.” Open gear lubricants (OGLs) and multipurpose greases help drive shovel, dragline, haul truck and drill performance in challenging environments. ExxonMobil has enhanced its #MobilServ℠ Lubricant Analysis with the opening of a new test laboratory in Singapore. The additional facility is designed to help ensure customers can easily and effectively leverage the power of the service to monitor the in-operation performance of their Mobil™ lubricants. Last year, Petro-Canada Lubricants launched a new multi-purpose fluid that the manufacturer says can deliver up to a 6% equipment life increase for applicable mining and construction equipment. #PRODURO TO-4+ UHP, a multipurpose synthetic all-season transmission, hydraulic, and drive line fluid for heavy-duty mobile equipment, has since gained valuable field experience with mine operators in the toughest of mining conditions and has continued to exceed all performance expectations in the field. The FUCHS Group, which operates globally in the lubricants industry, has signed an agreement to acquire the international Lubcon Group, primarily with the aim of jointly innovating & advancing high-quality specialty #lubrication solutions. FUCHS Group has also expanded its presence in South America with the full acquisition of FUCHS LUBRICANTS SPA in Chile. Jonathan Montales, Development & Application Engineer at TotalEnergies Lubrifiants told #TheElectricMine 2024 conference that #immersioncooling with fluids increases the safety of the battery, regardless of the #batterycell type used. He also outlined several opportunities to reduce the cost and weight of the battery system – highlighting lighter & cheaper batteries with a simplified design & talked about the possibilities for ultra-#fastcharging. #miningfluids #mininglubricants #futureofmining

RIINO, Rainbow Concrete partner on future demo site RIINO Inc. a company that refers to itself as a leading innovator in mining technology, has announced a partnership with Rainbow Concrete to establish a groundbreaking demonstration site at the Rainbow Concrete Quarry, in Ontario, Canada. This site will showcase a zero-emission monorail system, spanning a continuous 1-km loop, demonstrating RIINO’s expertise and its transformative impact on mining operations. RIINO has recently completed an in-depth, four-month scoping study backed by Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Rio Tinto and Vale, utilising a consortium approach, supported by the Canada Mining Innovation Council. The technology is described as an innovative monorail haulage system targeting the reduction of the industry’s carbon emissions and achieving net-zero goals. It is designed to receive its power from the electrical grid which drives the internal, train-mounted motors as well as auxiliary on-board batteries for a complete electric and automated operation. Set to launch in the December quarter of 2025, the Rainbow Concrete site will serve as a pivotal platform to validate RIINO’s technology on a full scale, RIINO says. #miningtechnology #netzeromining #minehaulage

The road less travelled There is all to play for in mining trucks today. While the first Caterpillar Inc. #batteryelectric ‘Early Learner’ is enroute to BHP #Jimblebar these models are still years away from running commercially. BHP & Rio Tinto have opted to collaborate on testing to speed up learnings. #Electricalinfrastructure at mines is also being bolstered to accommodate high powered #staticcharging. The wider electrical readiness issue was a theme of #TheElectricMine 2024 presentation by Sean McGinnis, Caterpillar VP & GM, Resource Industries. On #hybridtrucks, First Mode's #HybridElectricVehicle mining truck has already been successfully demonstrated. Recognising the need for efficient & environmentally responsible haul trucks, FLANDERS has developed the #FREEDOMDrive System which was outlined by Wayne Chmiel at The Electric Mine 2024 in Perth - a #modular, #retrofit drive system designed to enhance the capabilities of existing haul trucks, regardless of OEM & equipped to receive power from multiple sources. Project Coordinator Lucca Machado at Brazil's U&M Mineração e Construção S/A is moving towards validation of its hybrid system on a Komatsu 730E at a client site by end 2024. Cummins Inc. Inc has commissioned a hybrid in partnership with Inner Mongolia North Hauler Joint Stock Co., Ltd. - the NTH260 truck. China’s EACON Mining & contractor MACA Ltd are actively pursuing development & importation of battery electric mining trucks & hybrid battery mining trucks in Australia. In 2023, Hitachi Construction Machinery & ABB completed a full battery #miningtruck which was shipped from Japan to Kansanshi copper mine operated by First Quantum Minerals where it has begun #trolleyassist trials. Vale & Cat have agreed to test large battery trucks & energy transfer systems plus conduct studies on #ethanol trucks. Dan Funcannon, Komatsu Mining SVP Surface Haulage said ahead of The Electric Mine that first pilots of its #PowerAgnostic Diesel truck are planned for Q1 2025 & Power Agnostic Battery for Q2 2026. He added that Komatsu sees #dynamiccharging as a key to maintaining productivity in mining. General Motors and Komatsu announced that they will co-develop a #hydrogen #fuelcell power module for Komatsu’s 930E. ABB has completed retrofitting of a Nuh Cement-owned diesel-fuelled Euclid truck into a fully electric, zero-emission vehicle. Fortescue’s hydrogen truck prototype, dubbed ‘Europa’ has reached the milestone of operating off hydrogen for the first time. Europa is a T 264 Liebherr Mining truck & contains a 1.6 MWh battery & 500 kW of fuel cells. We discuss NRW Holdings being one the first large contractors to participate in Cat’s Pathways to Sustainability program. On improvements in diesel trucks, Volvo Construction Equipment's R60 & R70 are available with a Stage V Cummins engine. Repowering is a focus for Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH which has helped lower emissions at Anglo American’s #LosBronces. #futureofmining #mineofthefuture

Total tyre service International Mining Editorial Director Paul Moore met with three leading #miningtyre companies in #Chile – Michelin on the supplier side, plus Kal Tire Mining Tire Group & Bailac SAN Ltda on the #tyremanagement side, for unique insights into one of the world’s largest #OTRtyre markets. Michelin’s Country Manager for Chile, Peru & Bolivia, Rafael Santo & Maria Soledad Carrillo, MICHELIN Mining TK & Mining Service Manager discussed a range of topics from tyres and #AHS to its TK solution for mining and its approach to #tyrerecycling. Focusing on the #MichelinTK service, this began in 2005 as a response to a request from Grupo Antofagasta Minerals’ Minera Los Pelambres #copper mine to their suppliers to present a variable cost proposal. Michelin co-developed together with the mine a variable model which is a comprehensive #tyreservice that includes the tyre supply and maintenance. It is also in use today at Collahuasi. On recycling, Santo said: “Michelin has committed as part of its Michelin in Motion strategy that by 2030, our tyres will be 40% made of renewable or recycled materials and this includes #miningtyres with this rising to 100% by 2050...in Chile we installed a mining tyre cutting and shredding facility to produce 30 mm rubber chips. All the rubber chips to be produced by that plant can be used in various markets.” We also had the chance to catch up with Carlos Patricio Zuñiga Fuentes, General Manager of Kal Tire Chile, focusing on progress with its pioneering mining tyre recycling plant in the country. He said: “We are now receiving end of life tyres from many of the mines in the area and have agreements in place taking us to the end of 2025. Zuniga says the #pyrolysis plant continues to run at capacity, processing 20 to 25 t per day. There is space at the site to double and even treble the size of the plant by adding more reactors. Zuniga also said that its investment in other tyre management related approaches & technologies is really generating a lot of interest – notably evolving functionalities of its Tire & Operations Management System (#TOMS) including its integration with Pitcrew AI’s #thermalimaging tech & advanced #AI. Finally we had the chance to meet three managers of leading Chilean mining tyre management and service company #Bailac – Raimundo Bailac Pereira, DGM of Empresas Bailac Thor, GM of Bailac Thor Leopoldo Bailac Arriagada; and Alberto Bailac, GM of the group company Bailac San Ltda. They talked about its position in the market & the range of services it provides. Raimundo Bailac on its success: “We are a 4th generation family company – we started our growth along with many of the big copper mines in Chile so we grew together with them and this shared journey is important...I would also say we are known for our innovation." Regarding the REP Law, he said it is not currently recycling mining tyres & that its focus today is on its proven expertise in #retreading. #futureofmining #mineofthefuture

Tech integration on the cards Relatively recent technology developments in the underground load and haul space have set the stage for integration of these elements in an equation that equals more than the sum of their parts, Daniel Gleeson reports in IM's annual load and haul focus. We went to the major players in the LHD and underground truck space - plus a few trying to make inroads - for this IM July 2024 piece. Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions' Jari Söderlund talked up the OEM's 'platform' approach to underground load and haul electrification, stating that the electric driveline represented the "foundation" for this future-facing strategy. We also talked to him about the integration of automation and electrification, while including some of the highlights from Brian Huff's recent presentation at The Electric Mine 2024 in Perth, Western Australia. Vladimir Sysoev, Global Product Manager – Truck Automation at Epiroc, then offered up an intriguing case study looking at automating a Minetruck MT42 operating at the Odyssey mine in eastern Canada, a mine which hosts a 2-km spiral ramp. This saw the Minetruck MT42 autonomously tramming from surface to underground, where it was loaded by a teleremote Scooptram ST18 loader before it returns to the surface to dump its load. We also heard from Cat Mining on a variety of topics - some focused on conventionally-powered LHDs, some focused on a diesel-electric loader and a short update on its battery-electric R1700 XE. On top of this, we included some interesting stats from a case study on the R2900 XE diesel-electric loader given by MMG Limited Rosebery's Andrew Flynn and Craig S. at The Electric Mine 2024. Nerospec SK was also on hand to expand on what it believes is a world first in the market: a true fully autonomous underground loader that carries out a full cycle with no manned supervision at all. Developed together with GHH Mining Machines, the Nerospec automation solution remains totally OEM agnostic and can, the company says, be implemented on any OEM’s equipment and optimised and customised according to specific customer and application needs. Universal Field Robots, meanwhile, provided IM with an update on its own OEM-agnostic developments. This included the latest on the automated haul truck pilot program using UFR Haulage at the GOLD FIELDS' owned Granny Smith mine in Western Australia. UFR says it is now productising its solution to enable autonomous haulage for any mine, for underground as well as surface haulage. Last but not least was an overview of the training programs Immersive Technologies offers the underground load and haul space, which includes high-fidelity simulation as well as digital learning systems. Enjoy! If you would like more content like this delivered by post or email, sign up for free access to the IM platform here: https://lnkd.in/dpu8_-H #miningtechnology #mineautomation #mineelectrification #mininginnovation

A tech fanfare There are plenty of examples of underground mine operators leveraging the new smarts and hardware on offer from OEM and solution providers. In IM's July 2024 issue, Daniel Gleeson details some of these, focused specifically on the underground drilling space. Included in this in-depth article is a case study from The Electric Mine 2024 on the deployment of a Sandvik DL422iE fully-automated, battery-powered top hammer longhole drill at IGO Ltd's Nova mine in Western Australia - an operation where Barminco is the operator; a collaboration between Epiroc, Boliden, Algoryx Simulation and Örebro University on autonomous face drilling; a deep dive into Mine Master Ltd.'s FLP1410 single boom drill rig; the highlights of Swick Mining Services ' latest DeepEX drilling milestone; and the latest overbreak/underbreak stats from Hexagon Mining's Development Optimiser platform. We also feature a groundbreaking solution aimed at enhancing safety and efficiency, UFR AutoPrep, from Universal Field Robots. To find out more about all these stories, read the full article below... #undergrounddrilling #undergroundmining #mineautomation #mineelectrification

Autonomy, material transport, electric cable shovels and world records... The IM July 2024 World Prospects feature is but a sample of the type and volume of mining technology news we put out on a monthly basis. Making the cut for this issue was: xtonomy's #Hillhead2024 truck autonomy demo The announcement of a tie-up between Doppelmayr Material Transport and Master Drilling Group Ltd Australia – Anglo American and RCT's remote dozing trials BHP's start up of a Komatsu Mining 4800XPC electric cable shovel in Chile The building of the world's largest mill liner handler by GEARS Mining Read all about these feats and articles in the piece below... #miningtechnology #mininginnovation #miningnews

Detour Lake mulls underground move For the Leader in IM July 2024, we focused on one of the world's biggest open-pit gold mines' plans to go underground. This shift - one that will initially see the open-pit and underground deposits mined at the same time - could see Agnico Eagle Mines Limited's #DetourLake gold mine in Ontario become a 1 Moz/y producer. Read all about the strategy and timelines behind such a move in the story below. And, if you want to see more content like this, please sign up for free access to our magazine and newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/dpu8_-H #miningtechnology #mininginnovation #miningnews

IM July 2024 is live! International Mining's July 2024 issue is now up online and, as usual, filled with high-quality technical articles on mining technology and innovation. Included in this month's magazine is our annual #miningtrucks article, as well as two separate underground-focused features - one on #undergroundloadandhaul and the other on #undergrounddrilling. This is complemented by an article on #mininglubricants and a fifth tech focus on #miningtyres. Happy reading! #miningtechnology #mininginnovation #mineautomation #futureofmining