ALWAYS PERFORMING

ALWAYS TRUSTED
ALWAYS INNOVATING
ALWAYS INVENTING
ALWAYS RELIABLE
ALWAYS WARMAN ®

ALWAYS WARMAN®
ALWAYS WARMAN ®

ALWAYS WARMAN®
ALWAYS WARMAN®
ALWAYS WARMAN®
ALWAYS WARMAN® WARMAN®

ALWAYS WARMAN®
ALWAYS WARMAN®

The Warman® MC pump range is the most reliable, best performing, sustainable mill circuit
pump on the planet. Its innovative technology is designed to withstand the world’s toughest
conditions. When it comes to specifying your next pump or pump upgrade, it’s not a question
of whether you can afford Warman®, it’s whether you can afford not to. alwayswarman.weir
Copyright © 2022, Weir Minerals Australia. All rights reserved.
 MARCH 2023 • VOL 224 • NUMBER 3

FEATURES
De-risking a Digital Ecosystem
Suppliers and software experts offer advice on building a system
that provides maximum value......................................................................20
African Leaders Discuss the Future of Mining at Indaba 2023
To take advantage of a vast mineral endowment, governments will need to
overcome persistent problems with power, transportation and corruption.........26
Developing a Large Hydraulic Cylinder Repair Program
A set of spares could remove downtime risks.............................................28
Pump Suppliers Answer Trending Challenges
The latest developments in the slurry pump market show suppliers
are offering solutions to customers plagued by increasingly
long-term constraints to the supply chain and labor market........................32
How to Deal With Fugitive Mine Dust
Dust control strategies are evolving for more effective suppression
and protection, as well as the elimination of particles at the source.
E&MJ explores some of the latest solutions................................................38
H&L Conference Returns to Tucson This month, E&MJ reports on the various
Live event offers ideas on how to better manage pit production.................40 advancements with the trucks and LHDs used
in underground mining. On the cover, a Cat
Dig, Load, Haul — Repeat
R2900 XE loads an underground mine truck.
Trucks and loaders form the heart of underground production fleets
(Photo: Caterpillar)
the world over. E&MJ presents a guide to the latest features and
models from five leading OEMs...................................................................44
Best of European Mining Solutions...................................................49

LEADING DEVELOPMENTS
Newcrest Rejects Newmont’s Initial Bid........................................................ 4
DEPARTMENTS
EPA Issues Preemptive Veto on Pebble Project............................................ 4 Calendar....................................................... 19
Teck to Spin Off Met Coal Business.............................................................. 4 Classified Advertisements............................ 78
Construction Begins at Thacker Pass........................................................... 5 Equipment Gallery........................................ 77
Hecla To Acquire ATAC Resources................................................................ 6 From the Editor................................................2
Clean Air Metals Withdraws Mineral Resource and PEA.............................. 6 Markets......................................................... 80
Freeport Suspends Production at Grasberg.................................................. 6 Operating Strategies..................................... 72
People.......................................................... 10
AROUND THE WORLD Processing Solutions.................................... 74
U.S. & Canada: Artemis Lands Financing for the Blackwater Project....... 8 Suppliers Report........................................... 70
Latin America: FQM Submits Revised Proposal for Cobre Panamá...... 12 This Month in Coal........................................ 18
Australia/Oceania: Sibanye-Stillwater Makes Takeover Bid
for New Century.................................................................................. 14
Africa: Poor Rail Service Limits Kumba’s Iron Ore Exports.................... 16

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 1

 FROM THE EDITOR

Debate Highlights
ESG Complexities www.e-mj.com
Mining Media International, Inc.
The Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) 11655 Central Parkway, Suite 306; Jacksonville, Florida 32224 USA
held its annual conference in Denver during late February, Phone: +1.904.721.2925 / Fax: +1.904.721.2930
and nearly 6,500 people attended the event. The confer-
Editorial
ence opened with a keynote session and the discussion Publisher & Editor-In-Chief—Steve Fiscor, [email protected]
this year revolved around environmental, social and gover- Technical Writer—Jesse Morton, [email protected]
Steve Fiscor nance (ESG) policies. A panel was assembled to discuss: Contributing Editor—Russ Carter, [email protected]
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Embracing ESG to Build Trust in Mining Investments. The European Editor—Carly Leonida, [email protected]
Latin American Editor—Oscar Martinez, [email protected]
panel included Ryan Bond, head of climate and sustain-
South African Editor—Gavin du Venage, [email protected]
ability insurance initiatives for Marsh and Aidan Davy, COO, International Council Graphic Designer—Tad Seabrook, [email protected]
on Mining and Metals (ICMM).
The moderators asked the panelists a series of prepared questions. The first Sales
Midwest/Eastern U.S. & Canada, Sales—Craig Scharf,
question: Contrary to published data that ESG factors continue to accelerate
[email protected]
among investors, insurance carriers, private equity, other lenders, there has been Western U.S., Canada & Australia, Sales—Frank Strazzulla,
a recent rise in anti-ESG rhetoric and the politicization of ESG investing. In your [email protected]
opinion, what might be driving this anti-ESG sentiment and how has it affected how Scandinavia, UK & European Sales—Colm Barry, [email protected]
Germany, Austria & Switzerland Sales—Gerd Strasmann,
you think about ESG and related priorities?
[email protected]
Bond and Davy are both from the U.K. and neither are involved with equity in-
Japan Sales—Masao Ishiguro, [email protected]
vestments or mine finance. “[ESG reporting] is something that is being ‘considered’ General Manager-Operations—Dan Fitts, [email protected]
in all parts of industry,” Bond said. “We see customers stalling on the approach Marketing Manager—Misty Valverde, [email protected]
while they try to understand how to move forward. From an insurance perspective,
most of the challenge is currently in the U.S., and the insurance and re-insurance
business is exceptionally global, especially in the mining and metals space. The
debate is important and should happen. Ultimately it is delaying progress.” Later in
the discussion Bond would admit that insurance carriers are more concerned with
risk, like the failure of tailings dams and other potential losses, and they are behind
the curve when it comes to ESG.
ICMM’s Davy explained that ESG is simply a framework that reduces invest-
Engineering & Mining Journal, Volume 224, Issue 3, (ISSN 0095-8948)
ment risk. He said there is a political and a practical dimension to anti-ESG senti- is published monthly by Mining Media International, Inc., 11655 Central
ment. “Some U.S. politicians see ESG as virtue signaling and question its practical Parkway, Suite 306, Jacksonville, FL 32224 (mining-media.com). Periodicals
Postage paid at Jacksonville, FL, and additional mailing offices. Canada Post
value,” Davy said. “Others see it as a smokescreen for companies to pretend they Publications Mail Agreement No. 41450540. Canada return address: PO Box
are doing something when they are not.” 2600, Mississauga ON L4T 0A8, Email: [email protected].
Current and back issues and additional resources, including subscription re-
From a practical standpoint, there are questions surrounding the ESG ratings quest forms and an editorial calendar, are available at www.e-mj.com.
agencies, Davy explained. “They are in the business of providing ESG ratings to SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Free and controlled circulation to qualified
fund managers to integrate that into their investment decision process,” Davy said. subscribers. Visit www.e-mj.com to subscribe. Non-qualified persons
may subscribe at the following rates: USA & Canada, 1 year, $90. Out-
“When you look at the spread of ratings coming from these agencies, they are side the USA & Canada, 1 year, $150. For subscriber services or to order
widely dispersed. At best you’re seeing weak to moderate correlation of the ratings single copies, contact E&MJ, c/o Stamats Data Management, 615 Fifth
Street SE, Cedar Rapids IA 52401, 1-800-553-8878 ext. 5028 or email
compared to credit agencies, who have high correlations. That is problematic.” [email protected].
The panelists overlooked another aspect to the anti-ESG movement. The U.S. ARCHIVES AND MICROFORM: This magazine is available for research and
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed policy that would man- retrieval of selected archived articles from leading electronic databases and
online search services, including Factiva, LexisNexis, and Proquest. For mi-
date ESG reporting for publicly held companies and many view this as an attempt croform availability, contact ProQuest at 800-521-0600 or +1.734.761.4700,
to bypass the U.S. legislative process where it would likely fail. ESG is a good or search the Serials in Microform listings at www.proquest.com.

thing and companies should set goals, strive to achieve them, and report on their POSTMASTER: Send address changes to E&MJ, 11655 Central Park-
way, Suite 306, Jacksonville, FL 32224-2659.
success (and failures), but it’s not yet the law of the land.
REPRINTS: Mining Media International, Inc., 11655 Central Parkway,
Suite 306, Jacksonville, FL 32224 USA; email: [email protected];
phone: +1.904.721.2925, fax: +1.904.721.2930; www.mining-media.com.

PHOTOCOPIES: Authorization to photocopy articles for internal corpo-

rate, personal, or instructional use may be obtained from the Copyright
Clearance Center (CCC) at +1.978.750.8400. Obtain further information
Steve Fiscor, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief at copyright.com.
[email protected]
EXECUTIVE OFFICE: Mining Media International, Inc., 11655
Central Parkway, Suite 306, Jacksonville, FL 32224 USA phone:
+1.904.721.2925, fax: +1.904.721.2930, www.mining-media.com.

COPYRIGHT 2023: Engineering & Mining Journal,

incorporating World Mining Equipment, World Mining
2 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 and Mining Equipment International. ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED.
 NEWS-LEADING DEVELOPMENTS

Newcrest Rejects Newmont’s Initial Bid

Newcrest Mining Ltd. board said it had
considered Newmont Corp.’s proposal to
acquire the company and it has decided
unanimously to reject the offer. However,
the Newcrest board left the door open say-
ing it is prepared to provide access to lim-
ited, non-public information on a non-ex-
clusive basis to determine if Newmont can
provide an improved proposal that appro-
priately reflects the value of Newcrest.
Newmont’s A$24 billion ($16.7 billion)
proposal offered 0.38 Newmont shares
per Newcrest share, which would result
in the combined company 30% owned by
Newcrest and 70% owned by Newmont.
The world’s largest gold miner, New-
mont operates a portfolio of world-class
gold mines, located in North America,
South America, Australia, and Africa.
With mines located in Australia, Canada
and Papua New Guinea, Newcrest owns
and operates a portfolio of predominantly
low-cost, long-life operations and has a The world’s largest gold producer, Newmont, has its eye on Newcrest, which operates several Tier 1
strong pipeline of brownfields and green- gold mines, including the Cadia Hill mine (above) in New South Wales, Australia. (Photo: Newcrest)
field exploration projects.
“We believe a combination of New- any other development project,” Pebble regulatory uncertainty, and diminishes
mont and Newcrest presents a power- Partnership CEO John Shively said. “Un- the investment attractiveness of the Unit-
ful value proposition to our respective fortunately, the Biden EPA continues to ed States at a time when we need more
shareholders, workforce and the com- ignore fair and due process in favor of domestic mineral production.”
munities in which we operate,” said Tom politics. This preemptive action against “The U.S. mining industry is the safest,
Palmer, president and CEO of Newmont. Pebble is not supported legally, techni- most environmentally responsible mining
“The proposed transaction would join cally, or environmentally. As such, the industry in the world,” Compton said.
industry-leading portfolios of assets and next step will likely be to take legal action “Given our Nation’s need for a strong
projects to create long-term value across to fight this injustice.” domestic mineral supply, and the proven
the combined global business.” The Final Determination prohibits the benefits that modern mining provides to
specification of certain “waters of the local communities, the Biden administra-
EPA Issues Preemptive United States” in the South Fork Koktuli tion should encourage rather than block
Veto on Pebble Project River and North Fork Koktuli River wa- the development of domestic minerals.”
At the end of January, the Environmental tersheds as disposal sites for the dis-
Protection Agency (EPA) issued a preemp- charge of dredged or fill material for the Teck to Spin Off
tive veto under Section 404(c) of the Clean construction and routine operation of the Met Coal Business
Water Act (CWA) for the Pebble project in mine plan described in the Pebble Part- Teck Resources Ltd. will separate its
Alaska, USA. The Final Determination lim- nership’s June 8, 2020, CWA Section business into two independent, publicly
its the disposal of dredged and fill materi- 404 Permit application, as well as future listed companies: Teck Metals Corp. and
al associated with developing the Pebble proposals to construct and operate a Elk Valley Resources Ltd. (EVR). The
project. It not only rejects what the Pebble mine to develop the Pebble deposit that company said the separation will create
Partnership proposed in its 404 permit ap- would result in the same or greater levels two world-class resource companies with
plication, it prevents any future develop- of loss or change to aquatic resources. different commodity fundamentals and
ment of the Pebble deposit. “All project proponents deserve a fair value propositions. Teck Metals will be
“The EPA’s decision to preemptively and objective review,” said Mark Comp- positioned as a base metals mining com-
veto the proposed Pebble project is un- ton, executive director for the American pany with a top-tier copper development
lawful and unprecedented. For well over Exploration & Mining Association. “[This] portfolio. EVR will be a pure play Canadi-
a decade, we have argued that fair treat- is a political decision that prevents an an metallurgical coal producer.
ment under the rules and regulations of objective review from happening. It sets “This transformative transaction creates
the U.S should be followed for Pebble or a harmful precedent, creates significant two strong, sustainable, world-class mining

4 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 NEWS-LEADING DEVELOPMENTS

companies committed to responsibly pro- exchange of its Elkview interest and its Teck will seek shareholder approval of
viding essential resources the world needs,” $1.025 billion cash investment will give the separation at its annual and special
said Jonathan Price, CEO, Teck. “Both it a 10% interest in EVR. POSCO will re- meeting of shareholders, expected to
have high-quality operating assets and ceive a 2.5% interest in EVR. be held on or about April 26, 2023. In
strong financial foundations, with talented
and dedicated employees, committed to Construction Begins at Thacker Pass
ensuring safe and responsible operations. Lithium Americas Corp. said construction ed thoroughly and responsibly. The Fed-
The transaction simplifies the portfolio of has commenced at its Thacker Pass lith- eral Court declined to vacate the ROD
each company, allowing for strategic and ium project in Humboldt County, Nevada, and ordered the BLM to consider one
financial focus and the ability to pursue tai- USA, following a notice to proceed from issue under the mining law relating to the
lored capital allocation strategies.” the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). area designated for waste storage and
The separation is structured as a spin- “Starting construction is a momentous tailings and did not impose any restric-
off of Teck’s steelmaking coal business milestone for Thacker Pass and one we tions expected to impact the construction
by way of a distribution of EVR common have been working toward for over a de- timeline. The company said it is working
shares to Teck shareholders. Teck Met- cade,” said Jonathan Evans, president closely with the BLM to complete the re-
als will retain a substantial interest in and CEO, Lithium Americas. “We are quired follow-up and does not expect it to
steelmaking coal cash flows through a excited about the prospect of generating impact the overall construction timeline.
transition period in the form of an 87.5% economic growth in Northern Nevada In related news, General Motors (GM)
interest in a gross revenue royalty and and playing a major role in the domestic announced a $650 million equity invest-
preferred shares of EVR. Under this tran- lithium supply chain for electric vehicles.” ment in Lithium Americas Corp. This would
sition capital structure, Teck Metals will Thacker Pass is targeting 80,000 met- be the largest investment thus far by an
receive quarterly payments consisting of ric tons per year (mt/y) of battery-quality automaker to produce battery raw materi-
royalty payments that will, in aggregate, lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) production als, with GM to become Lithium Americas’
equal 90% of EVR’s free cash flow. capacity in two phases of 40,000 mt/y. largest shareholder. The investment sup-
Teck shareholders will receive 0.1 com- Phase 1 production is expected to com- ports the company’s previously announced
mon share of EVR for each Teck share mence in the second half of 2026. separation by creating the foundation for
and approximately $0.39 cash per share Current construction activities include an independent U.S. business focused on
for an aggregate of $200 million in cash. site preparation, geotechnical drilling, water developing the Thacker Pass mine and a
The royalty is a 60% gross revenue roy- pipeline development and associated infra- North American lithium supply chain.
structure. Contracts for major earthworks The equity investment consists of two
alty that will be paid quarterly from EVR’s
have been awarded with activities expected tranches. The first tranche, $320 million,
met coal revenue, subject to free cash flow
to commence in the second half of 2023. In will be used to buy shares amounting to
and minimum cash balance limitations de-
Q4 2022, Bechtel Corp. was awarded the 9.999% of Lithium Americas before sepa-
signed to support the financial resiliency
engineering, procurement and construc- ration; and the second $330 million tranche
of EVR. The royalty will be payable until
tion management (EPCM) contract for the investment, will be invested in the compa-
the later of (a) an aggregate amount of $7
construction of Thacker Pass Phase 1 with ny’s U.S. business following the separation
billion in royalty payments having been
detailed engineering underway. of its businesses in the U.S. and Argentina.
made, or (b) December 31, 2028. Assum-
Aquatech International LLC has been After the first tranche investment, GM
ing a $185 per metric ton price for EVR’s
awarded the contract for the magnesium will receive exclusive access to Phase
product and a CAD/USD exchange rate of
sulfate and Li2CO3 chemical and purifi- 1 production through a binding supply
1.30, the transition capital structure could agreement and a Right of First Offer
cation plants. EXP Global Inc. has been
be fully paid in approximately 11 years. (ROFO) on Phase 2 production. The in-
awarded the contract for EPC support,
Teck said EVR will be well-capitalized vestment will support the development of
commissioning and start-up services for
with $1 billion in cash and other working the sulfuric acid plant. MECS, Inc. was the Thacker Pass deposit, a resource that
capital, no debt, and $88 million in leas- awarded the contract for the technology could supply the lithium needed for up to
es relating to operations. EVR will have license, engineering and equipment for its 1 million electric vehicles (EVs) per year.
credit facilities in place to meet its exist- heat recovery system, to harness waste Phase 1 production is expected to
ing reclamation bonding requirements. heat to generate steam which will sub- commence in the second half of 2026.
Additionally, EVR will establish an Envi- sequently be converted into carbon-free Project life is currently 40 years using
ronmental Stewardship Trust and fund it electricity for the processing plant. Con- less than 25% of the current measured
through escalating fixed annual contri- tract selection and engineering for a Work and indicated mineral resource estimate.
butions, starting at $50 million, for long- Force Hub (housing for construction con- The Phase 1 and Phase 2 capital cost es-
term environmental obligations. tractors) and transloading facility within the timates are $2.27 billion and $1.73 billion,
In related news, Teck said it has also Winnemucca area have also started. respectively, with a 13.1% contingency.
reached agreement with its Nippon Steel All of this activity follows a favorable The term of the offtake agreement will
Corp. and POSCO to exchange their ruling from the U.S. District Court, Dis- be 10 years from the commencement of
minority interests in the Elkview and trict of Nevada for the issuance of the Phase 1 production, with the option for
Greenhills operations for interests in Record of Decision (ROD), where the GM to extend by an additional 5 years.
EVR. As a result, EVR will own 100% of Federal Court confirmed the permitting GM will also have a ROFO on the offtake
its steelmaking coal operations. NSC’s process for Thacker Pass was conduct- of Thacker Pass’ Phase 2 production.

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 5

 NEWS-LEADING DEVELOPMENTS

addition to Teck shareholder and court Inc. has withdrawn its mineral resource resource estimate for the preliminary re-
approvals, the separation is subject to estimate and preliminary economic as- source model for the Current deposit.
customary conditions. Teck expects that sessment (PEA) for the project. The com- Clean Air Metals said more work
the transaction will be completed in the pany said it expects a material reduction needs to be completed before the final
second quarter of 2023. in the metal content in the Current de- determination of the metal content re-
posit, the larger of two mineral deposits duction at the Current deposit can be
Hecla To Acquire comprising the project, which could be estimated. Updated mineral resource es-
ATAC Resources in the range of a 20% to 50% reduction timates for both deposits will be the basis
Hecla Mining Co. has entered into a from what was previously reported. for a new mineral resource technical re-
non-binding Letter of Intent (LoI) to ac- Due to an apparent over-estimation port to be authored by SLR.
quire ATAC Resources Ltd. and its Rackla of the original mineral resource at the
and Connaught projects in Yukon, Cana- Current deposit, the company said the Freeport Suspends
da for $22.9 million, payable in shares of results of the PEA prepared by Nordmin Production at Grasberg
Hecla common stock. The company in- Engineering Ltd. and used for the proj- Freeport-McMoRan said production at
tends to invest $1.47 million in a new ex- ect’s NI 43-101 technical report (filed on PT Freeport Indonesia’s (PT-FI) Gras-
ploration company (Spinco), which would SEDAR on January 12, 2022) must not berg operations has been temporarily
hold the remaining ATAC assets. be relied upon. The company has retract- disrupted because of significant rainfall
“Hecla is an ideal acquirer for the ed the technical report and the PEA. and landslides in the area of its milling
Rackla gold property, given it’s adjacent “The company commenced a normal operations in Papua, Indonesia. Intense
to the Keno Hill mining project and Hecla’s course review of mineral resource esti- rains on Saturday February 11, 2023,
demonstrated commitment to Yukon and mates on the Escape and Current depos- resulted in flooding and a flow of debris,
its communities,” said Graham Downs, its in August 2022,” said Abraham Drost, causing damage to infrastructure near its
president and CEO, ATAC Resources. CEO of Clean Air Metals. “Initial mineral milling complex. Personnel were safely
“Hecla has the resources, strengths and resource update results on the Current evacuated from the localized area.
experience to meaningfully advance the deposit are unexpected and disappoint- PT-FI is conducting a damage as-
known targets at Rackla and Connaught. ing. They may have a material effect on sessment and preparing a recovery plan
The spin-out of a new copper-focused the projected economics of the Thunder to resume operations. Preliminary esti-
exploration company provides additional Bay North project. The outcome of the mates, which are subject to change as
value to shareholders.” new, updated mineral resource expected assessments are completed, indicate
ATAC is a Canadian exploration com- for project will guide the next steps.” operations can be restored by the end of
pany focused on exploring for gold and Located near Thunder Bay, Ontario, February 2023. There is no impact to PT-
copper in Yukon, British Columbia and Ne- the deposit contains platinum, palladium, FI’s long term plans.
vada. Exploration activity on the 1,700-km2 copper and nickel. SRL reviewed the his- PT-FI produces nearly 5 million lb/day
Rackla property has resulted in an indicat- torical drill hole database (approximately of copper and 5,000 oz/day of gold. As
ed resource of 732,000 oz of gold at 4.12 750 drill holes) for the Current deposit, a result of the disruption, FCX expects
grams per metric ton (g/mt) in 5.5 million plus an additional 6,480 m of infill drilling its first-quarter 2023 sales to be lower
mt and an inferred resource of more than 1 in 30 holes completed by the company af- than the guidance provided on January
million oz of gold at 3.47 g/mt in 9.4 million ter the initial PEA cut-off date. They iden- 25, 2023, of 900 million lb of copper and
mt for the Osiris Deposit. Rackla’s Tiger tified a discrepancy with the disclosed 300,000 oz of gold.
Deposit has a measured and indicated re-
source of 464,000 oz of gold at an average
grade of 3.19 g/mt in 4.5 million mt.
Hecla said the key provisions of the
LoI are non-binding and any acquisition
would only occur pursuant to a definitive
agreement with customary representa-
tions, warranties, covenants and condi-
tions to closing. There can be no assur-
ance that a definitive agreement will be
entered into or that the proposed trans-
action will be consummated with ATAC.
Hecla has entered into an exclusivity pe-
riod of 30 days with ATAC.

Clean Air Metals Withdraws

Mineral Resource and PEA
Following an independent review of the
Thunder Bay North project by SLR Con- Operations at the Grasberg mine in Papua New Guinea were impacted by heavy rains during February.
sulting (Canada) Ltd., Clean Air Metals (Photo: Freeport-McMoRan)

6 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

Wearpact™ is a World-Class,
Bolt-On GET System
Wearpact is the ultimate solution for material handling, Learn how you can reduce
developed for extended wear life and easy digging, even in the total cost of ownership
the harshest conditions. and increase productivity
with Wearpact:
SUPERIOR MATERIAL
Hard-wearing, impact-resistant steel means a longer
lifespan with reduced downtime.

LOW PROFILE
Low profile design makes your machines work easier,
reduces waste, and improves productivity.

EASY-TO-USE LOCKING SYSTEM

Wedge retainer system that is safe and easy to install
and remove. CRmining.com
REGIONAL NEWS - U.S. & CANADA

Artemis Lands Financing

for the Blackwater Project
Artemis Gold Inc. has executed a syndi-
cated project facility with National Bank
of Canada, Macquarie Bank Ltd., ING
Capital LLC, Société Générale and Bank
of Montreal (BMO) in respect of its pre-
viously announced $27.5 million Project
Loan Facility (PLF), which would fund
a significant component of the estimat-
ed construction costs of the company’s
Blackwater gold project in central British
Columbia. The PLF also provides for $29
million standby cost overrun facility.
“Execution of the definitive docu-
ments for the PLF is yet another major
milestone on the development path for
Blackwater,” Artemis Chairman and CEO
Steven Dean said. “The caliber of the
syndicate banks who have joined the
leads, National Bank and Macquarie, is
further testimony to the financial strength
of the project.”
Artemis has established a construction camp at the Blackwater project and recently began ordering
The proposed Blackwater mine plan construction equipment. (Photo: Artemis Gold)
involves mining 334 million metric tons
(mt) of ore, 586 million mt of waste rock gy, & Exploration (SME), recognizes or- more than 130-year history and provided
and 87 million mt of overburden. Con- ganizations that implement cutting-edge an update on its exploration activity. The
ventional open pit mining methods will technologies and innovative processes to company’s year-end 2022 silver reserves
be used, initially targeting high-grade, advance the mining industry. increased to more than 240 million oz
near-surface ore. The UCB is an innovative, pat- with the addition of Keno Hill’s almost 50
ent-pending method designed to control million oz of silver.
Cleveland Cliffs to Restart the release of seismic energy to improve “Hecla’s silver reserves are at an all-
Northshore Mining miner safety and increases productivity time high,” Baker said. “In the past 15
Local media on Minnesota’s iron range in deep narrow vein mining. years, we have replaced the 213 million
is reporting that Cleveland Cliffs is re- “Hecla is honored to receive this oz mined and yet have almost five times
starting its Northshore mine in Babbitt prestigious award for our invention of the reserves we had at the start of 2008.
and the plant in Silver Bay in early April. this new mining method,” said Hecla That is over 400 million oz of silver that we
The company idled the operation in May President and CEO Phil Baker in a key- have replaced and grown. We now have
2022, laying off more than 450 workers. note speech to SME members. “For 132 a half dozen silver properties to explore,
Cliffs said it will provide more details years, Hecla has been known for innova- primarily in the US and Canada, the most
when it decides when and at what capacity tions such as the UCB method because recent addition being the 88 square mile
this operation will be brought back online. of our long-term mindset, commitment to Keno Hill project in the Yukon.”
Northshore produces direct-reduction an ever-learning team, and the relentless Drill testing of new targets at the
iron ore pellets for electric steel furnaces. At drive to improve safety.” Silver King, Coral-Wigwam, and Hec-
the time of the shutdown, Cliffs said steel- Baker continued, “Using the UCB at tor-Calumet confirmed the occurrence of
makers were using more recycled steel. the Lucky Friday Mine has dramatically favorable vein structures and high-grade
increased both safety and productivity silver mineralization in all three areas at
Hecla Receives Innovation at this 80-year-old mine achieving safety Keno Hill. Exploration and definition drill-
Award and production records in 2022. With the ing at Greens Creek in Alaska defined
Hecla Mining Co. announced that it re- mine’s increasing grades combined with and expanded mineralization on strike
ceived the 2022 Robert E. Murray Innova- higher production and improved safety, with strong assay results from the South-
tion Award for pioneering the Underhand I am convinced the best decade of the west Bench, 200 South, East, West, and
Closed Bench (UCB) mining method at its Lucky Friday is ahead of it.” Upper Plate ore zones.
Lucky Friday mine in Idaho. The award, In related news, Hecla recently re- “Keno Hill’s 2022 exploration results
given by the Society for Mining, Metallur- ported the highest silver reserves in its are particularly remarkable, with only

8 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 REGIONAL NEWS - U.S. & CANADA

three targets drilled that all resulted in of 223,000 ounces per year (oz/y) of gold 60 km northwest from the Goose pro-
three meaningful, high-grade discoveries,” (average production of 287,000 oz/y over ject. There are three other underexplored
Baker said. “This reflects the quality of the the first five years) from 3.6 million oz of claim blocks named Boot, Boulder, and
land position and the knowledge of the mineral reserves averaging 5.97 grams Del. Significant infrastructure exists at
long-standing team who have taken their per metric ton (g/mt) gold. Most (97%) of the Goose project site along with the port
experience at Bermingham and applied it the procurement for the Goose project facility at the Bathurst Inlet.
to the new targets. These initial results ex- has been completed, pre-stripping has
ceed our already high expectations for the begun at the Echo pit, and 100% of plant- i-80 Gold to Acquire
exploration potential of the district.” site civil works have been completed. Paycore Minerals
On a consolidated basis, Hecla re- B2Gold will leverage its in-house con- i-80 Gold Corp. announced its plan to
placed the 14 million oz of silver pro- struction and global logistics teams, with acquire all shares of Paycore Minerals
duced during the year and increased specific expertise in remote, cold-weath- Inc., which owns the FAD Property that
proven and probable reserves by 21%, er environments (including winter-ice sits immediately south of, and adjoining,
or 41 million oz over 2021. The increase road construction and operation) from i-80’s Ruby Hill Property in Eureka Coun-
was primarily due to the acquisition of constructing the Julietta and Kupol mines ty, Nevada. The transaction will consol-
Keno Hill. The company’s gold produc- in Russia as part of B2Gold’s predeces- idate the northern portion of the Eureka
tion of more than 180,000 oz was not sor company, Bema Gold. District and is expected to strengthen
replaced and proven and probable re- With an estimated average head i-80’s dominant presence in the district
serves declined 6% to 2.6 million oz due grade of roughly 6.0 g/mt gold, the Goose by increasing the size of the land pack-
to cost increases, which increased the project ranks among the highest-grade age at Ruby Hill by more than 34% to ap-
cut-off grade at Casa Berardi in Que- undeveloped gold projects globally. And proximately 14,272 acres, providing i-80
bec. Zinc production was replaced, and all of the Back River deposits (Goose, enhanced exposure to one of the world’s
reserves increased 4% to 944,000 tons. Echo, Umwelt, Llama, and Nuvuyak) premier emerging carbonate replace-
Lead production of 55,000 tons was re- are open along the 8 km of iron forma- ment deposit (CRD) districts.
placed with an increase of 7% to 785,000 tion, providing considerable potential Paycore shareholders will receive
tons of reserves. for mine life extension. 0.68 of an i-80 common share for each
The Back River Gold District is lo- share held, representing a 36% premium
B2Gold to Acquire Sabina cated in southwestern Nunavut, Cana- for Paycore shareholders.
Gold & Silver da, approximately 520 km northeast of The transaction received unanimous
B2Gold Corp. has agreed to acquire all Yellowknife. The district comprises min- i-80 board approval and support from
of the shares of Sabina Gold & Silver ing leases and claims covering approx- Paycore’s largest shareholder, Waterton
Corp. The $818 million equity transaction imately 58,374 hectares. There are five Nevada Splitter, LLC and Waterton Ne-
will result in B2Gold acquiring Sabina’s mineral claim blocks on the 80-km belt. vada Splitter II, LLC, which holds approx-
Back River gold district located in Nun- The most advanced is the Goose proj- imately 25% of the outstanding shares of
avut, Canada. Back River consists of five ect. The second most advanced is the Paycore.
mineral claim blocks along an 80-km belt. George project, situated approximately (Continued on p. 19)
The most advanced project in the dis-
trict, Goose, is fully permitted, construc-
tion-ready, and has been de-risked with
significant infrastructure currently in place.
“The acquisition of Sabina represents
an exciting opportunity to develop the sig-
nificant gold resource endowment at the
Back River Gold District into a large, long-
life mining complex,” said Clive Johnson,
president and CEO of B2Gold. “B2Gold
has strong construction expertise and the
experience to successfully develop the
fully permitted Goose project and unlock
considerable value for the shareholders of
both Sabina and B2Gold. The Back River
Gold District has multiple high-potential
mineralized zones, which remain open,
and we are confident that the district has
strong untapped upside with numerous
avenues for resource growth.”
A March 2021 updated feasibility
study on the Goose project outlined a 15- Paycore’s FAD Property sits adjacent to i-80 Gold’s Ruby Hill property (above) in Eureka County, Nevada.
year life of mine, producing an average (Photo: i-80 Gold)

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 9

 NEWS - PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Natascha Viljoen will join Newmont as COO, she A new leadership team including
was previously CEO of Anglo American Platinum a new CEO, Kristan Straub, and
Ltd. At Amplats, she was responsible for managing a CFO, Annie Sismanian, has been
team of more than 25,000 employees and six owned appointed at Ring of Fire Metals.
and joint venture mining operations with an integrat- Straub served as a member of Glen-
ed value chain and down-stream processing across core Nickel’s executive team as vice
two countries. Prior to her Amplats CEO appointment, president of exploration, following
Natascha Viljoen Viljoen held a series of operating and technical posi- Kristan Straub Annie Sismanian his role as president of Koniambo
tions within the organization, including as group head Nickel SAS. Sismanian most recent-
of processing. ly served as CFO for Kuya Silver.

Iamgold Corp. Defiance Silver promoted Douglas

appointed Re- Cavey to executive vice president.
naud Adams Previously, Cavey was vice presi-
as its president dent of corporate development.
and CEO. He re-
places Maryse Douglas Cavey Víctor Gobitz was appointed presi-
Bélanger, Iam- dent of the National Mining, Oil and
Renaud Adams Maarten Theunissen Christiane Bergevin
gold chairman, Energy Society for Peru (SNMPE) for the period 2023-
who was also acting as interim president and CEO. Adams will also serve 2024. He is currently president and general manager
as a member of the Iamgold Board. The company also announced that of Mineria Antamina. Víctor Gobitz
Maarten Theunissen has been appointed CFO, having served as interim
CFO. Iamgold also announced that Christiane Bergevin, senior advisor, Oceana Gold announced that Me-
power/utility and sustainability, with Roland Berger, has been appointed gan Saussey has moved into the
to the company’s board. role of chief sustainability officer.
Michelle Du Plessis has been ap-
Freeport-McMoRan named its pointed chief people and technolo-
president, Kathleen L. Quirk, to gy officer for Oceana Gold. Prior
its board. to joining Oceana Gold, Saussey
Megan Saussey Michelle Du Plessis
was the sustainability and commu-
Argonaut Gold appointed Marc nity lead at APA
Leduc, P.Eng. as its COO. Most re- Group. Du Plessis spent 15 years with BHP in oper-
cently Leduc was COO at Kore Min- Marc Leduc ational and strategic roles, leading a cross functional
Kathleen L. Quirk ing, focused on the Imperial heap improvement and transformation function and most
leach project, located in California. recently leading global HR operations.

Australian lithium producer, Pilbara Minerals Ltd. ap- Midwest Lithium appointed Michael X. Schlumpberg-
pointed Sandra McInnes to the newly-created role er to the position of interim general manager. More
of chief sustainability officer. Previously, she headed recently, he was managing director and CEO for Amer- Michael Schlumpberger
sustainability, corporate affairs and human resources ican Pacific Borates.
for Woodside Energy.
Sandra McInnes Steenkampskraal Holdings Ltd. appointed Mitford
Calibre Mining Mundell as CEO and Bernard Swanepoel as chair-
appointed John Jory as vice pres- man, both prominent leaders in the South African
ident of geology for Nevada and mining industry. The Steenkampskraal monazite mine,
promoted Pedro Silva to vice pres- one of the world’s highest grade
ident of exploration for Nicaragua. rare earths mines, was operated by
Jory has extensive experience in Anglo American from 1952 to 1963.
Bernard Swanepoel
Nevada, successfully discovering,
John Jory Pedro Silva
delineating and delivering millions of Tyre Gray resigned as president of
gold oz with numerous mining companies. Silva joined Calibre Mining in the Nevada Mining Association to pur-
2020, previously he was the Chilean exploration manager for Newmont. sue other professional opportunities.
Tyre Gray
Callinex Mines appointed mining engineer and entre- Beumer Corp. named Markus
preneur Peter R. Jones to the company’s technical Schmidt as president and CEO.
team. A former Hudbay Minerals executive, Jones led
the development and construction of several mines in Andrew van Zyl has been ap-
Markus Schmidt
the Flin Flon Greenstone Belt, including two of the larg- pointed managing director of SRK
est, the 777 mine as well as the discovery and initial Consulting (South Africa). He replaces Vis Reddy, who
development of the Lalor mine. served as managing director for eight years. Having
Peter R. Jones
joined SRK as a principal consultant in 2011, Van Zyl
Mandalay Resources Corp. appointed Frazer Bourchier to lead the compa- became a partner in the firm and was appointed as a
ny as the new president and CEO. Current Mandalay CEO Dominic Duffy director in 2020. He has extensive experience in the Andrew van Zyl
will work closely with Bourchier to support a smooth mining sector, working initially in production and project
transition. Duffy will remain on the Mandalay Board as roles and later shifting his focus into strategy, business
a non-executive director. Bourchier previously served as development and valuation.
CEO of Harte Gold and COO for Detour Gold.
Sandvik has appointed Sofia Sirvell as chief digital
Anna Ladd-Kruger, a seasoned mining industry finan- officer. She has been chief information officer since
cial executive with more than 20 years of experience in 2021. Jessica Alm, executive vice president and head
mining exploration and operations, has been appointed of group communications and sustainability, has decid-
to Sherritt International’s Board of Directors. Anna Ladd-Kruger Sofia Sirvell ed to leave Sandvik to pursue other opportunities.

10 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

REGIONAL NEWS - LATIN AMERICA

FQM Submits Revised Proposal

for Cobre Panamá
He also noted that the budget for ex-
ploration activities will range between
$80 million and $90 million. Of these,
“$50 million will go to exploration at [ex-
isting] operations, while some $35 million
will go to greenfield projects,” he added.
The company expects Uchucchacua
to resume operations in Q4 2023 and
that Yumpag will have the necessary
permits to start operations in the same
quarter. The Julcani mine, which was
halted due to protests, resumed oper-
ations in February, and San Gabriel is
expected to start operations in 2025.
Total capex for the latest project re-
mains at $470 million.
Panamanian authorities are now allowing concentrate shipments from Punta Rincon (above), which
allowed Mineria Panama to resume processing operations at its Cobre Panama mine. (Photo: FQM) In 2022 the company invested $152
million. “The increase resulted from the
First Quantum Minerals Ltd. (FQM) an- country. We now await formal approval stoppage we had at San Gabriel in the
nounced that its Panamanian subsidiary, and look forward to a long and construc- middle of last year; now we have to con-
Minera Panamá, S.A., has agreed and tive partnership with the Government of tinue with the pending work,” Buenaven-
finalized the draft of a concession con- Panamá for many years to come.” tura CEO Leandro García said.
tract with the Government of Panamá Mineria Panamá will pay $375 million According to Domínguez, the company
for the Cobre Panamá mine. plus an additional $20 million to cover will rely on the dividends received through
The proposed concession contract taxes and royalties up to the year-end its minority interest in the Cerro Verde
meets the objectives outlined by the Pan- 2022. Starting in 2023, Mineria Panamá mine, which was $79 million in 2022.
amanian government in January 2022 will pay a minimum of $375 million an- “We have $250 million in cash and
related to government revenues, environ- nually in Government income, comprised we expect dividends from Cerro Verde
mental protections, and labor standards, of corporate taxes, withholding taxes and that could range between $100 million
FQM said, as well as legal protections nec- a profit-based mineral royalty of 12% to and $120 million. If we need more cash,
essary to both parties to ensure durability 16%, with downside protections. we could raise between $50 million and
and stability. It is subject to a 30-day public Under this new agreement, Panama $100 million,” he said.
consultation process and approvals by the will reportedly receive approximately 10
Panamanian Cabinet, Comptroller General times what it received under the previ- Santana Gold Mine Achieves
of the Republic and the National Assembly. ously contract drafted in 1997. Commercial Production
The new agreement will have an ini- Minera Alamos said it met its initial thresh-
tial 20-year term, with a 20-year exten- Buenaventura Discusses olds for commercial production at Santa-
sion option and additional extensions for 2023 Capex Plans na during 2022 including criteria related
the life of mine. Buenaventura will invest up to $360 mil- to gold recoveries from the heap leach
FQM said Panamá’s Maritime Au- lion in 2023, said its general director of pad as well as monthly mining rates in the
thority (AMP) will issue a resolution for finance, Daniel Domínguez, in the latest second half of 2022. Final approvals are
Mineria Panamá to resume concentrate presentation of the results for the Peru- pending for the next phase of pad expan-
loading operations at the Punta Rincón vian mining company. sion that should more than triple the leach
port. Ore processing is expected to re- The precious metals producer, which pad capacity at the Santana mine.
sume and restore the mine to full produc- resumed construction of the San Grabiel Due to drought conditions, however,
tion levels over the next several days. operation at the end of October, will fo- Minera Alamos has placed a priority on
“After a lengthy and arduous negotia- cus on investing $190 million in the gold waste removal (pre-stripping) activities
tion process, the finalized proposed con- project, located in the Moquegua Region; during early 2023 which are not reliant on
cession contract outlines the basis for the $50 million in the Yumpag silver depos- water availability. In addition, the compa-
future of Cobre Panamá for all stakehold- it, in the Pasco Region; and around $50 ny is currently mobilizing for further ex-
ers,” said Tristan Pascall, CEO for FQM. million to improve the management and ploration drilling to better define previous-
“We now have a pathway to continuing capacity of the tailings dam at the El ly identified gold-bearing breccia pipes
our ongoing substantial investments in the Brocal mine, the executive explained. outside of the currently mined areas.

12 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

Ignorance is
BLISS
Unless we’re talking
about your mine’s data

Mines generate loads of digital information,

and smart miners are using it to make better
sense of their operations.

It all starts with connectivity provided by

IWT’s SENTINELTM System, an integrated
communications solution that improves miner
safety, enhances efficiencies and transforms
job site data into actionable intelligence.

iwtwireless.com
 REGIONAL NEWS - AUSTRALIA/OCEANIA

Sibanye-Stillwater Makes Takeover Bid

for New Century
South African multinational miner
Sibanye-Stillwater, the largest sharehold-
er in Australia’s New Century Resources
Ltd. (19.9%), launched an off-market
takeover offer for all the shares in New
Century that it does not already own,
saying the proposed takeover is in line
with its strategy to invest in a circular
economy and be a global leader in tail-
ings retreatment and recycling.
The offer implies an equity value for
New Century of $103 million. In the event
that Sibanye-Stillwater acquires all of the
securities in New Century that it does not A hydraulic monitor at the Century mine puts nickel-rich tailings into solution. (Photo: New Century Resources)
already own, Sibanye-Stillwater will pay
up to $83 million. contained Cesium-137. It was intended be re-directed to the Gwalia mill (rather
New Century operates Australia’s for use as a level sensor gauge on the than Mt. Morgans mill) created uncertain-
largest hydraulic mine at the Century iron ore feed for the mine’s crushing cir- ty for Dacian’s development plan.
mine in Queensland; extracting, pro- cuit. Packed by a specialist radioactive Even if the Genesis-St. Barbara
cessing and marketing zinc recovered materials handler, the gauge was collect- merger fails to complete, St. Barbara
from historical tailings. New Century is ed by a transport contractor from the Gu- and Genesis are working together on
actively progressing life extension op- dai-Darri mine site on January 10 and re- an ore purchase agreement to potential-
portunities at Century and studying the ported lost on January 25 when workers ly enable Ulysses or other Genesis ore
potential to restart copper production at discovered the gauge had broken apart sources to be processed at the Gwalia
the Mt Lyell copper mine in Tasmania. during transport. mill. Dacian was relying on Genesis’ Ul-
“We are taking this incident very seri- ysses ore to optimize its mill throughput,
Rio Tinto Locates Missing ously and are undertaking a full and thor- while industry-wide shortages of people
Radioactive Capsule ough investigation into how it happened,” and equipment placed pressure on near
Rio Tinto expressed its gratitude to West- Trott said. “This sort of incident is extreme- term ore delivery.
ern Australia’s Department of Fire and ly rare in our industry, which is why we The expression of interest’s process
Emergency Services for coordinating the need to investigate it thoroughly and learn has not yet identified an equivalent re-
successful search effort to locate a miss- what we can to ensure it doesn’t happen placement ore source and risks around
ing capsule containing radioactive ma- again. As part of our investigation, we will approvals timing and general project de-
terial lost while in transit from the com- be assessing whether our processes and livery for multiple third-party ore sources
pany’s Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in the protocols, including the use of specialist complicate scheduling. The uncertainty
Pilbara. The company also thanked spe- contractors to package and transport ra- around dump leach grade, lead times
cialist search crews from the Australian dioactive materials, are appropriate.” to improve longer term water security,
Defence Force, the Australian Radiation The capsule was found south of New- the cost environment, along with near
Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency man on the Great Northern Highway. Using term tailing storage lift capital investment
and the Australian Nuclear Science and portable search equipment, search crews funding requirement have resulted in the
Technology Organisation, as well as all detected radiation emissions and found company determining to pause the EoI
other support agencies, for their crucial the capsule lying 2 m off the highway. The process and complete its transition to ex-
role in the search and recovery efforts. search effort took seven days and spanned ploration and development in March 2023.
“We are incredibly grateful for the 1,400 km from Perth to the mine. In the light of the previously men-
hard work of everyone involved in finding tioned factors, the Dacian Board has
the missing capsule,” Rio Tinto Iron Ore Dacian Idles Mt Mograns determined that the mill will be put on
CEO Simon Trott said. “While the recov- Dacian Gold Ltd. recently sought expres- care and maintenance to preserve suit-
ery of the capsule is a great testament to sions of interest (EoI) for third parties to able stockpiles to complement a future
the skill and tenacity of the search team, access its 2.9-million-metric-ton-per-year restart of operations at Mt Morgans and
the fact is it should never have been lost (mt/y) mill. The proposed merger of Gen- preserve cash by deferring capital invest-
in the first place.” esis with St. Barbara Ltd., and comments ment in tailings storage facility lifts and
The round stainless steel capsule, from Genesis and St. Barbara that ore replacement water sources, while pro-
which was smaller than a 9 mm bullet, from the Ulysses gold project may now gressing required studies and approvals.

14 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

THREE WORDS.
ONE PROMISE.
ALWAYS IN STOCK.

CONEXPO / CONAGG
Booth #C31518
March 14-18, 2023
9 0 4 - 35 6 - 6 8 40
s a l e s @ s c h ur cosl u r r y.com
9410 Florida Mining Boulevard East,
Jacksonville, Florida, 32257
 REGIONAL NEWS - AFRICA

Poor Rail Service Limits Kumba’s

Iron Ore Exports
By Gavin du Venage, African Editor

deal. Chinese firm CRRC E-Loco Supply,

the seller of the locomotives, has refused
to cooperate with Transnet or any South
African law agency attempting to get it
to shed light on the payment chain.
CRRC has ignored attempts by South
Africa’s tax authority and its reserve bank
to audit the Chinese firm’s side of the deal.
CRRC has also stopped supplying parts
and technical assistance to Transnet, and
withdrawn its engineers from the country.
The rail operator meanwhile played
down the dispute in logistical planning
sessions with the miners. Portia Derby,
group chief executive of Transnet, told in-
dustrial customers late last year that the
issue was being resolved and that trains
would soon be running at full capacity.
“We are hoping to see the resumption
Railcars of iron ore arrive at Saldanha Bay. (Photo: Anglo American) of spare parts soon. More than 60% of our
fleet is old, with the new locomotives being
Corruption and inefficiency at South Af- route means the iron ore line is relatively those from China,” she told the Joburg Ind-
rica’s state-owned railway firm Transnet unscathed by vandalism. Rather, it’s the aba mining symposium, attended by E&MJ.
are costing the country’s iron ore export- lack of locomotives to haul trainloads of However, in January, Transnet admit-
ers sales, as they can’t guarantee orders ore to the port of Saldanha Bay on the ted talks had broken down. Transnet said
will be delivered to port. Kumba Iron Ore west coast 530 miles away. in early February that it would now seek
said that the last quarter of 2022 saw ex- “Despite the iron ore rail line to Sal- spare parts elsewhere.
ports from its Sishen mine in the Northern danha being in better shape than most “As a matter of urgency, in the next
Cape province fall 27%. Lack of logistical other railway lines in South Africa, it re- few weeks, Transnet will therefore be is-
support from Transnet was to blame, the cently buckled due to various operational suing an open competitive tender inviting
company said in a stock market filing. issues,” said Afrimat, a local bulk com- any eligible Original Equipment Manufac-
Kumba is Africa’s largest iron produc- modities company that exports iron ore. turer (OEM) to step-in to rehabilitate the
er and the fifth largest in the world. Transnet currently has 160 locomotives non-operational Chinese locomotives,”
The fall corresponds closely with the standing idle, a number that is growing as Transnet said.
drop in locomotive availability at Trans- more of the fleet is withdrawn to depots Transnet’s owner, the state, has for
net, which enjoys a state protected mo- awaiting repair. Lack of spare parts follow- years resisted calls to allow the private
nopoly to move freight by rail. Kumba, ing a corruption-related dispute with a key sector to participate in freight rail. The
and other bulk commodity producers of supplier of locomotives has ended supplies governing African National Congress
coal, anthracite, chrome, iron ore, man- and left much of the fleet stranded. (ANC), which has held power since
ganese and magnetite are dependent on The locomotives in question were part 1994, now has very few options to revive
Transnet to move their products to port. of a 2014 contract worth $3.2 billion for a stagnating rail network.
Industry leaders from all these sec- 1,064 locomotives to replace much of its The party, which led the country into
tors have complained that shipments are aging fleet. A wide-ranging judicial inves- democracy and was also led by Nelson
continually disrupted by issues at Trans- tigation into state-related corruption con- Mandela, is deeply unpopular and fac-
net. These include ongoing theft of rail- cluded last year, and found the contract es a drubbing at national elections next
way tracks and overhead cables for their was riven with kickbacks that benefitted year. Nationwide electricity blackouts
scrap value. among others, senior Transnet managers. and crumbling infrastructure together
In the case of Kumba, the problem A new board appointed in 2019 has with rampant public sector corruption,
is slightly different. The isolation of the sought to claw back some of the illicit especially at institutions such as Trans-
line that wends through desert terrain far payments — bribes essentially — that net, are likely to cost the ANC its majority
from human settlements for most of its stacked up the price tag of the supply at the polls, most analysts said.

16 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 NEWS - THIS MONTH IN COAL

Former Eskom CEO Flees South Africa

By Gavin du Venage, African Editor fields. These gangs sabotaged machinery, resigned. He recalled that he had drunk
The former boss of South Africa’s elec- then picked up lucrative repair contracts. from his personalized mug in which his
tricity utility Eskom has fled the country Murder squads ensured plant manag- assistant had prepared the beverage.
after giving an interview in which he laid ers were compliant and ignored the sab- The mug had sat unattended at a coffee
bare the extent of corruption at the em- otage, and rival contractors were killed station in a nearby executive break room.
battled utility. Andre de Ruyter was ap- if they put in competing bids. “Pretty Asked, as a final question what ad-
pointed Eskom CEO in 2020 and tasked much every week there’s an assassina- vice he would offer his successor, de
with ending rolling countrywide blackouts. tion,” De Ruyter said. Ruyter answered: “don’t have a person-
If anything, the situation has gotten worse Undercover investigations revealed alized coffee mug.”
since he took the job, with up to 10 hours gangsters who lived lives of “conspicuous
a day of ‘loadshedding’ for much of 2023. consumption” that included luxury cars, Rejiggered Logistics Allow
South Africa depends on coal for most houses and designer goods. There were Russians to Export Coal
of its electricity, but most of its genera- even parties held where guests washed By Vladislav Vorotnikov
tion fleet is old. Age, together with a lack their hands in 15-year-old Scotch. “Why A rise in demand in the global coal mar-
of maintenance preceding de Ruyter’s do they do this? Because they can. ket has helped Russian coal miners to
tenure, now results in frequent break- There’s no shame or attempt to hide it.” partly overcome the impact of sanctions.
downs, with up to half the fleet being A senior manager was arrested at Tu- In 2022, supplies of coal through the
disabled at any time. tuka power station in Mpumalanga prov- northwestern seaports picked up again,
De Ruyter re-introduced a maintenance ince for the theft of $5 million per month Alexey Shilo, deputy director of the Rus-
schedule and sought to bring down the in fuel oil. The man was perp-walked by sian railway monopoly RZD disclosed.
$30 billion in debt that Eskom owes. This the police out of the plant. The next day “Coal operators solved the logistics
entailed bringing generating units offline however he was released from jail. difficulties in the third and fourth quarters
until they could be refurbished. He also One scam uncovered was the pur- of 2022 finding ships [to transport Rus-
curtailed the spending on diesel for open- chase of knee guards, typically used sian coal] and establishing appropriate
cycle turbines used to prop up the grid. by employees who had to kneel - such supply channels,” Shilo said.
These measures exacerbated power cuts, as welders. Ordinarily, these were $20 In December 2022, coal exports ex-
angering senior politicians within the ruling items, but Eskom was paying more than ceeded the level of December 2021, said
African National Congress, which faces a $400 each, de Ruyter said. Again, a com- Denis Rakhimzhanov, logistics director of
drubbing in next years’ national elections. plaint was laid, but police failed to follow the Russian coal giant SUEK. “The main
De Ruyter finally quit in December up despite Eskom officials meeting se- destinations are Morocco, Turkey, and
2022 after mines and energy minister nior law and order officers. Israel; we also supply coal to India and
Gwede Mantashe accused him of “trea- Perhaps his most damning revelation, China,” he said.
son” in a press briefing. He was expected was that he raised concerns over at- In 2022, Russia produced 442 million
to leave office at the end of February, but tempts by a senior government official to metric tons (mt) about the same amount as
was fired after an hour-long sit-down in- remove anti-graft checks on a $8.5 billion 2021, but overall exports declined 7.6%.
terview with the ENCA television channel. loan fronted to South Africa by the world’s In the previous year, Russia exported
Among the revelations he made, were leading economies, including the USA. 50.4 million mt of coal to Europe, primar-
that at least four mafia-type crime syndi- The soft loan was made at the Cop26 ily through the northwestern seaports.
cates operated on the South African coal- summit in 2021, intended for renewable The Russian energy ministry has
energy projects. De Ruyter said he grew prepared a comprehensive coal indus-
concerned about a senior official who try support program worth $15 billion,
was trying to bypass anti-corruption rules to improve eastbound rail capacity, add
attached to the loan. domestic power production and replace
De Ruyter said he approached a cab- imported equipment.
inet minister over the issue. The minister, Since the beginning of the Ukrainian
who he did not name, but who is gener- conflict, most Western technology suppli-
ally thought to be Mantashe, told him to ers suspended direct sales to Russian cus-
be “Pragmatic. He told me that in order tomers. However, Russian companies take
to secure the greater good, you have to advantage of parallel import, a scheme ap-
allow some people to ‘eat’ a little bit,” de proved by the Russian government in May
Ruyter said. Eat is a South African eu- 2022 to circumvent Western sanctions. It
phemism for graft. allows Russian companies to import var-
De Ruyter concluded by recounting ious goods without the permission of the
DeRuyter aired Eskom’s dirty laundry on television.
how he suffered suspected cyanide poi- brand’s owner, through Turkey, UAE, and
(Photo: ENCA). soning in December, a day after he had Kazakhstan, the Russian press reported.

18 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 NEWS - CONTINUED

(Regional News-U.S. & Canada - from p. 9)

“The geological setting being defined

in the Eureka District is truly the most
unique I have witnessed in my career,”
said i-80 CEO Ewan Downie. “In the im-
mediate area surrounding the Archime-
des pit, we have identified oxide gold,
Carlin-type refractory gold, base metal
skarn and polymetallic carbonate re-
placement mineralization. Older miner-
alizing events are often overprinted by
Carlin-type mineralization resulting in
precious-metal-rich deposits not found
elsewhere in the Great Basin. We have
intersected high-grade mineralization in
every one of our targets tested in 2022,
all of which remain wide open for expan-
sion. The expanded property has the po-
tential to host a world-class polymetallic
deposit with enhanced potential for fur-
ther discoveries.” An exploration driller plots the second hole at the Tower Mountain project. (Photo: Palmer Creative Group)
“The consolidation of the core part of
the Ruby Hill district will allow i-80 to ag- bougamau”) was awarded the 4,000-m Tower Mountain offers an opportunity for
gressively pursue the optimization of the contract. A drill was mobilized to site on a large-tonnage, low-grade gold discov-
company’s multi-year development plan February 13th and drilling commenced ery and note that the current 35,000 m of
to create one of the largest U.S.-focused on February 14, 2023. The estimated drilling is woefully inadequate to demon-
diversified mineral producers,” said Mat- program duration of the fully funded drill strate that potential.”
thew Gollat, executive vice-president for program is seven weeks. Tower Mountain consists of 115
i-80. “Step-out drilling results from Pay- “Our primary objective with our initial single-cell mining claims, 64 optioned
core’s 2022 drill program confirm the up- 2023 drill program is to rapidly demon- claims, 11 boundary claims, 1 owned
side potential of what we believe to be one strate that Tower Mountain offers a con- patent and 5 patents held under option,
of Nevada’s highest-grade undeveloped ceptual exploration target ranging from totalling 2,038 hectares. The company
deposits that will benefit from the Ruby 50 to 100 million [metric tons] averaging said it is earning a 100% interest in the
Hill processing infrastructure.” 0.70 to 0.90 g/mt gold,” said Wes Han- property and all agreements are current
Prior to the discovery of Carlin-type son P.Geo., CEO of Thunder Gold. “Our and in good standing. The northeastern
mineralization by Homestake at Ruby Hill secondary objective is to demonstrate portion of the property is dominated by
in the 1990’s, the Eureka District enjoyed opportunities to increase both the quan- the Tower Mountain Intrusive Complex,
a successful 100-year history of produc- tity (size) and quality (grade) of the con- a multi-phase alkalic intrusion measuring
tion (1864-1966) that resulted in some of ceptual exploration target. We believe approximately 2,000 m x 1,200 m.
the highest-grade historic CRD mines in
the world. The Ruby Hill district reported
estimated historical production of 1.65
million oz of gold at an average grade of NEWS - CALENDAR OF EVENTS
0.83 oz/ton (28.5 g/ton gold) and 39 mil-
lion oz of silver at an average grade of
19.5 oz/ton (668.6 g/t Ag) from 2 million
APRIL 2-5, 2023: Haulage & Loading, El Conquistador Resort, Tucson, Arizona, USA.
tons mined, of which 80% is estimated to Contact: Web: www.haulageandloading.com.
be from the original Ruby Hill mine on the
FAD Property. APRIL 24-27, 2023: Expomin, Parque Fisa, Pudahuel (Santiago), Chile. Contact: Web:
www.expomin.cl.
Thunder Gold Begins APRIL 30-MAY 3, 2023: Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM),
Exploration Drilling Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Contact: Web: cim.org.
Thunder Gold Corp. (formerly White
Metal Resources Corp) announced that JUNE 7-9, 2023: Elko Mining Expo, Elko, Nevada, USA. Contact: Web:
diamond drilling has commenced at the exploreelko.com/top-events/elko-mining-expo/.
Tower Mountain gold property, located JUNE 17-22, 2023: 19th North American Mine Ventilation Symposium, South Dako-
50-km west of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Chi- ta School of Mines, Rapid City, South Dakota, USA. Contact: Web: namvs2023.org;
bougamau Diamond Drilling Ltd. (“Chi- E-mail: [email protected].

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 19

 DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS

De-risking a Digital Ecosystem

Suppliers and software experts offer advice on building a system
that provides maximum value
By Russell A. Carter, Contributing Editor

link the merit of high-tech investments to

shareholder value, find ways to simplify
complex systems and relationships and
consistently make the right tech deci-
sions at the right time.
It’s easy to take a wrong turn along
the way: Haphazard planning of goals,
lack of change management strategies,
or internal resistance to disruptive con-
cepts can sidetrack any digitalization
project. In this article, E&MJ samples
the latest technology available for min-
ers to keep their digital transformation on
course. And, for a detailed look at how
one major process-equipment OEM has
structured their intelligent data platform
to meet the industry’s demand for digi-
tally-based solutions, read our sidebar
interview with Weir Minerals’ director of
digital business, Ole Knudsen.

Connect, Empower…
Connectivity is the foundation of digi-
talization and a connected workforce
Artificial Intelligence and predictive analytics power the latest generation of OEM-based smart platforms
is one of the pillars of success that rest
for mining and processing, improving data management and overall value by collecting information on it. However, the origins of a digitally
from multiple sources, including sensors and customers’ digital ecosystems, as well as input that adept workforce generally lie beyond the
may only be available to an OEM’s customers such as maintenance data and 3D engineering models.
boundaries of the mine, usually starting
(Photo: Weir Minerals)
with school programs. But while young-
What is a digital ecosystem? Like many and blockchain tools to locate new depos- er workers have been looking at screens
other technological buzzwords and catch- its or ship finished product more efficient- and using apps for most of their lives,
phrases, it’s a concept that’s widely pro- ly. Procurement experts maintain con- that doesn’t mean they’re knowledgeable
moted but not always well explained or stant surveillance of supply chain status or confident in a business-tech environ-
completely understood. At its most basic and make well-informed adjustments to ment. A recent study by Dell Technologies
level, it represents interconnected sets of assure the company gets what it needs, involving more than 15,000 Gen Z’ers
digital services and technologies intended when it needs it, to maintain production. (18 to 26 y/o) in 15 countries indicated
to provide frictionless interactions and, in Or it could be a chaotic, tense situa- that 37% think schools didn’t give them
the long run, create value for a company tion where the staff has to wade through the digital skills needed to excel in their
and its customers. In a mining environ- vast pools of questionably useful data, career path, and 56% reported they had
ment, an idealized example might be a legacy programs refuse to interact with very basic to no digital skills education.
centralized facility for a large, multina- next-generation software platforms, and Against that backdrop, a company that
tional producer where employees work in investors wait impatiently for a financial advances its technology without upgrading
a safe, comfortable environment as they payoff from a company’s hasty IT/OT and its workforce might be asking for problems,
monitor and control multiple unmanned automation investments. and some are already taking significant
machines at remote locations, observing As the industry’s move towards dig- steps to avoid this pitfall. Last year, global
and acting on structured data collected italization gains momentum, producers miner Anglo American began rolling out a
from myriad sources, while colleagues in face a bewildering menu of choices on comprehensive information and communi-
the exploration and logistics groups em- platforms, services, equipment and de- cations technology (ICT) program in 109
ploy sophisticated satellite-aided mineral sired outcomes from their digital initia- schools around its mining operations in
search technologies, Artificial Intelligence tives. They’ll be challenged to directly South Africa, to give thousands of students

20 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS

and community members skills they need over,” he explained. “Similarly, resources mobile mapping systems. As a result of
enter the digital job market. must be made available to enable mining the NavVis partnership, laser scans can
The program includes installing tech- companies to conduct their own in-house be delivered much faster than with ex-
nology infrastructure and devices in all the training and employee development pro- isting stationary scanners, while Assai’s
schools, providing ICT courses and train- grams. Mining companies will find that by Document Control and Management
ing to improve digital literacy and skills, a training their workers and bringing them Solutions expand AVEVA’s digital twin
student engagement platform to support along on their journey to more digitally capabilities with more robust document
primary and secondary learners, and on- enabled mines that are safer, more effi- information. AVEVA said the NavVis
going support to ensure the sustainability cient, and more sustainable, they’ll have wearable mobile mapping system scans
of the program. The $3.8-million initiative an easier time retaining staff that not only up to ten times faster than traditional la-
is part of Anglo American’s broader ed- have critical specialized knowledge but ser scanners with comparable accuracy.
ucation program being piloted in South are excited to work at a company that According to the company, the expand-
Africa in partnership with JET Education shares their values.” ed engineering information management
Services, and then implemented globally. solution portfolio is well suited to digital
Schools will receive computers and relat- The Human Element Endures twin creation and throughout the complete
ed equipment, and dedicated IT labs will Even as the industry slowly eases away project lifecycle, for both capital projects
be installed in eight of the schools. from worker presence on-site in favor of and existing facilities in mining and other
The process of developing a workforce increased automation or remote monitor- industrial sectors. AVEVA said companies
capable of operating efficiently in a digital ing and control, human interaction with can achieve a fully functional digital twin
ecosystem doesn’t end at the schoolyard, digital assets remains an integral compo- in less than sixty days by publishing and
however. Workers still need to know what nent in digital ecosystems. For example, integrating laser scan data within their
they’re supposed to be doing on the job, industrial software developer AVEVA now engineering and operational performance
and managers need to envision the even- claims that with the recent integration of data on AVEVA’s cloud platform.
tual changes in company operations and its Point Cloud Manager and Asset In- Recent industry announcements
structure that could either make or break formation Management in the cloud, reinforce the perception that the histor-
a digital initiative. Industrial technology customers can develop a complete dig- ically tech-conservative mining indus-
systems provider Honeywell points out ital twin within a few months’ time, even try is moving quickly to adopt speedier
that possible problems could include: in the absence of existing models, with data-collection technologies, particularly
• Integrating siloed operating systems. new user-wearable scanning technolo- those that offer the added benefits of
Generally, mines have several industry- gy and improved records and document improving worker safety and efficiency.
specific solutions at each site. This management contributing to faster data For example, Mine Vision Systems re-
makes it difficult to achieve efficiencies collection and better information transfer. cently announced a multi-year agree-
through an integrated view across the AVEVA said its engineering informa- ment with Hecla Mining Co. to imple-
mining company. tion management solutions have been ment FaceCapture mapping into two of
• Overcoming enterprise complexity. The combined with the Assai integrated docu- Hecla’s mines in North America.
technology footprint at each mining com- ment management system and powered According to the developer, the
pany has evolved over time, and cus- by data captured using NavVis’ wearable FaceCapture system provides real-time
tom systems requiring constant upkeep
may have been implemented. The need
to continuously attend to custom pro-
jects delays return on investment.
• Replacing manual control with increased
autonomy. Human decision-making can’t
keep up with the pace of business. Hav-
ing manual processes and controls also
results in lost opportunity to realize value.
Marc Poualion, senior industry mar-
keting manager, Metals & Mining, at asset
management software developer Aspen-
Tech noted that training with new solutions
themselves, as well as continual updating
of the business processes that use the
technology, must also be accounted for to
support long-term success of the technol-
ogy and maintain employee retention.
“Ensuring that the skills within the
business are kept up to date, practical In the newest version of NavVis’s wearable scanning system, four cameras positioned on top of the
and proficient is key to ongoing success device take high-resolution images in every direction for complete 360º capture. The operator can
and helping to mitigate employee turn- monitor the progress in real time with a built-in touchscreen interface. (Photo: NavVis)

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 21

 DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS

insights at a level of precision not pre- • Pick-and-click georeferencing aligns data operating remotely. The application is de-
viously available and will enable Hecla to mine coordinates in the field and on signed to automate and digitize inspection
to map and georeference a mine face in the fly. and checklist processes required for as-
real-time, reduce production downtime, • Ability to generate georeferenced mesh- set management. It replaces paper-based
and deliver higher quality information es without need for survey at each face. systems and manual post-activity data
to its geologists in a shorter timeframe. • Improved productivity and safety with entry. Real time data capture and entry
FaceCapture was launched at the 2021 longer advancements and larger blasts in a structured manner provides more
MINExpo trade show by Mine Vision through more accurate face mapping. accurate reporting while satisfying a com-
Systems, a spinoff of Carnegie Mellon’s • Improved ore body modeling inputs en- pany’s audit compliance and data storage
National Robotics Engineering Center. able more-efficient mining. requirements, according to RPMGlobal.
Matt Blattman, corporate director of • Immediately viewable results – live or The app, said the company, seamless-
technical services at Hecla, said, “Face- export directly to general mine planning ly integrates with SAP and can be used
Capture will allow us to process high and geology modeling software. both on and offline, making it useful at
quality 3D mine face data in real-time, Australia-based mining tech company underground operations or sites without
permitting our team to make critical pro- RPMGlobal launched its next-generation blanket Wi-Fi coverage. Workers simply
duction decisions and with reduced ex- mobile asset management solution, AMT go about their tasks and when they reach
posure at the mine face.” Mobile, designed to provide field techni- connectivity again AMT Mobile synchro-
The advantages of using FaceCapture cians, managers and supervisors the abil- nizes the data entered throughout the
claimed by Mine Vision Systems include: ity to digitize forms and processes while shift. The solution provides notifications

Building a Productive Platform

Any major mineral processing OEM that serves the mining in- The future phases of the Synertrex 2nd generation ecosys-
dustry now offers some version of an ‘intelligent’ platform that tem will also include ‘intelligent’ equipment that talks to other
typically uses enhanced sensor capabilities, AI and deeper data equipment in the flowsheet to for example, intelligently optimize
analysis to provide better user and vendor insight into asset load distribution and reduce recirculation.
health and overall plant performance. Weir Minerals announced Further downstream, Synertrex digital solutions is already
the launch of its Synertrex platform in 2018, based on AVEVA’s delivering analytics for equipment – pumps, piping and hydro-
PI data management and XMPro’s digital twin composition sys- cyclones, for example – in milling and tailings applications. The
tems. We asked Ole Knudsen, director, Digital at Weir Minerals requirements obviously differ. In the mill circuit, the objective
to sketch out the role that Synertrex – as a mature yet still evolv- is operational stability and maximizing throughput and value
ing product, as witnessed by the recent release of its 2nd genera- recovery from the orebody. This means pumps are tuned with
tion version – can play in building an effective digital ecosystem. Synertrex IntelliPump solution to maintain efficiency, while the
Synertrex IntelliCyclone solution prevents roping and Synertrex
E&MJ: Where does Synertrex literally begin and end? Can a IntelliWear monitors pipeline and hose wear to ensure there’s
mine be outfitted to make use of Synertrex as far upstream as no unplanned downtime.
blasting/fragmentation monitoring, or as far downstream as In tailings, the Synertrex equipment, sensors and infra-
concentrate storage and transfer, or tailings management? structure is virtually identical to that required in the mill circuit.
Knudsen: Weir recently acquired Motion Metrics, a developer However, in tailings management, the objectives are slightly
of artificial intelligence and 3D machine vision technology, ca- different. While operational stability remains critical, certain cru-
pable of delivering a range of products and solutions for particle cial applications – for example, sand extraction from tailings or
size data analysis, among other things. It integrates several key maintaining flow in the pipeline – require different control re-
data solutions at every stage of the mining process, starting as gimes to ensure efficiency and product quality. The Synertrex
far upstream as the pit. For example, BeltMetrics Gen 2 camera ecosystem can be readily adjusted or adapted to either situa-
uses AI and stereo imaging to analyze particle size, monitor tion or, indeed, to any other application in the fixed plant.
volume and profile loads on conveyor belts. This data provides
valuable, real-time insights on material flows and PSD, which E&MJ: Can Synertrex interface with popular legacy ERP, asset
can then be fed into Synertrex optimization algorithms. Then, management or predictive maintenance software platforms? Is
depending on the specific application, control actions will be ex- it compatible with non-Weir equipment?
ecuted or the operator will be advised about the optimal control Knudsen: The Synertrex 2nd generation ecosystem was
setpoints of the equipment and/or process. released this year and the technology partnerships it is built
We’re currently in the early stages of developing a series on has been designed for the purpose of easy integration
of next generation Synertrex optimization solutions for our Trio with our customers’ systems and platforms. It uses the
crushers and Enduron HPGRs and screens. These solutions AVEVA PI System, which collects, contextualizes and ana-
will combine the best elements of the Motion Metrics real-time lyzes data streams. This is the data foundation of the Syner-
AI particle size analysis with the Synertrex intelligent equipment trex digital ecosystem. With AVEVA PI already close to being
solutions. These will deliver new AI-driven digital solutions to an industry standard – currently used by nine of the top ten
increase productivity and reduce environmental footprint, while Fortune 500 mining companies – data integration and shar-
also decreasing equipment downtime. ing with historical and real-time operational data is made as

22 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS

where a potential issue or observation Mining industry service providers are entire orebody in fine detail.” Claimed
about an asset has been identified. Notifi- also restructuring to accommodate their benefits include:
cations can include items such as break- customers’ digital preferences. Recently, • AI solutions that improve and automate
down, priority, what may have caused drilling service and equipment supplier improved understanding of the earth
the issue or what damage has already Boart Longyear announced that its Geo- and orebodies, and deliver improved
occurred. Workers use a handheld mobile logical Data Services division will now solutions for mining activities across
device to scan QR codes to reach equip- operate as a separate entity called Vera- the value chain;
ment and employ the device’s camera to cio, which will combine science and digital • Data capture and intelligence platforms
add photographs as supporting evidence technologies in a single, integrated plat- including TruScan, an in-field sample
or add voice to text, streamlining the cor- form intended to help mining companies sensing platform; TruSub, a rod string
rective processes that follow. get more value from their orebody data. system; and TruProbe, which allows
AMT Mobile builds on the company’s The company said Veracio is the re- for driller deployable downhole sensing
AMT asset management software solu- sult of a decade of testing and develop- without a logging truck; and
tion, the first generation of which used ment in sensing and automation and is • A foundational, integrated cloud plat-
HTML technology to access a webpage based on Boart Longyear’s Geological form that gives teams at any location
where a field worker could enter data. Data Services integrated technology access to these technologies, enabling
However, the latest release of the ap- platform. It leverages key digital sens- them to access orebody data in near-
plication works natively for both Android ing platforms and AI that “helps miners real time, at a higher definition, and with
and iOS systems. move beyond the borehole and see the lower sampling error.

simple and secure as possible. The feedback from our cus- IP, analysis and modelling, it then becomes Weir Minerals’ data
tomers has been positive – they’re pleased to see this simpli- which our Synertrex intelligence platform and machine learning
fied way of sharing data with Weir Minerals as both the OEM models then use to support the optimization and efficiency of
and service provider. our customers’ processes and production.
In terms of hardware, Synertrex technology is essentially
equipment agnostic, particularly when it comes to asset health E&MJ: Does Weir Minerals have a strategy for assisting clients
related solutions. However, the value propositions will be differ- to help their workers understand, use and refine the digital tools
ent for non-Weir equipment. A large portion of our digital solu- that Synertex makes available?
tions are based on proprietary specifics – we are building all our Knudsen: The Synertrex 2nd generation ecosystem is the
digital solutions using a ‘composable’ digital twin and machine evolution of data and analytics to actionable insights. This
learning to deliver availability and performance. For instance, means our customers aren’t being loaded with more data;
the equipment digital twin – say, a Warman slurry pump – is instead, they are actively being told what to do in a specific
built on and directly connected to specific Weir Minerals pro- situation. In other words, through the Synertrex ecosystem
prietary details, such as pump curves and master and mainte- our customers are not just getting plenty of data and insights,
nance data. This approach obviously isn’t possible for non-Weir but more importantly prescriptive actions, something other
equipment. So, together with our customers, we evaluate these digital solutions lack.
requests on a case-by-case basis to ensure they are getting In addition, Synertrex solutions are used internally by our
value for the money they are investing into digital. service teams as a digital tool to replace the traditional way ser-
vice and maintenance are performed. So, we understand that
E&MJ: In a digital ecosystem which gathers vast amounts of these digital solutions require changes in both the way people
data that, in some cases, may be sensitive or proprietary, how think and operate. And we are now seeing the benefits in our
is data security and ownership handled? own business. Our global service teams are moving away from
Knudsen: The safety and security of all data gathered through collecting data and doing wear predictions manually; increas-
the Synertrex intelligence platform is the highest priority for ingly, they rely on sensors and AI for predicting the wear life
Weir Minerals. By working hand-in-hand with our industry lead- of critical components. We have initiated a number of change
ing partners, we are committed to ensuring the highest stan- management programs to support the transformation of be-
dards of cyber security are implemented across our digital solu- coming a truly digitally-enabled organization. And we foresee
tions. Our Synertrex ecosystem is hosted on Microsoft® Azure, many of these same programs being rolled out to our custom-
a leading cloud service provider with a suite of security features ers in the future.
designed to protect data and applications, including physical Weir Minerals also has regional Synertrex monitoring cen-
and environmental security; network security; data privacy; and ters, which provide digital services to our customers. These are
security controls, amongst others. manned by teams of experts – engineers, data analysts, etc. –
When it comes to data ownership, we make a clear distinc- who monitor and analyze data generated by Synertrex-enabled
tion between customer data and Weir Minerals data. At Weir equipment and processes. They provide real-time operational
Minerals, we believe the raw data gathered at the edge is our insights to ensure optimal equipment performance, process ef-
customers’ property and they will always be able to get it back. ficiency and production optimization. They also provide proac-
Once we take this raw data and apply our extensive industry tive recommendations for maintenance and repairs.

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 23

 DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS

to focus their existing workforce and plant

assets on optimizing their ‘core’ compe-
tencies – finding, extracting and selling
mineral commodities. Will these trends
lead to a golden age of mining technolo-
gy advancements based on digitalization
and automation, or produce a prime envi-
ronment for confusion and wasted invest-
ment from hasty attempts to implement
the “right” combination of technologies for
success? How can companies empower
workers and managers to thrive in an in-
creasingly digital ecosystem?
AspenTech’s Marc Poualion com-
mented on the issues: “At times there can
be risk associated with the implementa-
tion of technology. However, it’s import-
ant to consider where the risk comes
from and determine the right questions to
ask to help mitigate that risk.” He recom-
mended companies take a look at sever-
al potential concerns:
• Problem solving abilities – can the tech-
nology solve the problem in the way
you want the problem solved?
• Value chain – once you’ve solved the
Mine Vision Systems says its FaceCapture digital mapping system eliminates hand-drawn maps and
point cloud post processing. Automated mesh creation allows direct export into mine planning software.
problem, can you connect the results of
(Photo: Mine Vision Systems) that solution to other parts of the value
chain that need that information in an
Maintaining Focus into the wider value chain, creating large actionable timeframe?
Ambitious projects such as transitioning to yet poor overlap. Simply put, the systems • Vendor commitment – what level of
a digital ecosystem run the risk of increas- which are solving the interoperability commitment and investment will the
ing the level of complexity incorporated problem are not leveraging the depth or vendor play in the implementation of
into the mine value chain to a point where focus within individual layers at a mine,” that technology? In addition, what level
focus on important individual elements Blignaut explained. of ownership is the vendor willing to
is lost. This concern was addressed in a He said Epiroc and ASI Mining, which adopt to ensure their customers’ ex-
recent blog post by Christopher Blignaut, Epiroc partially owns, have attempted to perience will ensure the highest level
automation manager, Surface Mining at solve this problem in several ways, and of success on an ongoing basis?
Epiroc, which described the problem: “It it’s one of the major goals of the recently • Technology integration – how does that
is known within the industry that there is a released Mobius for Drills product. It is solution connect with other solutions
mining value chain acting as an envelope designed to provide standalone, focused from that same vendor? And, more com-
to all major decisions at a mine, yet it is control and data layers of drills, yet exists monly, how does that solution connect
so often diluted by day-to-day operations as part of the overall Mobius automation with solutions from other vendors?”
within individual components. To mitigate platform where fully scalable interopera- Mining companies will be tasked with
this dilution, mines ask for a strong de- bility is inherited. reviewing and implementing new change
gree of interoperability in the value chain, The Mobius platform allows Epiroc and management and internal processes at
spanning from equipment control through the customer to not only combine focused their organization that are conducive to
to data. At the same time, each process layers of the value chain but continue to technology adoption. Implementation
and piece of equipment is getting smart- scale automation into each layer in a clear cycles could be up to a few years, but
er, more efficient, and thus producing and effective way, Blignaut explained. the quicker mining companies are able
more data; all of which can effectively use to adopt change and gain buy-in all the
the context of the value chain to improve Reducing Risk way up to the executive level, the high-
productivity and safety. Mining employment studies indicate that er the chances are of the technology’s
“The problem arises as system in- the industry’s potential labor pool is get- organization-wide success. In addition,
tegration solutions are developed to be ting shallower as younger entrants prefer accelerated adoption will help retain em-
interoperable within this value chain, but employment elsewhere in safer, more ployees that are eager to champion tech-
consequently lose focus in their individ- convenient workplaces. Older workers nology that is improving the efficiency,
ual layer. These solutions individually are retiring, taking with them decades of safety, and sustainability of mining oper-
expand out of a particular focused scope institutional knowledge. Producers want ations, he concluded.

24 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

Building trust to decarbonize the world

Opening Keynote and Plenary Panel

This multidisciplinary panel will discuss how we need Technical Program
to build trust and be humble regarding the past and Topics:
transparent about future plans.
• Minerals and Materials

• Mining in the 21st Century

• Mine Operations

• ESG and Building Trust

KEYNOTE SPEAKER PANELIST, CONVENTION CHAIR MODERATOR

• Energy and Circular
Mitch Warner David Cataford Angelina Mehta
Economy
Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer, Mining Engineer, • Mine Waste and Tailings
Arbinger Author Champion Iron Investment Professional,
Rio Tinto • Environment: Reliance
and Adaptability

• Mining for Talent

• Markets and Finance

• Protecting Our People

PANELIST PANELIST PANELIST
• North American Iron Ore
Ken Rock Nadja Kunz Philippe Couillard Symposium
General Director, Société de Assistant Professor, 31st Premier of Québec
développement économique The University of
Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam British Columbia
 INDABA 2023 REPORT

African Leaders Discuss the Future

of Mining at Indaba 2023
To take advantage of a vast mineral endowment, governments will need to overcome
persistent problems with power, transportation and corruption
By Gavin du Venage, African Editor

The Investing in Africa Mining Indaba hibit growth and transformation in the For mining companies, green en-
2023 is back in its usual February slot, country. And I don’t think that it is OK ergy was no longer merely about so-
following the COVID-19-related dis- for business to sit quietly by and watch cial investment but survival. Rio Tinto
ruption last year that saw it run in May. that happen,” he said. will install 140 MW at its operations in
The central theme of this year’s event Business was ready to help alleviate Richards Bay on the east coast, said
was South Africa’s ongoing infra- electricity shortages, but until recently Sinead Kaufman CEO of Minerals at
structure and power crisis which has the governing African National Con- the Australian listed firm. The com-
degraded the abilities of mining firms gress (ANC) refused all private sector pany planned to generate much more
to operate and export their products. initiatives. This has begun to change electricity than it needed to provide
Currently, the country is experiencing as the ANC realized it could not solve power to downstream operations that
power cuts of up to 12 hours a day. these issues on its own. “After years were important to Rio Tinto’s own busi-
This, added to ongoing disruptions at and years to reach a state of crisis, the ness. “This is not just about mining,
state-run ports and railways, has dam- government has finally taken to liberal- but also smelting, manufacturing and
aged mining productivity. izing energy,” Wanblad said. other industries that need electricity,”
Industry output shrunk more than The state had abolished licensing she said.
7% in 2022, according to figures re- requirements for self-generation of
leased during the Indaba by StatsSA, up to 100 megawatts (MW); for refer- Off Grid
the state managed statistic unit. ence, a deep level gold mine consumes Even South Africa’s mining and energy
Duncan Wanblad, CEO of Anglo around 20 MW during operations. Com- minister Gwede Mantashe appeared
American told the Indaba that the panies could now self-generate and to be coming around to the idea of
country was running out of time to sell the excess to the grid. Wanblad self-generation. Noting that mining out-
tackle the “three scourges” of power said Anglo was developing wind, solar put had declined significantly last year,
cuts, broken logistics and corruption. and fuel cells at its mines and plans to largely due to loadshedding, Mantashe
“They are three fundamental issues have 3.5 GW plus storage operating in said some companies had manage to
that unless addressed will really in- the coming years. buck the trend. “Gold Fields managed
to increase its production by 10%, be-
cause they are taking action,” Man-
tashe said. Gold Fields has installed a
40-MW solar plant and is one of the first
miners to reduce its dependence on the
state electricity grid.
Mantashe has been a fierce defend-
er of coal generation, which currently
provides most of South Africa’s elec-
tricity. Lately though, as the country’s
electricity crisis has grown worse, he
appeared to have a change of heart.
“We are open for ideas — anyone with
a useful suggestion, we will listen to,”
Mantashe said. Companies were now
free to generate their own electricity,
with no permits needed, he added.
Mantashe also used his time to an-
nounce a $10 million junior mining fund.
The amount designated was small he
Leaders gathered at the Ministerial Symposium to share a vision for sustainable growth and to help acknowledged but said this would be
unlock the full scale of Africa’s mining investment potential. increased once the fund established

26 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 INDABA 2023 REPORT

its value. South Africa has struggled of the venture. The result is very lit- ects around the world. Initially around
to attract junior miners in recent years, tle exploration taking place here. The 200 projects were identified although
and Mantashe said this money would reason we have so little exploration is this has been whittled down to 12. The
hopefully draw interest once again from not because of low prospectivity, but idea is to develop mining activity, but
smaller investors. because of our jurisdiction.” also complimentary activities such as
It has become practice to announce Hunt said that South Africa had an smelting and refining. The U.S. was de-
new developments at the Indaba, such extraordinary wealth of minerals. In a termined to secure access to primary
as the example above — however, 300-mile radius around Johannesburg, resources, Fernandez said: “We are all
Mantashe’s speech made no mention the country had vast deposits of gold, in for Africa, and have been for a very
of a cadastre system that has been long platinum, iron and coal. Even it’s now long time,” he said.
promised but yet to be implemented. largely exhausted gold industry still had U.S. mining interests were also be-
Most investors agree that it is vital to life left in it. ing expanded in Southeast Asia, which
have a way to check what exploration “The amount of gold left in the Wits has traditionally been bypassed. New
licenses have been issued, and where basin is still more than most of the commodity discoveries such as rare
exploration potential lies. Many mining world’s mines combined,” Hunt said. earths and the potential for smelting
destinations have websites that allow “The issue is whether it is economically and refining were being explored.
explorers to see where licenses have viable to get it out.” Fernandez noted that mining was
been issued. Unusually, South Africa also attracting attention from investors
still requires explorers to submit que- Uncle Sam outside the sector. For instance, U.S.
ries in writing, and must wait months The U.S. is now taking a much greater automaker Tesla had announced its in-
for a reply, if it arrives at all. interest in mining in Africa, but also the tention to source raw materials directly.
“An explorer can follow the rules world beyond, Jose W. Fernandez the “Tesla is going into the mining busi-
and submit the paperwork, only to Under Secretary of State for Economic ness, and other auto makers are sure
find his application is now second in Growth, Energy, and the Environment to do the same. It’s a once in a lifetime
the pile,” said John Paul Hunt, senior at the U.S. Department of State told the opportunity for African resource econ-
exploration geologist at SRK Explora- Indaba. The U.S. had established the omies,” Fernandez said. “They should
tion Services. “All this adds to the risk Mining Support Program to look at proj- make the most of it while they can.”

For Superior Performance

and Dependability.

Red Valve has been a leading manufacturer of pinch

valves for mining since 1953. Today, Red Valve
products are used in mining operations worldwide. A
pioneer and innovator of valves specifically built for
the toughest applications, Red Valve manufactures a
wide array of cost-effective flow control products and
solutions. Built to last, Red Valve products are the
industry’s first choice for isolation and modulating valves.

Contact us today to find out how Red Valve Pinch

Valves can solve some of your biggest challenges.

Control Valves Knife Gate Valves Manual Pinch Valves Pressure Sensors Tideflex®
Check Valves

RedValve.com • 412-279-0044 • Follow us on

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 27

 MAINTENANCE

Developing a Large Hydraulic Cylinder

Repair Program
A set of spares could remove downtime risks
By Steve Fiscor, Editor-in-Chief

Hydraulic shovels are critical path pro- Logan Industries, located near Hous- A hydraulic cylinder has one axis of
duction tools for open-pit mines. A mine ton, Texas, repairs large hydraulic cyl- motion; it goes in and out. While that may
may have a fleet of six to eight haul inders. For years, the company has be an oversimplification, to make that
trucks or more working in tandem with performed major repairs for the oil and happen regularly and reliably, Logan em-
a large hydraulic shovel. One of those gas sector. They routinely repair the di- ploys a lot of technology. “Seal packages
trucks could be taken out of rotation for rect-acting tensioners for offshore oil must be properly designed,” Carey said.
a repair and, while the operation would rigs. These 50-ft long x 2-ft-dia. bore, “Wear pads or bands must be made from
likely suffer a productivity loss related to hydraulic cylinders are used as tension the right materials and have the proper
haulage, it would continue to operate. If pullers to keep the large drill pipe risers tolerances, so that steel doesn’t touch
the shovel goes down, that production connecting the rig to the seafloor. When steel. The tolerances need to be nearly
unit is offline until the shovel is repaired the seas get rough, the tensioners bear perfect or within several thousandths of
and all the trucks sit idle. the brunt of the forces at play, and they an inch for it to work properly. And, when
Shovels can go down for a whole host withstand incredible loads until they fail you’re talking about a cylinder that’s 20-
of reasons, but issues with the large hy- and then Logan Industries gets a call. ft long, with an 18-in. bore, and you’re
draulic cylinders can be especially prob- More recently, the company started trying to get clearances within a couple
lematic. When it comes to failures with providing repair services for Nevada gold of thousandths of an inch, that’s difficult
hydraulic cylinders, shock loading is usu- miners operating large hydraulic shov- work. It takes some particular know-how
ally the main culprit, followed closely by els. What would probably be the larg- to make that happen.”
excessive heat. Large rocks, or a poorly est hydraulic cylinders on the mine site Production concerns with oil and gas
blasted toe could create problems when would be considered relatively small for are somewhat similar to mining, espe-
the shovel crowds the muck pile. Shock Logan. When the OEMs make the large cially when it comes to downtime. If an
loading will rip threads, buckle rods, and hydraulic cylinders used on mining class oil rig or a mine is down, the company
destroy seals. Sometimes the seals are excavators and drill rigs, they do a good that operates it is likely losing millions
damaged by pressure spikes when the job, obviously, because the cylinders do of dollars a day or more. Working in that
bucket strikes a large rock or the side of last a while, explained Dean W. Carey, type of service environment is where Lo-
a haul truck. The heat from the hydraulic P.E., technical director for Logan Indus- gan cut its teeth. An oil company would
oil can also affect the seals. Heat dam- tries. “The mines need an equally-skilled approach them with a repair job and a
age can varnish the rods and everything repair shop to provide replacements that seemingly unreasonable deadline, and
else in the system. will last as long,” Carey said. they would work 24/7 to get the job
done. More recently the company has
invested in a quality control program
that is helping them further improve their
level of service.

Taking On Mining Jobs

Acknowledging that everything is relative,
Carey said, “repairing the hydraulic cylin-
ders for large mining equipment is in our
sweet spot.” Logan claims it is qualified
for large hydraulic cylinder repair and
hydraulic system rebuilds for the Hitachi
5600s, the Cat 6060s, the Komatsu PC
8000s, Liebherr R 9800, as well as the
cylinders used for the masts on large ro-
tary blasthole drills. “We rebuild cylinders
that are larger than any of those every day
and we’re pretty good at it,” Carey said.
Logan Industries repairs large hydraulic cylinders at its shop in Hempstead, Texas, northwest of Houston. “That’s why we feel qualified to chase the
(Photo: Logan Industries) large hydraulic cylinders in the mining

28 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 MAINTENANCE

business.” He said he understands that

there are some local shops that do great
work but when it comes to large bore cyl-
inder work, this is where our interest is
and we are very good with them.
Working with Kinross Gold, Logan
began providing repair services for the
Round Mountain and the Bald Moun-
tain mines in Nevada. “They take a long
view and they have got some good ideas
about how to maintain their fleet and how
to make sure that they have uptime on
their machines—they are smart miners,”
Carey said. “We have repaired a half a
dozen cylinders for them and we’re just
getting started.”
With the critical importance of the pri-
mary loading tool, mines would ideally
want to have a set of spares especially
if they were operating more than one
shovel, Carey explained. “This is some-
thing we discuss with mines whenever
we are on site,” Carey said. “What does A set of repaired cylinders for a Hitachi shovel are ready to be shipped back to the mine in Nevada.
the spare set situation look like? Do you (Photo: Logan Industries)
need help with some of that? And, the
answer is all over the map. Some do, Logistics and Cylinder type of chrome and how it’s applied.
some don’t. Others have thought about Repair “We’re still dictating how we want the job
it, and they have a plan. That’s fantastic. Houston may seem distant from the min- done, and we closely monitor the pro-
In that case, all we can really offer is to ing districts, but that hardly factors into cess with written specifications our ven-
do the repair work when it’s time.” the repair time. Granted, it’s two days dors are required to follow.” Carey said.
For those that do not have a plan, Car- travel time from Elko to Salt Lake City The Logan machine shop has CNC
ey said Logan can really offer something and then to Houston via Albuquerque lathes and mills and manual lathes and
special. They will pull the damaged cyl- and Amarillo. Of the total turnaround mills. The cylinders usually require con-
inders apart and reverse engineer them. time to repair the cylinders, four or five siderable machining to return to OEM
The Logan engineering team will make a days are used transporting them from the specifications “We perform a lot of ma-
set of drawings, repair the cylinders, and mine to the Logan shop. chining and inspection work to make sure
make a set of spares. “Put some spares To properly repair a large hydraulic we are meeting OEM specs,” Carey said.
aside,” Carey said. “How crazy is that? cylinder, the mines are looking at a 6- to Logan engineers the seals to make
Let us design a few and sell you some, 8-week turnaround, depending on how sure they are right. “We also have seal
it’s a fairly simple concept.” much is wrong with them. The process specialists that talk with seal manufactur-
Carey said he would go so far as to requires materials and considerable en- ers,” Carey said. “There are three in the
offer to put a set of spares on the mine gineering. “Re-chroming the rods can be world that are of the caliber that we need
site, if the mine would give Logan the time-consuming process,” Carey said. to make sure the repaired cylinders last
repair work. When the mine uses them, “If we don’t re-chrome them the turn- — Trelleborg, System Steel, and Merkel.
they pay for them. None of the mines around time could be a couple of weeks, They make the best seals in the world. If
have taken him up on that offer yet. “We depending on the amount of damage. a customer asks us to use an OEM kit,
provide this type of service all the time,” These cylinders are not coming to us be- we will order them. If they leave it up to
Carey said. “We’re doing it now with the cause they’re working correctly.” us, we will install what we think is best
for Caterpillar 6060 front shovel booms. Logan outsources the re-chroming and has served us well for a long time.
We think our cylinders are better. We process. “There are three re-chroming The company has the same policy for
have found flaws with the OEM cylinders. facilities in Houston that we use,” Carey wear bands. “The wrong type of wear band
This is what we are trained to do. The said. “The mines prefer hard chrome or an could compress more than it should, risk-
cylinders that we build for those drill rigs HVOF chrome coating. We have guys in ing steel-on-steel wear,” Carey said. “Be-
will last much longer and they will oper- Houston that can do that. They have the cause we’ve been doing this for so long,
ate more efficiently.” Logan followed a grinding facilities, so they can remove the we know what works and what doesn’t.”
similar strategy when it started repairing varnish, re-chrome and polish the rods.” Beyond the machining, there are
the direct-acting tensioners for the off- Even though, Logan is hiring a spe- threads and bearings that need inspection
shore rigs and they are modifying that cialist to do the work, they still provide and cleaning. “If material is missing, our
program for the mines. guidance as far as the tolerances, the fabricators will butter it up, put more steel

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 29

 MAINTENANCE

where there is none, so that we can then thing,” Carey said. “Then it’s time to pol- you’re putting a large cylinder together
machine it to the proper tolerances,” Car- ish and hone to a smooth, mirror finish, and you start feeding them into the seals,
ey said. “We will often find that bearings, so that the seals can do their job. After if they are misaligned, you will be doing it
bearing seats, knuckle-ends, clevises, that, it’s time to assemble it.” again, because the seals are going to get
pins, etc. have also seen extreme wear.” Assembling large cylinders versus destroyed it. These are valuable lessons
The company follows a similar pro- small cylinders is a totally different ball- that we’ve learned over the years.”
cess for damaged threads. “They lay game, Carey explained. “When you are Once the cylinder is reassembled, it
some beads to build the steel back up, working with things that are big, they have needs to be tested. Logan has two tests
make sure it’s compatible so it doesn’t mass and momentum that cannot be stands and three guys dedicated to the pro-
just shuck off and then re-machine every- changed or ignored,” Carey said. “When cess. “That’s all they do is test cylinders,”
Carey said. “We will put a chart on them.
We will hold pressure on them, sometimes
overnight. Once the testing is complete, we
ship them back to the mine. We pack them

GIW® MDX LIVES

in crates and shrink-wrap them so that they
arrive at the mine nice and shiny.”

Continuous Improvement
FOR HARD ROCK A little more than seven years ago, Logan
began investing considerable time and
training with quality control. Carey de-
scribes the process as a cultural shift that
is now paying dividends. “We can show
you how we control quality throughout the
Best In Class repair process,” Carey said. “We have a
process we follow for each aspect of the
repair. We also employ people to verify that
we do what we’re telling customers we do.”
The quality management process
drives Logan’s business. “We have all
of processes documented,” Carey said.
“We can put a new employee in a train-
ing class and make them productive
on the floor, performing quality work
quickly. Trusting that process was a hard
thing to do at first, but now we’re used
to it and it just makes sense.”
The company records its mistakes,
how they fixed them and publishes that
information for its customers. “Everybody
makes mistakes,” Carey said. “We hope
our customers judge us by the service
provided, by how we react and how we
fix it, and, with our quality control system,
we have got control over that.”
The GIW® MDX is specifically engineered to “When we first started doing this re-
handle the extreme conditions found in hard pair work, Logan was small company
rock mining applications. Superior hydraulic and we knew every facet of what was
happening, backwards and forwards,”
design, advanced material technology, and local
Carey said. “Today, we have more than
aftermarket support make the MDX the best in
140 employees, so we have to put our
class slurry pump for aggressive slurry applications.
faith in this process.”
Carey is an engineer and he formed
Learn more at ksbmining.com
the engineering department that’s work-
ing miracles at Logan today. “Over time,
you gain the experience and the exper-
tise to do this type of work,” Carey said.
“Most of the engineering department has
been with us a long time. Logan’s chief

30 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 MAINTENANCE

engineer, and the engineering manager

have been with us the longest, 15 years.”
Earlier this year, one of Logan’s oil-
and-gas customers was performing a
critical inspection. They encountered
cylinders with thin walls that would not
hold pressure. “Nobody had noticed it,
and the rig was going into service and
they were scrambling,” Carey said. “They
didn’t know what to do. They called us.
All the cylinders would have to be re-
paired and replaced, and that seemed
pretty straightforward, and normally it
would be, but they needed it done in five
days. There were eight of these suckers
and that’s a lot of pipe. We needed to
source the pipe. We found 250 ft of it and
bought it. They gave us a purchase order
and the trucks started showing up.”
Working 24 hours a day, Logan com-
pleted the repairs in four days and the
customer was able to make the activa- Re-assembling large hydraulic cylinders requires a certain skill set. (Photo: Logan Industries)
tion date. “It was very expensive,” Carey
said. “That type of nimbleness is rare. said. “That’s really what I love. And, to a not that great, according to the manufac-
We have done that several times and large extent, it still is. I really like designing turing technicians on the floor.”
won some loyal customers.” a cool piece of machinery, but I learned a What really gets him going these days
Carey recalls his career path. “When while back that I’m not the fastest design- is working with customers to develop a
I started making machinery, I thought en- er. I’m not the most efficient CAD opera- solution for a particular problem. “I’m pretty
gineering was the end all be all,” Carey tor. And, let’s face it, a lot of my ideas are good at that and I like doing it,” Carey said.

  


    
        


         
                
                 

   
         



www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 31

 SLURRY PUMPS

Pump Suppliers Answer

Trending Challenges
The latest developments in the slurry pump market show suppliers are offering
solutions to customers plagued by increasingly long-term constraints to the supply
chain and labor market
By Jesse Morton, Technical Writer

Pump Exchange-Repair
Programs
Schurco Slurry said its exchange and
repair programs help participating cus-
tomers answer constraints presented by
both the labor market and supply chain.
“Schurco Slurry created Pump and Bear-
ing Assembly Exchange-Repair Pro-
grams for facilities that operate Schurco
and Warman slurry pumps,” Schur, pres-
ident of the company, said. “These pro-
grams not only alleviate supply chain and
personnel issues, but also reduce the
plants’ inventory and has them operating
pumps with a warranty.”
The constraints posed by the trends
can often show up as parts shortages,
long lead and delivery times on parts,
and insufficient manpower at the mine to
do the repairs and maintenance. “Schur-
co can erase each of these issues with
our Pump and Bearing Assembly Ex-
change-Repair Programs,” Schur said.
The supplier maintains on hand in-
ventory for more than 75 Schurco pumps
and more than 100 bearing assembly
units. “We can ship the same day, or in 2
Pump suppliers have increased their capabilities or modified or improved their offerings to address
challenges to customers posed by supply chain and labor market constraints. Above, a pump is inspected to 3 days, guaranteed,” he said. “Just let
at GIW’s spacious new facility in Grovetown, Georgia. (Image: GIW) us know the pump or bearing assembly
manufacturer, model, size and materials
The supply chain issues affecting more than six months. “This new normal of construction and we will have equip-
OEMs and their customers in the big has forced maintenance departments to ment on the road.”
slurry pump space are nothing new. Ac- change the way they plan for major out- Once the exchange equipment ar-
cording to a longtime expert and com- ages and basic day-to-day repairs.” rives, “the worn pump or bearing assem-
pany owner, they have been around in It has also changed the posture and bly is removed and the dimensionally
some form or another for at least the offerings of the OEMs. The new pumps and hydraulically interchangeable Schur-
last few years. It is within the last cou- out now require less maintenance, are co exchange unit is installed,” Schur
ple of years that they became critical. easier to repair, and are backed by, or said. “When the worn unit is ready to be
“Products and materials that were avail- are part of, service programs that sim- shipped back to Schurco, just mount it
able in a few days or weeks now can plify maintenance and repairs. All of that on our heavy-duty shipping skid and we
take several months,” said Nick Schur. speaks to helping a customer beat sup- schedule pick up,” he said. “Once we re-
“Every plant we visit tells us the same ply chain and labor market challenges. ceive it, the worn unit will be disassem-
thing, ‘we can’t get parts.’” And it is but one example of how the lat- bled, evaluated, and a detailed report
For example, recently one miner told est offerings and developments on and sent with a quote that is to be completed.”
him it lost 16 hours of production for lack in the market are geared towards beating Benefits include increases in effi-
of a $20 part that had been on order for those persistent challenges. ciency and ease of maintenance and

32 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 SLURRY PUMPS

planning. There is “no waiting, no plant power consumption,” said Elias Aho, di-
expertise needed to repair, no worry visional director, centrifugal pump pro-
about parts availability,” Schur said. duct management.
“And unlike repairs by the customer’s “Weir Minerals’ engineers developed
personnel, the pump or bearing assem- the Warman WRT impeller and throat-
bly is now operating with our Schurco bush combination to deliver significant
Slurry warranty.” wear life improvements,” he said. “It’s
The programs are gaining in populari- a simple, inexpensive upgrade compat-
ty as the trends persist. “In 2022 we com- ible with all Warman AH, M and L Series
pleted 71 exchange-repairs with partners slurry pumps.”
in sand and gravel, copper, gold, power, The rubber wear lining is made of
coal processing, and cement plants,” he Weir’s unique R55 compound. “Its phys-
said. “In January 2023, we completed 16 ical properties give it a high resistance
exchange-repairs.” to tearing and cuts, which means it’s ca-
The programs have enabled custom- pable of performing well in applications
ers to conduct business as usual, which where competitors generally use metal Warman Wear Reduction Technology impeller
and throatbush increase wear life by up to 50%.
these days is considered value added. liners,” Aho said. The four-vane design reduces operating costs.
“As one mine manager told me, ‘We are “The key to formulating a rubber with (Image: Weir Minerals)
experts at mining. We get paid to mine high tear and cut resistance lies, in part,
ore, separate and extract the valuable in the reinforcement particles that are add- results have been extremely positive,” he
material that makes our company money, ed,” he said. “These filler particles have said. “For instance, in the oil sands indus-
not repair pumps and equipment,’” Schur varying properties, but, generally speak- try, wear resistance has been significantly
said. “‘That’s your job so we do not have ing, there’s a correlation between how well improved relative to white iron.”
down time and keep operating.’” the particles are dispersed and the relative Field results there and elsewhere
wear resistance of the final product.” prove the capabilities of WRT parts. For
Extended Wear For alloys, Weir Minerals is increasing- example, a study study from a mine in
Performance Parts ly using Armachrome, an overlay materi- South Africa found that the Warman WRT
Weir Minerals reported Warman Wear al for use in mill circuit applications. “It’s impeller showed enhanced wear resis-
Reduction Technology (WRT) wear one of the most wear-resistant materials tance, Aho said. “The impeller was suc-
parts offer superior resistance that im- commercially available and can be added cessfully retrofitted with no mechanical
proves pump performance and helps to pump throatbushes, volute liners and, complications over the course of the trial
cut costs. “The WRT delivers improved most recently, impellers,” Aho said. and, over that same period, it lasted twice
hydraulic profiles, reduced turbulence, “Armachrome wear parts is a bespoke as long as a polyurethane impeller and
extended wear performance and lower Weir Minerals solution, and extensive field four times as long as a metal impeller.”
The study also looked at power con-
sumption. “It was demonstrated that
the pump with the WRT combination
consumed 3.85% less power,” he said.
“While this might not sound like a lot, on
a pump that operates 24 hours a day,
seven days a week it adds up to a lot of
kilowatt hours, and, therefore, a signifi-
cant reduction in carbon emissions.”
Other operations have reported even
more impressive results, Aho said. “A di-
amond mine in North America that had
non-original Warman parts in its AH
pumps in an attempt to reduce costs was
experiencing ongoing reliability issues,”
he said. Weir Minerals proposed a trial
of WRT parts. “Based on the trial results,
wear life improved by 50%, while effi-
ciency increased by 21%.”
Field results from a gold mine in Can-
ada show that WRT wear-resistance
capabilities deliver reduced costs. “Weir
Minerals partnered with Agnico Eagle’s
Schurco Slurry stocks a wide range of pumps and parts for rapid distribution as part of its Pump and LaRonde gold mine in Quebec, Can-
Bearing Assembly Exchange-Repair Programs. Above, a recent repair. (Image: Schurco Slurry) ada to increase its pump wear life by

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 33

 SLURRY PUMPS

130% and save it $70,000 per annum in the existing pump and making operations per year by half,” Aho said. “This is more
spares,” Aho said. difficult,” he said. than 80% longer than the existing pump
At LaRonde’s SAG mill, a coarse slur- The Weir Minerals team and Agnico and more than 130% longer than the
ry was fed directly to Warman AH pumps. Eagle operators made adjustments to the pump with replicator spare parts.”
“Due to these abrasive conditions, the existing level control monitoring system. The operating costs of the MCR 250
wear life of the incumbent pumps was “We also implemented a service agree- were 36% less than either of the incum-
low, averaging 1,650 hours and, quite ment with Agnico Eagle, which included a bent pumps. It also needed less mainte-
frankly, in need of improvement,” he said. higher level of support from a Weir Min- nance time, he said. “By working together,
A competitor offered a trial of non- erals service center located close to their the Agnico Eagle and Weir Minerals teams
OEM liners and impeller, promising to site,” Aho said. “The nearby service tech- were able to not only solve the challenge
double the wear life of the existing com- nicians would rely on the readily available on site, but also develop an efficient and
ponents at a significantly reduced cost. local inventory of spare parts, which in cost-effective solution to help Agnico Ea-
“After thorough review of the equipment, turn would streamline the repair process.” gle get the most out of their equipment.”
operations on-site and operational data, During the trial, the competitor failed The trial shows how, with service cen-
the Weir Minerals team selected a pump to assess the application properly, and ters in more than 60 countries, Weir Min-
with the latest technology, a Warman installed replicated parts based on old- erals has the inventory and boots on the
MCR 250 slurry pump, for trial against er technology. Their parts lasted 1,300 ground to help a customer answer sup-
the existing pump,” Aho said. hours and needed six rebuilds per year. ply chain challenges. “We are close to
“Then, looking beyond just the pump Several components suffered from pre- our customers to ensure we can be there
itself and reviewing the system as a mature cracking. when they need us most,” Aho said.
whole, Weir Minerals determined that an In contrast, “the Warman MCR 250 “Having people and parts on the ground
improper pump box level control proce- pump achieved 3,000 hours of continu- means that we can be responsive to our
dure was contributing to the high wear of ous operation and reduced the rebuilds customer’s needs.”

Putzmeister Pump at Porgera Primed for Production

By Jesse Morton, Technical Writer Co-owned by Barrick Gold, Porgera, at an elevation of 2,200
A Putzmeister services contractor said the cement-tailings m, began production in 1990 and operates surface and un-
backfill pump at Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea is derground mines. “At the end of 2010, a Putzmeister paste
prepped in anticipation of the mine reopening in June. The re- backfill pumping plant placed into operation,” Putzmeister re-
start of the mine is still pending based on the successful resolu- ported. “This is part of the environmental plans of Barrick to
tion of certain critical issues. improve and reduce the discharge of tailings and increase the
Beasley Hydraulic Services said that when the mine opens, safety in the mine.”
the pump will be ready for action. “The Porgera mine was Roughly 8% of the tailings would become permanent under-
closed for at least 2.5 years, but after a quick service by Beas- ground cemented backfill.
ley’s, the official service company for Putzmeister for Australia The operation gave “some advantages for the work in the
and Papua New Guinea, the machine is ready for operation mine,” Beasley said. It created a closed mine waste circuit, “im-
again,” said Peter Beasley, business development manager. proved stabilization of mine working areas,” and increased the
cut-off grade. It also “hermetically sealed the conveying path for
the material within the pipeline,” he said. “Which contributed to
increased working and operation safety.”
Cemented tailings backfill gives stability to the work site,
which allows for “more selective excavation and, due to this, less
tailings,” Putzmeister reported. The operation would leave “no or
only little residual water in the mine, less mud and no danger of
water in abandoned workings compared with slurry backfill.”
The increase in ore production resulting from more selective
excavation would “give the opportunity to store more tailings
underground as backfill material,” Putzmeister reported.
There were also numerous intangible benefits to the opera-
tion. “Using the waste material for backfilling improves the cost
efficiency and protects the environment,” Beasely said. “Also
backfilling increases the acceptance for the mine by the public.”
In the operation, the “tailings are dewatered by a disc fil-
ter, then transported by a belt to a paste mixer,” Putzmeister
reported. “There the 4% cement will be added, and the slump
adjusted to the requested value, which depends on the pump-
The HSP 25100 HPS double-piston pump for cement tailings at Barrick’s
Progera gold mine gives a maximum output of 133 m3/h, and a maximum ing distance.” The distance could be up to 3 km through a
delivery pressure of 15 MPa. (Image: Putzmeister) 150-mm-dia. pipe.

34 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 SLURRY PUMPS

The wear-resistance capabilities of weigh upward of 12 metric tons (mt) each KSB Group, parent company for KSB
WRT means components last longer and and are 2.5 m in diameter,” said Peter Mining and its subsidiary GIW Industries,
maintenance time is reduced. Muller, manager, global dredge and announced the completion of the $44
The WRT parts can be installed during phosphate mining. “The DWD casings million facility and production expansion
a normal maintenance shutdown and re- are approximately 4 m high and weigh project in Q4 2022.
quires no special tools. “The two stan- about 18 mt each,” he said. “In the past, Rapid order completion is one ex-
dard parts are removed and the Warman an order of this scope would have taken ample of the capabilities realized since
WRT parts are installed,” he said. “All 16 to 20 months, and we would have had the manufacturing expansion part of the
setups, fitment and general maintenance to outsource some of the machining.” project wrapped up in April 2022. “We in-
remain the same.” With the new capacities and capabili- creased our throughput by approximate-
ties of the company’s recently expanded ly 30%, which reduced cycle times and
Improved Capability to production facility and slurry pump head- improved on time delivery,” said Thomas
Deliver, Support quarters in Grovetown, Georgia, order Mueller, vice president of operations.
GIW Industries reported it delivered two completion, from receipt to delivery, took “Things have been going very well
“very large, double-wall inboard pumps a mere 14 months. and our operators really value their new
and spares” and two submerged pumps “We handled all of the white iron high-tech machinery,” he said. “What is
and spares to a Chinese customer. component manufacturing from start to notable is that we have maintained ex-
The pumps were delivered compara- finish at our facility,” Muller said. “This ceptional quality despite the scaling up
tively quickly, which is noteworthy as GIW includes complete design on the DWD of productions.” Quality defects detected
DWD double-wall pumps are among the 2200 pumps, patterns, casting, and ma- after shipment were less than 0.5% of
largest on the market. The model fea- chining,” he said. “This quick delivery revenue, the company reported.
tures hefty components made of high- time would not have been possible be- At the event celebrating the completion
chrome white iron. “DWD impellers can fore the expansion.” of the expansion project, employees and

“From the mixer, the paste is fed into the 7-m3 paste hopper, At Porgera the “double-piston HSP 25100 HPS is the
which is placed directly above the suction inlets of the HSP high-pressure version of the HSP 25100,” he said.
25100 HPS double-piston pump,” Putzmeister reported. Made The pump is powered by a 800-kW Putzmeister HA 800 E
up of 73.5% dry solids, by weight, the paste material “has a power pack, and has the Putzmeister Constant Flow (PCF) sys-
specific gravity of 1,900 kg/m3.” tem to reduce pressure peaks. “Each hydraulic drive cylinder
The pump was adopted in 2010. It gives a maximum output has its own hydraulic circuit,” Beasely said. “The hydraulic drive
of 133 m3/h, and a maximum delivery pressure of 15 MPa. It cylinders are synchronized with each other by the control sys-
has a delivery cylinder length of 2.5 m, and a delivery cylinder tem for a nearly constant material flow.”
dia. of 360 mm. The way PCF works is when the “first delivery cylinder is
“At the heart of any backfill system is the HSP-type Putz- pushing the paste into the pipeline, the second piston sucks
meister double-piston pump with seat valves,” Beasely said. the paste into the delivery cylinder fast,” Putzmeister said.
“For paste backfilling projects, Putzmeister pumps comfortably “The seat valve switches over and pre-compresses to the
high pressures in the pipeline system and therefore long trans- pipeline pressure,” it said. “At the end of the stroke of cyl-
port distances.” inder one, the speed of this piston is reduced and the other
Those capabilities are also exemplified by the similar HSP starts pushing.
25200 HP, he said. “For example, at Hindustan Zinc Ltd, India, At Porgera, the system reduces the pressure peaks in the
this HSP double-piston pump is capable of handling over 250 pipeline “to approx. +/- 10% of the maximum delivery pressure,”
m3/h of cemented backfill paste.” Putzmeister reported.
HSP series pumps feature valves that are easy to replace. Similar results have been reported by other mines using
They also offer a long service life for wear parts. “Putzmeister PCF on HSP series pumps. Belchatow in Poland uses 6 HSP
has special designed spare parts, such as valves and valve 25150 pumps to move flyash 200 m3/h at 85 bar and 185 m3/h
seatings that are made of highly wear-resistant steels,” Beasely at 95 bar. Barrick Goldstrike in the U.S. has one HSP 25100
said. “The valves can be easily replaced without dismantling HPS moving tailings 95 m3/h at 120 bar. Lisheen Mine in Ire-
the delivery lines.” land uses HSP 25100 pumps to move lead and zinc ore 131
The pumps are offered with options for controls and re- m3/h at 80 bar.
mote monitoring. “Today we offer the option to network di- “Thanks to PCF, the big pressure peaks of a standard dou-
rectly using our control cabinet,” Beasely said. “That allows ble-piston pump are eliminated,” Putzmeister said.
us to get access via remote maintenance, even through our The effect is increased longevity of the pump-and-pipeline
specialists in Germany, in the event of a malfunction,” he system, Beasely said. “That’s why building a backfilling system
said. “Especially in areas that are difficult to reach, this is a with Putzmeister HSP double-piston pumps equipped with the
great advantage.” PCF system is the best solution for the long lifetime of the pipe-
HSP series pumps “are made for 24/7 365 days’ work,” lines and fastenings, and for less noise,” he said. “The Putz-
Beasely said. They are “mainly used where fine slurries lad- meister piston pumps with seat valves technology and the PCF
en with a high proportion of solids must be conveyed against system are the first choice to transport fine material and pastes
high pressures.” with a high dry solids content and high viscosity.”

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 35

 SLURRY PUMPS

“Pumps like the MDX-850 and DWD-

2500 were made possible only after ex-
panding the foundry capacity,” he said.
“With the prior constraints removed, GIW
Industries is uniquely positioned to serve
the growing demands for large slurry
pumps needed in the mining industry.”
That would include the gigantic GIW
TBC-92, reportedly the largest slur-
ry pump operating in the Canadian oil
sands. Weighing more than a fully load-
ed Airbus A321 plane, it has a 2.3-m-dia.
impeller and adjustable suction liner that
can be moved without shutting down the
pump. The unit offers longer runtimes,
fewer outages, increased production,
and a lower cost of ownership, the com-
pany said. It operates up to 6,000 hours
continuously before needing a wet-end
component change.
The unit can be found in all hydro-
transportation applications, said Erkki
After almost 10 years in the making and over $100 million total invested, GIW’s spacious new facility
enables the company to increase throughput by 30%, reduce cycle times, and improve on delivery time.
Khohtanen, vice president, sales. “The
(Image: GIW) success of the TBC-92 is a testament to
KSB’s commitment to meeting custom-
community stakeholders toured the facility he said. “This new paint-and-wash sys- ers’ needs from concept to operation,” he
to “see the new large-scale machinery that tem addresses setup challenges and im- said. “With KSB’s centralized, top-notch
makes GIW the largest white iron found- proves quality in multiple ways.” facilities, operators can be certain that
ry and machine shop in the world,” said The facility also now features multiple this pump is head and shoulders above
Meilin Ruiz, GIW brand manager. With large-scale CNC machines “to help im- the competition.”
government officials in attendance, KSB prove manufacturing capacity of our big The expansion project was a natu-
executives spoke on how the expansion pumps,” Butler said. “The largest of the ral outcome of the company’s culture of
puts KSB and its customers “in a strate- CNCs can machine a pump flange and continuous improvement, GIW said. The
gically advantaged position ahead of an bore in the same setup for significant company lives at the cutting edge of in-
anticipated commodities super-cycle.” time savings,” he said. “These are very novation, said CEO Jonathan Samuel.
The expansion project “boosted the rigid CNC machines that can also han- “Our goal is to be a premier supplier of
local economy and increased employ- dle better speeds and feeds on white iron slurry pumps and parts and a reliable
ment opportunities,” Ruiz said. “After al- material that is challenging to machine.” partner to our customers.”
most 10 years in the making, and over The new facility addresses ongoing The goal guarantees that in “the fu-
$100 million total invested, the event was supply chain challenges that have ham- ture you will see not only an investment
a celebration of GIW’s 130-year history,” pered production across multiple indus- in R&D, and manufacturing facilities, but
she said, “and its future.” tries. “Some of our largest customers are in the development of local expert teams
The expansion sought to improve in North America,” said Catherine Nis- that serve our mining customers around
both efficiencies and capacity. “For ex- sen, global supply chain manager. “By the world,” he said. “The design, testing,
ample, the new shot blast system is a having our foundry here in the U.S., we manufacture, service and aftersales tech
significant improvement in throughput are better able to support their needs,” support of world-class slurry pumps needs
and setup reduction,” said Mark Butler, she said. “We’re able to be more respon- highly qualified and dedicated people, and
manufacturing engineering manager. sive and we’re able to get them what they this is what we are cultivating every day.”
“Previously, we could only blast one need quicker.”
side of our parts at a time, which is very The new facility also offers the ca- Improved Performance,
time-consuming given the size of our pabilities required to manufacture some Maintenance Features
pump parts,” he said. “Our new heat- of GIW’s larger pumps. Before the ex- ITT Goulds Pumps said it is extending
treat ovens are significantly larger and pansion project was complete, the GIW the XHD Extra Heavy Duty Lined Slurry
can accommodate over 50 mt each.” The foundry there could produce finished Pump range to cover an increased range
new ovens are more efficient than their white iron castings of roughly 17 mt. of flow rates and discharge heads. The
predecessors and therefore cut costs. “Pumps like the TBC-84 and MDX- range of sizes of the elastomer-lined
“We now have a new paint-and-wash 750 took advantage of this output with pumps is also being extended.
system that is very professional and en- casings approaching this limit,” said “Users will therefore enjoy the ben-
vironmentally friendly to paint our parts,” Leo Perry, Eng., lead product manager. efits of using the XHD pump across a

36 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 SLURRY PUMPS

much wider range of slurry applica- time between fail-

tions,” said Harvinder Bhabra, global ures, and allows for
product manager. a planned mainte-
The largest pump in the range cur- nance regime.
rently offers capacities up to 3,000 m3/h, Other features
and can handle heads up to 85 m, sub- include ease of im-
ject to slurry properties. peller removal via
With large-dia. impellers, thicker lin- an impeller-release
ers, and interchangeable metal and rub- collar located where
ber wear parts, the XHD pump range is parts may seize up
designed for use with in heavy-duty ap- in rough operating
plications. Its features offer numerous conditions. “The im-
benefits that help miners address chal- peller has a patent-
lenges posed by constraints to the sup- ed machined thread
ply chain and to labor markets. that provides the
“The pumps’ features were developed user with a reliable
to address pain points expressed by cus- method for realign-
tomers in comprehensive voice-of-custom- ment during assem-
er surveys,” Bhabra said. “The high-effi- bly to the shaft,”
The large-dia. impellers, thick liners, and interchangeable metal and rubber wear
ciency impeller and volute design coupled Bhabra said. parts reduce the maintenance requirements of the XHD Extra Heavy Duty Lined
with the liner thicknesses and maintenance Integral lifting Slurry Pump range, reducing total cost of ownership. (Image: ITT Goulds Pumps)
features mean that the pumps deliver a to- points on major
tal lower cost of ownership, contributing components also provide safe lifting and and suction side liner through bearing
towards a lower carbon footprint,” he said. ease of maintenance. The quick wet-end assembly adjustment on all pumps.
“This sets the XHD apart from many exist- change-out feature on some pumps can The patented i-Alert condition-mon-
ing slurry pump designs on the market.” significantly reduce repair times, particu- itoring module is available on the power
Larger impellers result in the pumps larly on larger pumps,” he said. end as an optional feature giving an early
operating at lower speeds, which reduc- The XHD range allows maintenance warning of possible failures from exces-
es wear rates, delivers a longer mean of the running gap between the impeller sive temperatures or vibration.

Mineral: Chalcopyrite
Particle Size: 800 x 150µm
Mineral Expression: 1% of Surface Area
Copper Recovery: >90%

>600µm particles recovered

using HydroFloat CPF

• Grind coarser at same recovery • Reduce primary grinding

• Reduce coarse values lost to tailings power consumption
• Increase throughput • Generate coarser tailings
Coarse Particle Flotation... this changes everything.

See How It Works!

Visit Eriez.com/HydroFloat

1.604.952.2300 | Eriez.com

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 37

 DUST CONTROL

How to Deal With Fugitive Mine Dust

Dust control strategies are evolving for more effective suppression and protection, as well
as the elimination of particles at the source. E&MJ explores some of the latest solutions.
By Carly Leonida, European Editor

Dust can occur at multiple points within the effectiveness of each application, al- trend within dust control is the transfor-
the mining process — at material trans- lowing operators to use less water while mation towards products that have no
fer points, conveyors, in stockpiles, on still suppressing dust particles effectively. negative impact on the environment,
roads, and more. In some approaches, Nalco Water estimates that up to 60% the operational safety and the health of
mine operators use water sprays alone to of water used for road dust control can be workers and communities nearby.”
suppress dust. However, this method re- lost to evaporation and run-off in harsh For solution providers, the biggest
quires a significant amount of water and conditions. Chemical solutions can help challenge was to provide alternative
can be less effective than chemical solu- the water penetrate solids more effective- products that offer better performance
tions. Over the past decade, innovative ly so that less water can be applied. For than conventional products with the
foam, binder, and surfactant-based prod- instance, surfactant-based products help same application convenience and cost
ucts have helped mines to optimize their optimize the surface tension of the water, structure. Once applied, a solution that
dust control approach, minimize water creating smaller droplets that impact a effectively binds the wearing course
use and maximize effective applications. greater surface area. As a result, the prod- must offer durability and longevity of
Steve Paulson, Director, Global Min- uct can penetrate deep into the bulk solids dust suppression to reduce the fre-
ing Marketing for Nalco Water, an Ecolab to minimize evaporation and run-off. quency of reapplication on haul roads.
Company, explained: “Traditional dust Nalco Water’s portfolio of dust control Overall, this means fewer water truck
control methods can be water intensive, solutions includes foam-based products, trips which immediately improves the
which can be costly and challenging in surface tension reducers, binders, tackifi- environmental performance of mining
water-stressed regions. Further, dust from ers, and humectants (based on the appli- operations through a reduction of water
material handling operations or stockpiles cation area). Each solution combines in- used, and CO2 emissions.
can pose significant health and safety novative chemistry with material handling General Manager of Bind-X, Alex
hazards to mining personnel and the sur- expertise to address customer’s unique McHaffie, explained: “The dust suppres-
rounding community. Fugitive dust par- operational challenges and requirements. sant mode of action and it’s performance
ticles can be inhaled, potentially leading In one example, Nalco Water helped must be linked to the decarbonization
to health issues. They can also lead to a global mining company to develop a strategy of the mine operations to mini-
reduced visibility on roads, create chal- dust control program that effectively sup- mize environmental impacts over the life-
lenges with air quality, particle runoff and pressed haul-road dust at its operations cycle of the mine.”
more. Mine operators are looking for solu- while minimizing water use and climate Innovative alternatives to chemicals,
tions that help them to effectively reduce impacts. By implementing Nalco’s HAUL- mostly biological-based alternatives, can
dust while minimizing water use and cost.” AGE-DC solution, the customer reduced enhance the longevity and performance
The use of chemical solutions in dust the number of water spray trucks operat- of treated infrastructure in certain instanc-
control programs can help to maximize ing daily from 13 to three, which led to a es, eliminating the need for water-only
water saving of 400 cubic meters per day, methods as well as reducing any non
fuel savings of 44,000 liters per year, and biodegradable raw materials used in
carbon emissions savings of 116,000 ki- chemicals for dust suppression. Biologi-
lograms per year. The solution delivered cal products can sometimes be more flex-
more than US$1.5 million in cost savings. ible in formulation too compared to pure
chemical approaches, e.g., they can have
Incorporating Biological additional functionalities, such as binding
Solutions of very small particles, integrated.
Over the past decade, the transition to- The Bind-X portfolio of dust control
wards more sustainable best practices products addresses different sources
has seen a widening in focus from con- of dust in a mine. Current products fo-
ventional dust control products such cus on haul roads, secondary roads,
as water alone, polymers and bitumen mine tailings, stockpiles and open
emulsions to biological products from broadscale areas. Depending on the
natural raw materials as well. client needs, Bind-X can select within a
An untreated mine haul road. Fugitive dust has Martin Spitznagel, CEO of biotechnol- variety of product variations and offers
resulted in reduced visibility. (Photo: Bind-X) ogy specialist, Bind-X, said: “The biggest customisations. All products are based

38 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 DUST CONTROL

on natural solidification processes and,

it claims, are competitive towards con-
ventional alternatives.
Spitznagel added: “Now is the per-
fect time for joint efforts from all stake-
holders to transition the mining industry
towards more efficient and environmen-
tally friendly dust control practices that
include, at their core, communities and
the CO2 balance of the operation.”

Protecting Engines From Reca Plastics will soon be launching the Beltwitch Waterblade which removes 100% of carryback — a
Dusting potential source of fugitive dust. (Image: Reca Plastics)
Fugitive dust can also impact the oper-
ating life of machines on site. Engines tems and uses smart, ruggedized optical are looking for clean and environmentally
require a clean source of air for combus- sensors and advanced algorithms deliv- friendly solutions.
tion and reliable operation. The failure of ered via the cloud to continuously moni- “Emission control systems on convey-
air induction systems through damage to tor air quality in real time. or belts, such as scrapers, can effectively
ducting, broken hoses, loose clamps, fail- Operators and maintenance super- provide this. Scrapers remove material
ure of air filtration media or human error visors are alerted immediately through carryback from conveyor belts which is a
during maintenance, can allow unfiltered on-machine and remote alarms if dust major source of fugitive dust emissions.
air to enter the combustion chambers. particles in the critical size range and They also eliminate the need for cleaning
Jason Green, President and Chief above a specified level are detected. This under conveyor modules. In operations
Technology Officer at DustGuard Corp, provides the opportunity to shut down the across the globe, personnel are not paying
explained: “Engine dust ingress, or ‘dust- machine or bring it into the maintenance enough attention to belt scraping and this
ing,’ is a recurring issue that impacts al- facility for inspection and repair. is causing secondary environmental and
most every hard-rock mining operation. The system is suitable for diesel, du- health problems as well as high operational
The only exceptions would be those in ar- al-fuel and spark-ignited engines (low- costs. Many companies don’t realize that,
eas that receive a very high level of precip- high speed) rated at 500-2,000 hp (373- with the right technologies, their operations
itation or in extremely cold climates. Even 1,491 kW) or above. Up to four discrete can be nearly dust free today if they want.”
there, once the rain stops or the ground air sample inputs allows for engines with Reca offers a full range of conveyor belt
thaws, then dust levels will increase.” multiple turbochargers or intake ducts. cleaning products, from easy-to-change
The impacts of dusting depend upon DustGuard’s first commercial roll primary blades to sophisticated cleaning
the severity of the leak and ambient con- out came at the beginning of 2022, and machines. Together with partners, the com-
ditions. For example, small leaks that al- Green told E&MJ the company has seen pany is currently working on an innovative
low dust to accumulate incrementally over a strong response from the market. conveyor belt scraper which will soon be
time can gradually reduce engine perfor- “Our first customer — a coal mine in marketed as the BeltWitch Waterblade.
mance and accelerate wear, triggering Wyoming, US — installed the system on “For nearly a decade, we have been
early overhauls. Larger leaks can lead to one haul truck and was so impressed that working closely with a leading European
rapid engine damage or catastrophic fail- they’ve purchased five more,” he said. mine operator to develop our low-wear,
ure in a matter of hours, resulting in signif- “We’re seeing very strong interest from long lasting scrapers,” Clark said. “Our
icant downtime and loss of production. almost every mining company that we’ve newest product is the 100% BeltWitch
Visual engine inspections can be effec- talked to. Their universal response is that Waterblade scraper which fully elimi-
tive for identifying larger air induction leaks they have this problem, and they’re inter- nates any dust emissions on the return
like damaged intake hoses, but smaller ested in a technology to solve it.” strand of conveyor belts. Also, when wa-
cracks or pinholes in ductwork are difficult ter is a sparse resource, the water can be
to detect. Silica accumulates in engine Tackling Dust at the Source recycled and reused many times to keep
lubricating oil over time so, today, dusting Effective dust control strategies address, total consumption low.”
is primarily identified through oil analysis not just fugitive dust, but also the source
performed at regular service intervals. But of dust through equipment and process A Multi-pronged Approach
very few mines have laboratories on site, adjustments. These solutions are just a snapshot of
and by the time samples have been col- Dirk Clark, Sales Manager at poly- those available on the market today to su-
lected, analyzed and technicians alerted urethane specialist, Reca Plastics, ex- press fugitive dust, protect machines from
to the presence of silica, damage has usu- plained: “With the right dust control tech- its effects, and minimize generation at the
ally occurred. Mines need a system that niques at the source, mine operators source. The options are many and modern
alert them immediately to this problem. can save a lot of money and minimize dust control programs should be tailored to
In 2021, DustGuard Corp launched reputational risks. Year-on-year we are include elements that effectively address
its eponymous solution, DustGuard. This having more intense discussions with our each operation’s unique challenges, while
interfaces with engine air induction sys- clients to solve this problem. Companies protecting people, the planet and profits.

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 39

HAULAGE & LOADING 2023 PREVIEW

H&L Conference Returns to Tucson

Live event offers ideas on how to better manage pit production
By Steve Fiscor, Editor-in-Chief

H&L 2023 Exhibition in Print

More than 30 suppliers will showcase
their mining equipment and technology
during the event. What follows is a brief
description of what delegates can expect
to see, including:

Absolute Autonomous
Absolute Autonomous is an internation-
al company focused and committed to
the operational performance of autono-
mous haulage systems (AHS). Absolute
is a team of dedicated professionals that
strive to maximize AHS performance
through proven efficiency improvements,
and AHS operational teams upskilling.
The company’s performance consultants
are high-level SMEs, all passionate, ad-
The Hilton El Conquistador (above) will serve as the venue for H&L 2023. vanced end users of these systems.

After a 4-year hiatus due to COVID-19, el wear analysis, closes out the morning. Airth.Io
mining professionals will gather at the During the afternoon, attendees will hear With end-to-end understanding of data
Haulage & Loading (H&L) conference, more about operational improvement with from mining operations, Airth products
April 2-5, 2023, at the Hilton El Conquis- presentations that cover safety and pro- and solutions can help eliminate the
tador in Tucson, Arizona, USA. The con- ductivity improvements. Tuesday after- gaps between planning and operation.
ference, which is geared toward open-pit noon will close with a discussion on data Airth’s Solutions use data integration
mining in general with an emphasis on and maintenance and how emphasis in and predictive analytics to improve vis-
truck-shovel mining, offers two full days these areas can improve sustainability. ibility throughout your decision-making
of presentations followed by a half-day On Wednesday morning, April 5, Dr. process. Companies that use Airth have
workshop. Participants will learn from Joseph will host a workshop. Participants a full picture of how changes in both
some of the best in the business. will learn how to create roads that are operations and plans will affect down-
The H&L 2023 technical session more effective, longer lasting and efficient stream financial outcomes and can act
opens Monday morning, April 3, with a for the haulage fleet, generating higher intelligently on those insights to contin-
discussing about the future for haulage hauler performance and lower mainte- uously improve productivity, profitability
and loading techniques. Two sessions nance issues. From the way a hauler and sustainability.
follow with presentations on emissions interacts with the road to the impact on
reduction efforts and the use of novel emissions and tires; attendees will receive Australian Diversified Engineering
approaches to power haul trucks. During actionable ideas they can immediately im- Australian Diversified Engineering
the afternoon, there will be a lively discus- plement at their mining operations. (ADE) specializes in water trucks and
sion on autonomous and operator-assist- Prior to the event, Mining Media In- haul road operations and supplies inno-
ed operations. Dr. Tim Joseph, who was ternational (MMI) will host a golf outing vative water truck spray systems to the
instrumental in organizing the H&L 2023 at the Oro Valley golf club on Sunday global mining industry. ADE Spray wa-
technical program, will host a panel dis- morning, April 2. That evening, delegates ters roads at a metered rate, automati-
cussion that summarizes the future direc- are invited to the opening reception with cally lowers spray rates when driving on
tion of haulage and loading operations. a western-style BBQ with entertainment ramps and can be integrated with third
On Tuesday, April 4, the discussion and a Texas Hold’em poker tourna- party fleet management systems. In ad-
turns more toward operator experience. ment. Breakfast and lunch are included dition, ADE has developed a free iPhone
Three speakers form mining operations throughout the event. Afterwards, Cat/ app to measure haul road friction so that
will discuss their experience with opera- Finning has agreed to host a small group mining operations can make informed
tional improvement programs. A session at its Tinaja Proving Grounds. Advanced decisions around wet weather and wa-
on consumables, such as tires and shov- registration is required. tered haul roads.

40 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 HAULAGE & LOADING 2023 PREVIEW

Haulage & Loading 2023 Technical Program

Keynote: Rethinking Haulage & Loading Techniques Session 5: Consumables
Monday April 3, 2023, 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 4, 10:30-Noon
By Adriaan Davidse, director, Deloitte Why Tire Strategy Matters
By Mark Goode, director, business insights, Kal Tire
Session 1: Emissions Reduction Efforts Development of the Air Suspension Wheel
Monday April 3, 9:00-10:15 a.m. By Zoltan Kemeny, president and CEO, Global Air Cylinder Wheel
Advances with Electric-powered Hydraulic Excavators Rope Shovel Wear and Performance Analysis
By Peter Buhles, vice president, Komatsu Germany GmbH By David Harcus, researcher, Innotech
DT-74: Journey to the World’s First At-scale Zero-emis- Shovel/Excavator Decarbonization: Look to Revitalization
sions Haul Truck & Optimization
By Krunal Desai, director of electrical engineering, First Mode By Jerry Gohre, director of power electronics, Flanders
Reducing Carbon Intensity While Optimizing Performance
By Cayce Kerr, director-mining, Finning Canada Lunch Served in the Exhibit Area (Noon-1:00 p.m.)

Session 2: Trolley-assist, Batteries and Beyond Session 6: Operator Improvement

Monday April 3, 10:45 a.m-Noon Tuesday April 4, 1:00 p.m.-2:15 p.m.
Implementing Trolley-assist at New and Existing Operations Advanced Analytics Puts Our Haul Truck Drivers in the “Driv-
By Joy Mazumdar, vice president-product management, Wabtec ers Seat” of Safe Production and Operational Excellence
Trolley Technology Advancements By Megan Golden, senior mine engineer, Freeport McMoRan,
By George Shehata, project development-processing indus- and Brianna Griffin, enterprise product leader, Freeport McMoRan
tries, ABB Lessons Learned From Haul Truck Operator Near-Miss Events
By Jonathan Hrica, general engineer, Pittsburgh Mining Research
Lunch Served in the Exhibit Area (Noon-1:00 p.m.) Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Mining Asset Optimization with a focus on Operation Actions
Session 3: Autonomous and Operator-assisted Operations By Ken Bell, vice president-strategic planning, Syncrude Canada
Monday April 3, 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
AHS and The Valley of Despair Session 7: Using Data and Maintenance to Improve
By Craig Gillespie, manager, AHS deployments, Absolute Sustainability
Autonomous Tuesday April 4, 2:45 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Automation Isn’t ‘All or Nothing’– A Practical Example of Enabling Connectivity and Data Access at the Detour Lake
Incremental Automation in Drilling Mine – A Case Study
By Curtis Stacy, sr. product manager, autonomous, Hexagon By Kirk Petroski, founder and executive chairman, Symboticware
Practical Considerations for Autonomous Mining Good Economics for Engines and the Environment
By Diederik Lugtigheid, president, ASI Mining By Arthur Brown, vice president-technical services, Crown CRT
Using Machine Learning to Improve Mine Haulage
Panel Discussion: Future Haulage Options Sustainability
Monday April 3, 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. By Kevin Dagenais, CEO, Cascadia Scientific
Moderator: Dr. Tim Joseph, principal, JPI Mine Equipment & Intelligent Dump Bodies
Engineering By Marcelo Medel, managing director, Duratray, and Pablo
Rossi, regional manager, Duratray
Session 4: Progressive Operations
Tuesday, April 4, 8:30-10:00 a.m. Session 7: The Essentials Workshop
Integrating Road Management Into Operations to Improve Wednesday April 5, 8:30-11:30 (Continental Breakfast Included)
Pit Productivity By Tim Joseph, principal, JPI Mine Equipment & Engineering
By Paul Pepper, mine operations superintendent and Josh Participants will learn how to create roads that are more effec-
Prinsen, engineering superintendent, Agnico Eagle’s Detour tive, longer lasting and efficient for the haulage fleet, generating
Gold Mine higher hauler performance and lower maintenance issues.
Innovative Operations Management, Technology Solutions
and Real Time System Development Session 8: Post-conference Tinaja Tour
By Steve Engler, director of information services, KMC Mining Wednesday, April 5, 2:00-8:00
Gains & Losses – A Collection of Truck-Shovel Continuous Cat/Finning has agreed to host a limited number of delegates at
Improvement (and Unimprovement) Stories its Tinaja Hills Proving Grounds, registration fee includes transpor-
By Terry Morris, mine manager, Nevada Gold Mines tation to and from the hotel, and tacos and beer after the event.

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 41

HAULAGE & LOADING 2023 PREVIEW

safety across industrial, manufacturing,

infrastructure, public sector, and mo-
bility applications. Its technologies are
shaping production and people-related
ecosystems to become increasingly
connected and autonomous — ensuring
a scalable, sustainable future.

Hilliard Brake Systems

The Hilliard Corp. offers an entire range
of industrial modular brakes, caliper
brakes, rail and disk brakes, electric
brakes and products such as power
units, mounting brackets, and discs and
hubs. The company has a complete line
of fail-safe and active braking systems to
meet the needs of specific applications.

Participants will leave H&L 2023 with actionable ideas. Holloway Houston
Holloway Houston is the leading supplier
Crown Carbon Reduction Technologies Fireball Equipment Ltd. of superior lifting products and services
Crown Carbon Reduction Technologies Fireball Equipment is a hydrocarbon man- to energy and construction markets
is the exclusive distributor of CRT Cat- agement and emissions tracking firm. worldwide. Holloway’s extensive inven-
alysts, designed for diesel and dual-fuel tories, quality manufacturing, value-add-
frac applications. Its catalysts increase Flanders ed services, testing facilities, and state-
dual-fuel displacement by 5%-10% and Founded in 1947, Flanders is a global of-the-art equipment combine to deliver
improve combustion efficiency by 8%, leader specializing in the distribution, end-to-end industrial lifting solutions.
on average, regardless of engine tier. service, repair, design, and manufactur-
Not only do CRT Catalysts lower over- ing of electric rotating machines, AI-pow- Honeywell
all fuel costs, they deliver reproducible ered-condition-based monitoring, cus- Honeywell is dedicated to the mining,
scope emission reductions and result in tom controls, systems integration, and metals, and minerals industry, establish-
cleaner engine oil. automation for the industry’s largest and ing collaborative partnerships to drive
most demanding applications. business success across the entire min-
Custom Linings ing operation. The company helps mine
Custom Linings uses a heated high-pres- FlowTech Fueling operations harness their valuable data,
sure spray system to deliver the most FlowTech Fueling’s non-pressure fuel anticipate opportunities and risks, work
durable abrasion, corrosion, and chem- overfill prevention systems eliminate together better across the enterprise,
ical-resistant coatings available for use fuel spillage, improve personnel safety, manage assets remotely, and make the
on steel, concrete, wood, and earthen reduce tank maintenance, and minimize best and most informed decisions. Hon-
substrates. Product lines include spray- environmental impacts. FlowTech’s Fu- eywell offers leading technologies from
able shaft lining support, shaft lining eling’s systems are easy to install and pit to port in addition to the boardroom as
over/under mesh, tailings/leach pond maintain, and they are reliable. The well as comprehensive lifecycle services
lining, heavy equipment protection, pipe company’s mobile fueling depots pro- that help to ensure more productive and
or duct lining, tank cell coating and corro- vide the efficiency and flexibility of a stable operations.
sion/rust protection. high-flow, multi-station fueling facility
with the added benefit of easily mov- Immersive Technologies
Driver Industrial Safety ing it as the mine plan requires. A mine As a global technology leader in the min-
Driver Industrial Safety manufactures that recently installed two 60,000-gallon ing industry, Immersive Technologies’
market-driven safety products for industri- depots, decreased fueling times near- mission is to increase site profitability by
al and commercial industries. Safety is all ly 50% for a fleet of 240-ton class haul optimizing the safety and productivity of
we do. The company’s combined 100 plus trucks, improving production by over operators through our workforce optimi-
years of LED and electronics manufactur- 8,000 tons per shift. zation strategy, aligning people, process
ing provides the best engineered products and technology. With the largest deploy-
available for worksite safety. Its five brand- Hexagon’s Mining Division ment of mining simulators in surface and
ed product lines lead the industry in robust Hexagon is a global leader in digital underground, a global customer base, in-
quality and engineering: NVIZN Identi- reality solutions, combining sensor, dustry endorsement, proven real results
fication Displays, SafetyWhips Warning software and autonomous technolo- and engineering expertise, Immersive
Whips, Helios Warning Lights, Toro Wheel gies. The company puts data to work to Technologies is the recognized and trust-
Chocks, and Industrial Decals Co. boost efficiency, productivity, quality and ed leader in mining training solutions.

42 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 HAULAGE & LOADING 2023 PREVIEW

MagShield Philippi-Hagenbuch, Inc. Strata Worldwide

MagShield are experts in magnetic fil- PHIL is the premier supplier of fully cus- Strata Worldwide is a leader in safety and
tration for key fluid operating systems. tom-engineered off-highway truck bodies, the company’s offerings in proximity de-
The company offers high-quality asset water tanks and lowboy trailers to the tection and collision avoidance systems
protection and diagnostic solutions to mining industry, since 1969. Based out of are cutting-edge. These work to prevent
capture iron contaminants not captured Peoria, Illinois, Philippi-Hagenbuch works accidents and injuries involving mobile
by existing filters. Avoiding downtime; with our clients around the world to create machinery. Through partnerships with do-
extending component life; improving op- unique, one of a kind products to maximize mestic and global chemical companies,
erating costs; and maximizing produc- the efficiency of our clients operations. Strata offers a full suite of specialty shot-
tivity of high value equipment is a con- cretes, grouts, resins, liners, waterproof-
stant priority. MagShield offers a new, Pressure Systems International ing membranes and cellular concretes.
enhanced and complementary solution Tire. Intelligence. Delivered. Pressure
to ferrous contamination. Systems International (PSI) is the global Symbioticware
leader in onboard tire management sys- Symboticware is a leader in data ex-
Matrix Design Group tems for commercial vehicles. The com- traction and a technology partner for
Matrix Design Group provides a platform pany’s portfolio includes automatic tire some of the world’s largest natural re-
with hardware, software and analytics inflation systems (ATIS) for commercial sources companies. For more than 15
that delivers leading-edge products and trailers, tire pressure monitoring systems years, Symboticware has pioneered state
actionable insights for mine operators. (TPMS), and related TPMS telematics of the art in asset utilization, productivi-
The company’s product line includes products. PSI’s ATIS can be combined ty, reliability and life-cycle management
systems data networking, communica- with TireView TPMS and TireView LIVE across asset categories. 4-Sight.ai, Sym-
tion and tracking systems, mining prox- telematics with data analytics for proac- boticware’s telemetry management plat-
imity detection systems, industrial col- tive tire management. form, enables capturing, tracking, and
lision avoidance systems and data and analysis of the data using advanced AI
analytics software. Matrix’s innovation Rigid Industries and ML-based algorithms.
has been demonstrated by winning the Rigid products are proudly designed, en-
NIOSH Mine Safety & Health Technology gineered, torture tested and approved at Total Power, Inc.
Innovation Awards in 2020 for its Omni- state of the art facility in Phoenix, Arizona, Total Power is a strategic provider of fuel
Pro collision avoidance system. USA. The company’s highly trained and additives, fuel management systems,
workforce takes pride in building each and relocatable fuel docks. With more
Monico Rigid LED light. This commitment to qual- than 25 years of experience in the min-
Monico provides data capture, remote ity is backed by an industry-leading, 10- ing, the company’s goal is to work coop-
condition monitoring, data visualization year warranty on Rigid Mining products. eratively with mining engineers to devel-
and analytics solutions. Monico works op fuel strategies related efficiency KPI’s,
with customers to identify their data acqui- Siemens emissions, and refueling.
sition needs, recommends and offers data With innovative, integrated technologies
capture hardware that includes the ability for electrification, automation and digita- Vulcan On-Board Scales
to perform protocol conversions, data buff- lization across the entire life cycle, Sie- Vulcan On-Board Scales has weighing
ering, edge analytics, exception reporting mens’ large drives division helps mining solutions for underground and surface
and much more. Monico’s hardware solu- customers navigate the energy transition vehicles. Miners can weigh payloads at
tions coupled with their Remote Condition and decarbonize their portfolio. Siemens the pickup point while also tracking truck
Monitoring Solution, MonicoLive, provides sustains competitiveness through service frame fatigue, according to OEM proto-
a solution for collecting, storing, visualiz- aimed not only at optimizing the produc- cols. The company offers model specific
ing, and analyzing machine data. tivity, reliability, safety and efficiency of on-board weighing solutions for trucks
system components but also at achiev- carrying greater than 20 tons. The scales
NMT Group ing lasting improvement in processes. include a meter in the cab and warning
With many decades of experience, the options to let the loader know when the
NMT group has established an excellent Southwestern Scale Co., Inc. maximum capacity has been reached.
reputation in the mining industry. The Southwestern Scale is the only full-ser-
company has worked alongside world- vice scale company in the southwestern Walz Scale
class mining companies, contracting U.S. With weighing system products, Walz Scale provides weighing and volu-
firms and engineering consultants serv- accessories and services, Southwest- metric scanning solutions with the latest
ing the global mining industry for many ern Scale has placed more equipment technology to industries, including but
decades. The NMT team’s extensive in service for more customers than any not limited to transportation/haulage, ag-
knowledge ensures that they can cus- other single scale company in the mining riculture, chemical, laboratory, aggregate,
tom design solutions (especially haulage market. The company offers truck scales waste, recycling, and mining applications.
solutions, shaft related solutions, loading for sale as well as rentals, and services Today, thousands of businesses across
and unloading solutions) to work in any such as scale calibration and repair, load the globe rely on Walz Scale for their mea-
country and every situation. testing, and weight studies. surement and production tracking needs.

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 43

 TRUCKS AND LHDS

Dig, Load, Haul — Repeat

Trucks and loaders form the heart of underground production fleets the world over.
E&MJ presents a guide to the latest features and models from five leading OEMs.
By Carly Leonida, European Editor

From higher payloads and cleaner ing CAN bus controls — and a unique Vien said. The machine’s success
diesel engines, to automated digging bucket geometry designed to increase story has spread throughout the region
technologies and battery-electric drive productivity. We are very excited about and, today, multiple WX07s operate in
trains, 2021 and 2022 saw a host of this product line as we truly believe it Peru, including one recently acquired
new features announced for under- will be a leader in the 3-ton LHD cate- by a tier-one miner.
ground trucks and LHDs, as well as gory. To date, we’ve received an over- “Looking into the future, we’re work-
some completely new models. Many of whelming level of interest in this small ing to fill the gaps that currently exist
these are heading into field testing or but powerful LHD.” in our product portfolio as we strive
commercial availability in the coming Prior to the WX03, Komatsu officially to fulfil the needs of our customers,”
months, and what better way to cele- launched the 7-t WX07 LHD at MINEx- Vien added.
brate these cutting-edge technologies po in 2021. Since then, the WX07 has In terms of new features, Komatsu
than with a roundup of new and exciting spread its footprint across the globe recently developed and integrated its
developments? with several units operating in the field Hard Rock Haulage Technology pack-
today and, Vien said, “multiple orders in age into the company’s narrow vein
Komatsu Looks to the production queue.” product line. The offering includes
Autonomy and The longest-running WX07 is locat- features such as payload estimation
Electrification ed at AMG AuPlata’s El Santo polyme- and ‘return to’ — a feature that allows
Tyler Vien, Product Manager for LHDs tallic mine near Arequipa in Peru. Con- operators to set common bucket ac-
and Trucks at Komatsu, began by walk- tractor ESEMIN has clocked up over tions to machine memory — as well
ing E&MJ through the company’s latest 6,200 hours of service at this high-alti- as hoist limits. These features are all
introductions. tude operation. available on the WX07.
“The WX03 LHD is our most re- “At El Santo, they were able to “We are also launching a new
cent product launch,” he said. “It was reach 6,200 engine hours with the telematics system across our fleet of
introduced at the tail end of 2022 and WX07 with only preventative mainte- products to support their optimization,”
features modern technology — includ- nance — filters and oils — needed,” Vien told E&MJ. “We understand the
communication challenges of under-
ground mining which is why this critical
feature is being developed and tailored
to our applications.”
The Komatsu Underground Hard
Rock LHD and Truck product group is
heavily focused on electrifying its port-
folio and gradually removing operators
from tough underground environments.
Both trends will likely have a big impact
on safety, productivity and sustainabili-
ty over the next decade.
Vien explained: “In parallel, we are
focused on digitization and interopera-
bility by developing our telematics and
fleet management suite. We under-
stand that, in the future, medium-large
scale mining operations will likely re-
quire some type of telemetry and fleet
monitoring capability. While we are
focused on providing the ultimate turn-
key solution for our customers, we also
understand some operations will have
One of GHH’s latest releases — the LH-10 NEO loader. (Photo: GHH) previously adopted solutions to send

44 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 TRUCKS AND LHDS

Caterpillar’s R2900 XE, which was announced at MINExpo 2021, will go into commercial production this year. (Photo: Caterpillar)

and receive data from their machines. trols support high efficiencies in oper- GHH is also expanding its ‘green
As a result, we’re committed to remain- ation, and a full air suspension seat offering.’ The 19-t battery electric LF-
ing technology agnostic to simplify the ensures maximum operator comfort 19EB loader is designed specifically for
transition to Komatsu underground leading to excellent productivity.” feeder breaker loading in soft-rock, salt
mining LHDs and trucks.” The LF-10’s modular design, includ- and potash mines. The LHD has a 32
ing the plug-and-play operator cabin, kWh on-board battery for easy panel to
GHH: New Models, supports a quick and easy rebuild pro- panel movement with a range of around
New Ownership cess for simple and cost-effective shaft 2.7-km, a tractive effort force of 380 kN
In December 2022, Komatsu an- access. The CE-certified LHD is de- and a cable length of 250-m.
nounced that it’s to acquire GHH Group signed to operate in ambient tempera- This loader is designed to cater for
GmbH, a German manufacturer of un- tures of up to 52°C and is available with bad footwall conditions and is able to
derground mining, tunnelling and spe- Tier 3, Tier 4 final and Stage V engine operate at a maximum of 28% grade,
cial civil engineering equipment. The options. The LF-10 NEO is suited to 15% slope and a maximum of 52°C.
transaction is yet to close, but GHH con- loading all 30-t capacity trucks, includ- GHH is currently optimizing the LF-
tinues to strengthen its product offering. ing GHH’s upcoming MK-30 which is 19EB for hard-rock applications too,
The company’s loaders and trucks span due to be introduced in late 2023. The bringing a carbon-neutral product to
both hard and soft-rock applications, company said the MK-30 will comple- market without the difficulties of battery
including low-profile, narrow-vein, mid- ment the proven MK-A20 20-t truck, as management considerations.
seam and mass mining operations. well as the MK-45; the largest truck in The SLP-14E LHD, which was
One of GHH’s latest releases is the its offering at 45-t. launched in February 2023, has an in-
LF-10 NEO, a 10-t loader with a 4.6 m3 GHH recently added a high-lift novative direct-drive electric drivetrain
standard bucket. At 9.6-m in length, boom option to the LF-3, a 3-t narrow which GHH said “will form the baseline
2.3-m in height and 2.6-m in width and, vein loader, to improve its versatility for other future developments.” The
with good ground clearance, this load- and operational flexibility, especially for axle-to-motor-to-axle design with no
er is compact, versatile and boasts 240 loading 15-t trucks. This loader is able gearbox and direct frequency control
kW of installed power. to operate at altitudes of up to 4,000m has significantly fewer components
“The LF-10 NEO cabin was de- and, along with its sister product, the than other units in its class. The result
signed against stringent ergonomic LF-7, the LF-3 is now available with is less maintenance, fewer breakdowns
principles,” the company said. “Its large Tier 4f and Stage V engine packages and, ultimately, reduced maintenance
foot box and ergonomic layout of con- and diesel particulate filters. costs and improved availability and uti-

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 45

 TRUCKS AND LHDS

said Juha Virta, Vice President of

Sales and Marketing at Sandvik’s
Load and Haul Division. “Productiv-
ity and sustainability can go hand in
hand, as the new alternative drivelines
will provide faster duty cycle times with
less CO2 emissions.”
In terms of diesel-powered equip-
ment, Sandvik continues to develop
and introduce upgrades in several size
classes, including small and low-pro-
file loaders, large loaders and trucks.
During 2022, five models were upgrad-
ed to the company’s Toro brand…
The Toro LH202 narrow-vein load-
er and Toro TH430 truck now include
Stage V engines. The Toro LH209L
low-profile loader also received a
Stage V engine option. Additionally,
the rear of the Toro LH209L has been
redesigned and reinforced to better
withstand ground and roof impacts.
For improved serviceability, flat covers
contribute to easy access for mainte-
nance on top of the loader. Other im-
provements include new improved al-
Komatsu’s new WX03 3-ton LHD. (Photo: Komatsu) uminium coolers, a new transmission,
and upgrades to the hydraulic system
lization. Minimal hydraulics (apart from dergoing extensive factory testing, with with its components.
on the brakes, boom and bucket) mean the first units scheduled for delivery to The Toro LH307 loader received
that the likelihood of hydraulic-related customers in North America, Australia, design updates as well as new hard-
breakdowns is also reduced. Europe and Southeast Asia during the ware and software options. The 7-t
All GHH loaders and trucks are first half of 2023. AutoMine compatibil- model carries a higher payload than its
available with a proximity detection ity will be available in the second half LH307 predecessor, and the model is
sensor level 9 interface, are automa- of the year now ‘digital-ready.’ The loader features
tion-ready and available with GHH’s Building on its predecessor, the Sandvik’s integrated weighing system
inSiTE digital analytics solution which Sandvik LH518B, the new Toro model (IWS) and traction control which were
can be customized to support specific features several design updates and previously only available on larger
customer and application needs. improved field serviceability. The latest Sandvik loaders. These have also been
version of Sandvik’s intelligent control applied to the upgraded Toro LH208L
Sandvik Focuses on system enables AutoMine readiness, low-profile loader which is especially
Emissions, Safety and and the loader is equipped with com- popular for mines in southern Africa.
Productivity pany’s patented self-swapping battery Some of the most significant up-
Sandvik’s latest battery-electric truck is system, including the AutoSwap and grades for Sandvik’s diesel-powered
the 65-t TH665B which was released in AutoConnect functions. equipment include emission control
February 2022. The TH665B is Sand- The AutoMine onboard kit is avail- systems, i.e., Stage V engine options
vik’s largest battery-powered under- able as an option, and the loader is and diesel particulate filters. These will
ground dump truck, and it utilizes the equipped with standard valves, har- soon be available throughout Sand-
same battery chemistry as the other nesses and other built-in hardware vik’s offering, depending on their suit-
Sandvik BEVs; lithium-iron phosphate for other automation technologies. ability for different engine configura-
(LiFePO4 or LFP) for optimal perfor- The Sandvik BEV offering has been tions. The majority of Sandvik loaders
mance. The TH665B also has the pat- a valuable option for customers with and trucks can also run on paraffinic
ented AutoSwap self-swapping system, deep operations and those with ven- diesel fuels meeting the requirements
allowing the operator to stay in the cab- tilation challenges; the BEVs have of the EN 15940 standard. Renewable
in during battery changes. provided solutions and helped reduce paraffinic diesel fuel considerably re-
In March 2023, Sandvik also intro- CO 2 emissions. duces the unit’s greenhouse gas foot-
duced the Toro LH518iB loader which “In addition to the current offering, print and the emissions.
is ‘AutoMine ready.’ The 18-t bat- Sandvik will continue to develop a “Using paraffinic fuels instead of
tery-electric underground loader is un- wider BEV and technology range,” fossils would be a very feasible option

46 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 TRUCKS AND LHDS

in the short term to reduce emissions sions, improve safety, and increase predecessor — the R2900G — while
but, based on feedback we’ve heard, productivity underground,” Walter reducing fuel consumption by more
this is not a very commonly used alter- Ojala, Product Line Manager for large than 30% in many applications. The
native at the sites,” said Virta. loaders told E&MJ. redesigned lift arm and components
“We have a multitude of devel- In Sandvik’s digital offering, the lat- geometry, combined with load-sensing
opment projects looking at different est solution is the Digital Trainer — TH hydraulics and new bucket geometry,
technologies, including diesel-electric simulator for trucks. This was launched increase the R2900 XE’s breakout
technology, further development of in October 2022 following the introduc- force by 35%.
battery-electric vehicle (BEV) equip- tion of a similar solution for large Sand- The Cat C15 engine powering the
ment and related analytics. The near vik loaders. R2900 XE comes in configurations
future is a mix of different technologies, Further development of training to meet a range of emissions regula-
spiced up with increasing intelligence, solutions and expansion of the simula- tions, including EU Stage V and U.S.
while we are on the journey towards tor offering is something that Sandvik is EPA Tier 4 Final. Its Stage II- and Tier
zero emissions.” planning for the near future. 2-equivalent Ventilation Reduction en-
In addition to BEVs, Sandvik is gine configuration can be equipped
working on a 14-t cable electric loader Caterpillar Commercializes with diesel particulate filters to reduce
and operator training simulators, the the R2900 XE particulate matter. The diesel-electric
Digital Trainers. “Tethered cable-elec- 2023 will see the commercial release design enables the engine to operate at
tric technology produces no emissions of Caterpillar’s R2900 XE loader which a lower 1,600 rpm to reduce fuel burn,
and does not require battery swaps, was previewed at MINExpo 2021 in heat generation and exhaust emis-
and we are preparing to introduce a Las Vegas, US. The R2900 XE offers sions, while increasing power. Mines
more intelligent version of the proven an 18.5-t payload for a 3- to 4-pass also have the option of equipping the
Sandvik cable electric LH514E loader match with the Cat AD63 truck. The loader with a high-efficiency radiator.
in the near future. Further, if we add diesel-electric drive system delivers The R2900 XE also features Cat-
automation on top of that, this technol- 52% faster acceleration and improved erpillar’s new Autodig technology. This
ogy has the potential to reduce emis- machine response compared to its automates the dig cycle, using hydraulic

The LH209L low-profile loader was one of five models upgraded to Sandvik’s Toro brand during 2022. (Photo: Sandvik)

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 47

 TRUCKS AND LHDS

Just like the electric range, the smart

machines are prepared for additional
functionality from Epiroc’s 6th Sense
offering. The included machine models
will feature new decal designs as well
as updated product naming.
In November, Epiroc also formally
entered into a memorandum of under-
standing with Gold Fields Australia to
develop the next generation of under-
ground mine trucks. The companies
will work together to develop and test
a proof-of-concept for the Minetruck
MT65 E-Drive with the aim of having a
prototype at Gold Fields’ Granny Smith
mine in Western Australia during 2024.
The Gold Fields team are working with
Epiroc’s R&D team in the Underground
division, headquartered at the Örebro,
Epiroc’s Scooptram ST14 SG, part of the Smart and Green series. (Image: Epiroc) Sweden-based facilities to review devel-
opment and plan the trial phases.
sensors to ensure the bucket is properly allowing machines to tram, dig and There are also several upcoming
loaded and weight is correctly distribut- dump with no operator at the controls, releases in Epiroc’s material handling
ed. The operator positions the machine providing major increases to efficiency portfolio to look forward to. Among
in front of the pile, engages AutoDig, and safety on site. these are a new battery-electric under-
and applies the throttle, and AutoDig In addition to the R2900 XE, Auto- ground loader, the Scooptram ST18
does the rest. The system controls the Dig is also now available for the Cat SG. This has a capacity of 17.5-t and
bucket through the digging process, re- R1700 and R1700 XE LHD models. shares a common design with the prov-
sulting in a properly filled bucket every en Scooptram ST14 SG, as well as a
time. Once the dig cycle is complete, Epiroc Pushes the new underground truck running on an
the operator reverses out of the pile Boundaries in Material alternative energy source (aside from
as normal — AutoDig will even flick the Handling those that already exist today). Epiroc
bucket to shake off any loose rock that Epiroc has taken big steps in advanc- said it plans to test the prototype at
could otherwise fall onto the haul roads, ing its load and haul portfolio over the the customer’s location in Sweden
preventing safety and maintenance is- past year with new technologies, prod- during Q3 2023.
sues caused by loose debris. uct launches and developments under Epiroc’s largest underground truck,
One of the biggest benefits of Auto- three main pillars: electrification, digita- the Minetruck MT65 S, will also receive
Dig is its integration with Caterpillar’s lization, and automation. upgrades that will make it more produc-
autonomy offerings. The digging por- In November 2022, the company tive and reliable. And, the Scooptram
tion of a LHD cycle is the most com- announced it is ramping up deliveries ST18 S has recently received an up-
plex to automate and is a pivotal re- of BEVs and is “seeing strong results date and is being prepared for a special
quirement for successful underground from the field in terms of productivity, delivery to China with a CSIV engine.
autonomy. Caterpillar said the Autodig CO2 reduction and customer satisfac- With all these upcoming releases
algorithm is the result of significant in- tion.” As the next step, to highlight the and future developments, Epiroc said it
vestment in time and operator charac- benefits of zero-emission technology aims to provide more and more ener-
terization studies. and automation, Epiroc is rebranding gy-efficient machines for a sustainable
For operators using line-of-sight or its underground battery-electric range and ongoing mining industry.
non-line-of sight remote control, Auto- to the ‘Smart and Green’ series. These “The most important aspect that
Dig offers the same benefits available machines come equipped with Epi- allows Epiroc to achieve its mission
to in-cab operators — a safe, easy way roc’s Rig Control System (RCS), which of supporting the future of the mining
to achieve proper bucket loads on ev- makes them ready for smart function- industry is only possible through the
ery cycle. Remote operators engage ality such as automation and remote company’s continuous collaboration
the system the same way they would control. They are also equipped with with its customers,” the company told
using the in-cab controls and, just like the latest digital tools, such as Certiq E&MJ. “The Minetruck MT65 E-Drive
in-cab operators, they retain full control and Mobilaris, for smarter and more ef- and Scooptram ST18 SG are only a few
of the machine the entire time. AutoDig ficient mining operations. examples of ongoing projects that will
also enables fully autonomous opera- At the same time, Epiroc is also in- provide the required means to extract
tion when used in conjunction with Cat troducing the Smart series for its die- metals and minerals in the most sus-
MineStar Command for Underground, sel-powered range outfitted with RCS. tainable way possible.”

48 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 2023

Best of European
Mining Solutions by VDMA

Charging Ahead
— Moving toward the
net-zero mine
Ultra-efficient Material Handling
Electrifying the Underground
Water Management

In cooperation with

A supplement to E&MJ, Coal Age

and Equipo Minero Mining
 Foreword:
Dear reader,

Welcome to Best of European Mining Solutions by VDMA, our renamed bro-

chure with a guide to technology, equipment and services offered by the mem-
bers of VDMA Mining. For a few years now, the VDMA’s Machinery and Equip-
ment Manufacturers Association has consisted of machinery and equipment
manufacturers from across Europe. To reflect this, we have decided to rename
this brochure accordingly to “Best of European Mining Solutions by VDMA.”
Raw materials are indispensable for solving the most important challenges of
the future — the energy transition and climate protection. As such, in 2022, raw
materials and mining came back stronger than ever, and the industry’s poor repu-
tation is starting to give way to increasing interest as stakeholders gain a greater
understanding of the connections between mining and critical material supplies.
The EU Commission is currently working on a European law on critical raw
materials and the VDMA is taking advantage of consultation opportunities to
accompany the legislative process. But even the best laws are useless without
committed suppliers and first-class technologies to support the sustainable ex-
traction and processing of raw materials.
Successful and committed entrepreneurs can be found in the VDMA. The
roughly 150 members of VDMA Mining offer a wide range of technologies that
have been tested and proofed in mining operations across the globe. In the
search for ever better solutions, be it in digitalization, automation or the integra-
tion of different machines and processes with the ultimate aim of autonomous
operation, mechanical engineering companies are working closely with a net-
work of customers, scientists and industry partners.
In this issue you will find examples of best-practices and the results of this
cooperation. I hope that reading Best of European Mining Solutions by VDMA
is useful to you.

Glückauf!

Dr. Michael Schulte Strathaus

President VDMA Mining

Table of Contents:
A Special Supplement to: Your Contacts at VDMA Mining........................................................................51
Engineering & Mining Journal (E&MJ)
and Coal Age
2022: A Show of Strength in European Mining.................................................52
Produced by:
Mining Media International Inc.
11655 Central Parkway, Suite 306 Charging Ahead: Moving Towards the Net-zero Mine......................................54
Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
Tel: +1-904-721-2925
Fax: +1-904-721-2930 Sustainability at bauma and Beyond................................................................56
www.mining-media.com
Copyright 2023 Mining Media Int’l, Inc.
Electrifying the Underground ...........................................................................60
Sponsor:
German Engineering Federation Adapting Mineral Extraction for a Changing Climate........................................62
Verband Deutscher Maschinen und
Anlagenbau (VDMA) e.V.
Lyoner Str. 18, D-60528 Frankfurt/Main Making Material Handling Ultra-efficient...........................................................64
Tel: +49-6966-031262
Fax: +49-6966-032262
www.vdma.org Buyers Guide....................................................................................................66

Articles in this publication were researched, edited and written by Carly Leonida, European editor, Engineering & Mining Journal (E&MJ) and Coal Age.
For additional information about the articles or the manufacturers highlighted here, contact Mining Media International Inc. ([email protected]).

Published by Mining
Media International
in cooperation with
VDMA Mining EQUIPO | INGENIERÍA | TECNOLOGÍA
TECNOLO G Í A

VDMA 50 VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT • 2023

Your Contacts at VDMA Mining
Joachim Schmid Klaus Stöckmann
Managing Director Deputy Managing Director
Phone: +49 69 6603-1261 Economy and statistics, trade fairs,
Email: [email protected] markets Asia and Australia
Phone: +49 69 6603-1270
Email: [email protected]

Stephan Oehme Monika Bind

Manager Manager Markets
Technology and Research CIS and Russia
Phone: +49 69 6603-1680 Phone: +49 69 6603-1262
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Christoph Danner Ann-Marei Zwickirsch

Manager Markets Manager Markets
Latin America Africa
Phone: +49 69 6603-1254 Phone: +49 69 6603-1330
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Jörn Lehmann Yvonne Golle

Manager Standardization Assistance
Phone: +49 69 6603-1134 Phone: +49 69 6603-1256
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Alexandra Landgraf Lena Zwickirsch

Assistance Assistance
Phone: +49 69 6603-1577 Phone: +49 69 6603-1890
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Thomas Junqueira Rajesh Nath

Ayres Ulbrich Chief Representative
Chief Representative VDMA Representative Office India
VDMA Representative Office Brazil Phone: +91 33 40602364
Phone: +55 11 430580-42/-43 Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]

Claudia Barkowsky
Chief Representative
VDMA Representative Office China
- Beijing
Phone: +86 10 87 73 02 12-8 08
Email: [email protected]

2023 • VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT VDMA 51

 2022: A Show of Strength
in European Mining
Despite trade challenges, European mining equipment,
technology and service providers continued to push
boundaries in innovation during 2022
and their efforts could be seen at bauma. With a total
exhibition area of 614,000 square meters, a total of
3,200 exhibitors and more than 495,000 visitors from
over 200 countries, bauma was once again a super-
lative event. At the end of the week, the exhibitors
headed home with great satisfaction.
VDMA Mining, who’s booth was located in Hall C2,
acted as the contact point for VDMA members, other
exhibitors and as a central information point for trade
fair visitors. As the conceptual sponsor and cooper-
ation partner of Messe München, the VDMA was in-
volved with numerous events.
Close by, at the OPC UA demonstration area, a
wheel loader, excavator and conveyor belt showed
how successful integrated autonomous operations
can be achieved, despite the machines having differ-
ent control systems and sensor technologies. In ad-
dition, at the bauma Forum (the event’s conference
The VDMA Mining booth at the bauma 2022 tradeshow. This acted
as the contact point for VDMA members, other exhibitors and as a
stream), numerous presentations on the five leading
central information point for trade fair visitors. (Photo: VDMA Mining) themes of the trade fair were given by experts from
industry, education and research as well as startups.
2022 was a notable year full of events. Some were On day three, various aspects of sustainable mining
great, like the bauma 2022 tradeshow in Munich, were highlighted and information given on state-of-
while others, for instance, the Russian war against the-art solutions and research projects.
Ukraine, were depressing. What conclusions can be drawn from bauma? Tech-
One thing is for sure, the need for raw materials nology is fast becoming a critical differentiator for mining
is more obvious than ever. For many countries, the companies. Automation and digitization continue to gain
Russia-Ukraine war highlighted the issue of supply momentum to reduce the cost of extraction and mainte-
chain security, revealing the full extent of their de- nance, and support sustainability and decarbonization.
pendencies on raw materials. A just energy transition At the Mining Day in the bauma Forum, the key-
and climate change mitigation require huge amounts note speech highlighted the importance of systems
of raw materials, and in many commodities, demand interoperability, citing it as key to efficient mine auto-
looks set to exceed supply in the medium term.
For mining companies and their partners, there
are a number of growing pressures. First, the increas-
ing requirements for the observance of environmen-
tal, social and governance (ESG) criteria — either by
national German law or European legislation — or is-
sues of corporate social responsibility (CSR). These
demands from politicians and investors will continue
to grow and must be met. Second, further legal regu-
lations, e.g., on environmental protection or occupa-
tional health and safety, are also expected. And last,
but not least, the wishes and requirements of commu-
nities and worldwide customers must also be met.

Digitization and Automation Shine

at bauma
Mining equipment, technology and service providers Mining Equipment - Flow of trade out of EU 27 to all partner countries.
are preparing to help mines meet these demands, (Source: VDMA Mining)

VDMA 52 VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT • 2023

mation. Further speeches centered on decentralized
communication systems for the interconnection of
mobile mining machinery and challenges in big data
management.
After years of research, trial and error in digitization,
it is clear that a cooperative and collaborative approach
is the only way forward if mines wish to reap the full
benefit of their investments.

Collaborate for an Even More

Competitive Future
Within VDMA Mining, various working groups consist-
ing of equipment manufacturers, mine operators and
academia continue to work on the ‘OPC UA Compan-
Mining Equipment - Flow of trade out of EU 27 to all partner countries.
ion Specification Mining.’ At present, a working group (Source: VDMA Mining)
focused on mineral processing and another on con-
veying are very active. In this respect, issues of com- and digital operations, not least because of the many
munication must be discussed, and problems solved. framework conditions set out by the EU Commission. All
For instance, which technology is most suitable for mining equipment must now be compliant with exhaust
underground mining — WLAN, 5G or Bluetooth? emission directives, pollutant limits and others.
Alongside this issue, the topic of zero emissions is In 2022 (January to November), European mining
also a concern for the industry. Questions that need to equipment manufacturers delivered technology worth
be answered include: is a reliable, 100% electrical sup- EUR 6.2 billion to their customers across the globe.
ply of power possible for mines? What is the ideal drive Within the EU, the intra-community trade of mining
technology for battery-electric vehicles? How complex is technology amounted to EUR 1.8 billion. In order to
the installation of modern power supply infrastructure? continue their competition with overseas suppliers, it
What are the respective legal framework conditions? might be advisable to further expand the cooperation
At this point we refer to the articles in this issue and to between machine manufacturers in Europe. And, in
the fact that European mines and their suppliers are fast this respect, we hope that the new title of this bro-
setting a global standard for low-carbon, autonomous chure will further promote this idea.

BEST OF ERLAU

MORE THAN PRODUCTS, SOLUTIONS

YOUR PARTNER IN OPEN PIT AND UNDERGROUND MINING, QUARRY AND RECYCLING

A BRAND OF THE RUD GROUP

TYRE PROTECTION TYRE PROTECTION + TRACTION TRACTION

RUD Ketten Rieger & Dietz GmbH u. Co. KG | [email protected] www.erlau.com

2023 • VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT VDMA 53

 Charging Ahead: Moving Toward
the Net-zero Mine
To decarbonize the production of minerals and metals, collaborative
efforts around mine electrification must extend beyond the big
players to include smaller mine and quarry operators too

There is a growing sense of urgency around the need global production of many critical minerals, the decar-
to decarbonize mining operations, and the conversa- bonization of metals and minerals also requires solu-
tion is now at the forefront of C-suite concerns. tions for medium and smaller sized operators, as well
According to McKinsey & Co., mining accounts as those in the quarrying sector.
for up to 7% of global scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas In Germany alone, 550 million tons (Mt) of sand,
(GHG) emissions and a reduction of 50% from 2010 gravel and natural stones were extracted by around
levels until 2050 is necessary to stay on track for a 2,700 medium-sized and small enterprises in 2018.
global 2°C scenario. For a 1.5°C scenario, these levels Currently, a significant portion of the energy input
need to be reduced by at least 85%1. These targets are is attributed to internal transport, mostly realized by
ambitious and require decisive and collaborative action diesel-powered vehicles. However, as is the case for
across the industry and along the value chain. larger operations, it’s usually insufficient or impossible
With diesel-powered vehicles accounting for any- to simply replace these machines with electrified or
where between 30% and 80% of direct emissions2, battery electric models as the operational processes
varying with site geography, commodity, and mine and infrastructure must be adapted as well.
design, switching to electric-powered mobile equip-
ment constitutes an attractive option, and seemingly Piloting Solutions for SMEs:
low-hanging fruit for decarbonisation. The ELMAR Project
It’s not surprising then that a large focus for ma- In order to support medium and small-sized opera-
jor mining companies has been and is to replace tions with their transition towards electrification and
diesel-powered mobile machines with electric and decarbonization, the ELMAR project, bringing togeth-
battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). For example, BHP er a consortium of OEMs, mine operators, technolo-
recently announced it will replace 160 haul trucks with gy providers and academia and being funded by the
those equipped with Caterpillar’s new electric drive German Federal Ministry of Economy and Climate
technology and other low/zero-emission powertrain Action, was launched in summer 2022.
trucks at its Escondida mine in Chile by 2023. Scandi- The ELMAR consortium comprises two institutes
navian mid-tier miner, Boliden, has installed trolley as- of RWTH Aachen University - the Institute for Ad-
sist technology at two of its operations and is targeting vanced Mining Technologies (AMT) and the Institute
the installation of 27 diesel-electric trolley-assisted haul for Power Electronics and Electrical Drives (ISEA).
trucks by 2023. In addition, initiatives such as the Blu- Volvo Group Trucks Central Europe GmbH, Volvo
Vein project or Volvo’s TARA solution are looking into Construction Equipment Germany GmbH, Volvo Au-
advancing the efficiency of BEVs as well as overcom- tonomous Solutions AB (commissioned by VCE Ger-
ing the challenges around frequent battery charging. many GmbH) are providing their expertise as equip-
While the public eye is often focused on the ac- ment and vehicle manufacturers and automation
tions of large multinational mining companies and, providers Meanwhile, Mineral Baustoffe GmbH and
while these companies do have a large share in the Knauf Gips KG represent mine operators, PSI Fuzzy
Logik & Neuro Systeme GmbH, PSI Software AG as
cloud solution providers, and TITUS Research GmbH
as a developer of autonomous monitoring systems.
Taking a holistic approach, the project will not only
include BEVs and the transformation of two very differ-
ent SME operations, but also consider energy demand
and energy supply as well as the optimization on both
sides in combination with production constrains.
With respect to implementing BEVs, the consor-
tium targets their autonomous operation, opening

ELMAR will not only consider the implementation of battery-electric 1

www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/sustainability/our-insights/climate-
vehicles and the transformation of two small-mid sized mining risk-and-decarbonization-what-every-mining-ceo-needs-to-know.
operations, but also energy demand, supply and optimization alongside 2
www.icmm.com/en-gb/case-studies/2022/innovation/accelerating-
production constraints. (Photo: Martin Braun Photography) implementation-of-zero-emission-vehicles.

VDMA 54 VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT • 2023

 SEPARATION EXPERTISE
As part of ELMAR’s scope of work, the mine plans will be optimized FOR MORE SUCCESS
for energy utilization based on connecting an operation-specific
deposit model with the energy demand forecast. (Photo: Martin Braun
Photography) IN THE MINING AND
the opportunity to use more, but smaller BEVs with
a better ratio between the tare weight and payload to
MINERALS INDUSTRY?
increase efficiency. Consequently, as part of the proj- AS K YO U R S E PAR ATI O N S PECIALI ST
ect, novel mobile machines that are smaller, lighter
(and thus more energy efficient and better suited to
electrification) will be integrated and demonstrated to
improve the business case of electric vehicles.
As Dr. Tobias Hartmann of the AMT at RWTH
Aachen University and coordinator of the ELMAR
project, explains: “We will retrofit the transport ap-
proach at operations, rather than retrofitting batteries Increasing throughput while preserving product quality,
into existing machines.” minimizing energy consumption and operating costs
Furthermore, the mine plan will then be optimized or increasing water recovery: Efficient separation
for energy utilization based on connecting an opera- technology backed by innovative automation and
tion-specific deposit model with the energy demand fore- digitalization is a crucial competitive advantage.
cast. Options for integrating renewable energy sources
will be evaluated and included in the mine redesign. The
Our current portfolio covers the full solid/liquid separation
development of appropriate modelling approaches con-
process from sedimentation and dewatering to drying, and
stitutes an important part of the project. These models
will be data driven and include a cloud solution for data ensures excellent throughput of high-quality products – all
processing and storage as well as an interface to plan with low operating costs and maximum reliability.
and run production based on the optimization.
It’s this coupling of energy and data and its integra- The variety of different thickening, dewatering and drying
tion into the process, which makes the ELMAR project technologies combined with the opportunity to analyze your
unique and a potential landmark in pushing electrifica- processing requirements and conduct tests in a state-of-
tion and decarbonisation in the SME mining sector. the-art laboratory means, that you get the right equipment
Over the course of the project, demonstrations of or individualized line solution for your specific need.
automated BEVs are envisioned at brownfield opera-
tions across Germany. Lessons learned will result in
a transformational concept for decisions around the
transition to BEVs, along with recommendations for
small to medium-sized mine sites which will also be
adapted to a greenfield project.
There is a clear ambition across the industry to
realize the zero-emission mine. Multinational mining
corporations are focusing on the implementation of
BEVs as a first and important step. While the technol-
ogy challenges are still being addressed and solutions
tested and piloted, the need for a holistic approach to
energy sourcing and management is becoming center
stage in decarbonization efforts.

ANDRITZ AG ⁄ Stattegger Strasse 18 ⁄ 8045 Graz ⁄ Austria ⁄ andritz.com/separation

To learn more visit: www.amt.rwth-aachen.de/en/
elmar.html.

2023 • VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT VDMA 55

 Sustainability at bauma and Beyond
While the bauma 2022 tradeshow showcased the strength of German
manufacturers and their solutions to help mining companies achieve
net-zero operations, the innovations didn’t stop there…
Despite the uncertain economic environment that has
Liebherr: Decarbonizing Heavy Haulage
prevailed over the past three years, German mining
Liebherr already offers various solutions to lower the
equipment, technology and service suppliers have
carbon footprint of mining activities, including its Trol-
generally fared well. For many, a highlight was the
ley Assist System, electric excavators and the Lieb-
bauma tradeshow which took place in Munich, Ger-
herr Power Efficiency system.
many, in October 2022. The existing global fleet of Liebherr trucks with the
The Liebherr Group’s exhibit was a particular Trolley Assist System consists of 50 T 284 trucks across
stand out. Dr. Jörg Lukowski, vice president at Lieb- two sites, and seven T 236 trucks in Austria. The sys-
herr Mining, said: “bauma represents the opportunity tem uses an overhead pantograph to connect the elec-
for Liebherr Group to showcase its latest and great- tric-drive system to a mine site’s electrical network, pow-
est products and technology from the entire group, ered by the customer’s energy source of choice.
which encompasses 13 product segments. Our com- When it comes to electric excavator technolo-
bined exhibition space in 2022 covered 14,000 m2, gies Liebherr has over 30 years of experience, and
and demonstrated our innovative capacity and high recently introduced the Liebherr cable reeler option.
investment in research and development.” This enables management of the excavator’s electric
bauma also represented the first real opportuni- cable during operation, provides better mobility of the
ty for personal contact and dialogue with customers, machine, optimizes safety, and reduces the number
partners, and business associates from around the of crew required for cable handling.
world following the COVID-19 pandemic. Liebherr Power Efficiency is a proprietary man-
“After bauma, even though the forecasts of eco- agement system for the engine and hydraulic system
nomic research institutes are less positive than they controls which substantially reduces fuel consump-
were some time ago and we are operating in a chal- tion without compromising the overall productivity of
lenging environment, we at Liebherr are confident of the machine, providing a low-emission solution.
the path ahead,” said Lukowski. “Importantly, Liebherr Mining’s design philosophy
“Zero-emission commitments have gathered for equipment is modular and drivetrain agonistic,
global momentum across all industries recently, and meaning the equipment purchased today can be ret-
the energy transition has been dominating all of our rofitted to the latest zero-emission options once avail-
mining customer conversations. As an OEM, it’s our able,” said Lukowski.
responsibility to develop the technologies that cus-
tomers need to help their transition along this sustain- As Without, so Within
ability journey.” In addition to helping its clients boost their sustain-
ability, Liebherr is also focused on its own activities
and corporate social responsibility. The company
recently released a Corporate Responsibility Policy
which summarizes the Liebherr Group’s responsibility
towards people and the environment.
“Within Liebherr Mining our three key focus areas
are: the health and safety of our employees, our im-
pact on climate change, and diversity and inclusion,”
said Lukowski. “We have several initiatives to support
these focus areas. The most notable is our commit-
ment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the
use of our products — these represent approximately
90% of our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
“Our inhouse developments into the use of alter-
native fuels in internal combustion engines, along
with our low-emission solutions for equipment, and of
course our recent partnership with Fortescue Mining
Group to integrate zero-emission drivetrains into the T
264 mining truck all play a big role in this commitment.”
This partnership, which was announced in June
The new Liebherr R 9300 excavator and T 274 mining truck with Trolley 2022, will see the development and integration of ze-
Assist at bauma. (Photo: Liebherr) ro-emission power system technologies being devel-

VDMA 56 VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT • 2023

 Rolls-Royce, Green Power Systems
for Mines
Demand for Rolls-Royce’s mtu products and solutions
remained strong in 2022; the Power Systems business
unit saw a record order intake in the first half of the year.
“The past 12 months have been particularly success-
ful for our mining business,” said Cobus van Schalkwyk,
Director Global Mining at Rolls-Royce business unit
Power Systems. “Demand from mining customers has
increased rapidly, and our renewed focus on mining at
the start of 2022 has really paid off. The success of our
new team in a short space of time has been a real high-
An R 9350 E electric excavator with the Liebherr cable reeler solution. light and success story for the business.”
(Photo: Liebherr) As part of Rolls-Royce’s sustainability program,
the company is realigning the Power Systems prod-
oped by Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and WAE uct portfolio to reduce GHG emissions with new fuels
into Liebherr’s T 264 mining truck. The phased supply and mtu technologies. The aim is to help the group
of 120 zero-emission trucks haul trucks is anticipated achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. De-
to commence following a two-year joint development carbonizing haul trucks for open-pit mining is a partic-
and validation period. ular concern for Rolls-Royce’s mining customers.
To support this project, which involves Liebherr van Schalkwyk explained: “Currently, there aren’t
teams from across the globe, Liebherr-Australia has solutions available that reduce emissions at an afford-
expanded its Perth mining complex. The newly ac- able cost. We are already assisting with solutions that
quired office and workshop buildings will now form a reduce the stationary (power generation) side of our
central hub for Liebherr’s zero-emission, autonomy, customer’s needs, but the infrastructure to support
and other mining technology development and imple- the mobile side is not available just yet. We are, how-
mentation projects in Australia. ever, investing to be part of the solution for the future.”
An important milestone was the release of the mtu
To learn more visit: www.liebherr.com/en/gbr/products/ series 1600 and 4000 power generation engines for
mining-equipment/mining-equipment.html. sustainable and synthetic fuels in October 2022. By

A WIRTGEN GROUP COMPANY

Blasting? No!
Safety? Yes!
www.wirtgen.com/mining

280 SM(i): Surface Mining combines safe mining operations with modern cost-effectiveness: the 280 SM(i) replaces
the entire equipment otherwise needed for blasting, drilling and pre-crushing. It cuts costs, delivers mined raw
materials of higher quality, and ensures more efficient exploitation of the deposits. Take advantage of innovative
solutions from the technology leader. www.wirtgen.com

WIRTGEN GmbH · Reinhard-Wirtgen-Str. 2 . D-53578 Windhagen . T: +49 26 45 / 131 0

US-Magazin_W_SURFACE_MINING_07_178x117mm.indd 1 27.02.23 10:43

2023 • VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT VDMA 57

 the end of 2023, a large proportion of the mtu en-
gines offering will have been approved for use with
EN15940 paraffinic diesel fuels in order to reduce
customers’ GHG footprint.
“Rolls-Royce is taking an important step towards
Visit us! a more climate-friendly future in construction equip-
Expomin ment, industrial applications, agriculture and mining
Parque Fisa, Santiago, Chile with the approval of mtu Series 1000, 1100, 1300,
April 24– 27, 2023 1500 and 4000 engines for sustainable fuels,” said
Stand 9-B18 van Schalkwyk. “The entire Rolls-Royce product port-
folio has already been approved for use with EN15940
paraffinic diesel fuels following successful bench test-
ing. Many mtu engines for mining applications of the
Series 4000 will also be released for the sustainable
fuels. Engines for emissions regulations EU Stage V
will follow. Some of our mining customers already use
hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in their trucks.”
He added: “Rolls-Royce Power Systems is cur-
rently transforming from an engine manufacturer into
a provider of integrated sustainable solutions with a
strong focus on climate-friendly and climate-neutral
technologies. Across all applications that we serve we
are working on different innovative solutions, including
hybrid systems, fuel cells and engines that run on alter-
native fuels such as hydrogen and methanol. For our
customers in the mining industry, we are developing a
roadmap to efficient, dependable and economical sus-
tainable solutions for the transition to climate-neutral
energy supply and mobility. We look forward to giving
more details about these developments soon.”
In 2022, Rolls-Royce Power Systems also estab-
lished a central sustainability team to consolidate en-
vironmental and social sustainability issues.
Dr. Daniel Chatterjee, Director of Sustainability, Tech-
nology Strategy & Regulatory Affairs at Rolls-Royce

SOME THINK
business unit Power Systems, explained: “As part of the
so-called Net Zero at Power Systems program, Rolls-
Royce has committed to setting short- and long-term

THAT RAW climate protection targets in line with the Science Based
Targets initiative and submitted the targets developed in

MATERIALS the program for validation by the organization in 2022.

We received a Global Transition Award as a special

TRANSPORT
prize winner awarded by Handelsblatt for this work.”
Furthermore, Power Systems is strengthening its
compliance monitoring with human and environmen-

REQUIRES tal rights along its supply chain to comply with the
German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act. The busi-

TRUCKING.
ness unit is also taking steps to decarbonize its facili-
ties. For instance, in 2022, the Power Systems began
purchasing 4 million kilowatt hours of electrical energy
WE THINK annually from a new solar farm in Tengen, southern
Germany, saving 1,300 tonnes of CO2 annually com-

DIFFERENT. pared to the German electricity mix.

To learn more visit: www.mtu-solutions.com/na/en/

applications/mining.html.

Wirtgen, Sustainability Through

Surface Mining
beumer.com The past 12 months have also been very successful
for Wirtgen.

VDMA 58
OverlandConveyor_truck_Cement_Mining_VDMA_85x235_EN_MH.indd 1 20.02.23 10:40 VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT • 2023
 “Our highlight was the bauma presentation of the “With the 260 SX(i), we further enable the reali-
new 280 SM(i) surface miner which is environmental- zation of challenging infrastructure projects without
ly friendly, resource-efficient and can be operated very the need for drilling and blasting,” said Zimmermann.
economically,” said Dr. Erik Zimmermann, Sales Direc- “In contrast to the use of explosives, the 260 SX(i)
tor for Surface Mining at Wirtgen GmbH. “The 280 SM(i) removes rock and stone using Wirtgen’s field-proven
surface miner’s innovative technologies enable high cutting technology. The drum has a width of 2.75 m
machine utilization rates for maximum productivity.” and can cut to a depth of 650 mm. The process is al-
The 280 SM(i) is the successor to the highly suc- most vibration-free and generates very little dust and
cessful 2500 SM surface miner. With the 280 SM(i), raw noise pollution, providing an environmentally friendly
materials are obtained in a single procedure without workplace for both people and nature.”
drilling or blasting. This means they are produced in an
environmentally friendly manner with the purest quality To learn more visit: www.wirtgen-group.com/ocs/en-us/
and are crushed directly for maximum efficiency. wirtgen/surface-miners-and-cross-application-
As part of its sustainability strategy, Wirtgen’s new miners-74-c/.
surface miner also provides the mining sector with
the technologies to minimize its environmental foot-
print and conserve natural resources; by reducing CO2
emissions thanks to low specific fuel consumption, an
efficient water management system and effective solu-
tions to minimize dust emissions, the 280 SM(i) demon-
strates that ecology and economy are compatible.
“Sustainability is firmly enshrined in our corporate
principles and is part of our entire value creation pro-
cess,” Zimmermann explained. “We view sustainability
as a social responsibility and a business opportunity.
We help our customers move forward so that they can
shape the world of tomorrow in a sustainable way.”
Wirtgen also introduced the new 260 SX(i) at bau-
ma. This is the company’s first Cross Application Min- bauma 2022 saw the presentation of Wirtgen’s new 280 SM(i) surface
er for infrastructure projects. miner. (Photo: Wirtgen)

From Germany
to the World
For almost 60 years, Becker Mining Systems
has been an innovation leader in infrastructure
technology for mining operations. We bring
the latest available advances to the mining
environment.

Together with our customers, we develop

products and services of highest quality to
make mining operations worldwide more pro-
ductive, safe and sustainable.

Visit us at:
www.becker-mining.com

2023 • VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT VDMA 59

 Electrifying the Underground
Technologies that help create cleaner, safer and more
productive operations are in demand as mines strive for the
highest standards in environmental and social performance

From zero-emissions transport solutions to smart The holistic solution extends the technological capa-
ventilation and new communication and automation bility of mines by using wireless connectivity to enable
offerings, electrification provides a host of possibili- the automation of ventilation systems, gas monitoring,
ties for more efficient mining activities underground. real-time vehicle and personnel tracking, telemetry of
VDMA Mining members are at the forefront of this production equipment and remote control of production
movement, providing services and solutions that sup- equipment. This, in turn, improves operational efficien-
port the move to safer, more sustainable operations. cy, generates economic savings, and increases work-
place health and safety and sustainability practices.
Becker Mining: New Technologies, The framework covers countries including Canada,
New Partnerships US, Mexico, Chile, France, Germany and Poland, and
Becker Mining Systems has been very active over the there are plans to expand this remit going forward.
past 12 months, both with in terms of new orders, and According to Becker, power consumption is a key
new solutions and partnerships. area of concern for Becker Mining’s customers today.
Jonas Maximilian Becker, CEO of Becker Mining In their bid to be more energy efficient, mine oper-
Europe, said: “Most markets performed well which, in ators customers want to know how power and load
turn, reflected in a lot of projects and orders for mining they use and where they use it.
technologies and equipment. Two highlights for us were “One of our goals is to make this information more
our partnerships with Swedish communications firm, readily available to customers via our centralized soft-
Ericsson, and with Komatsu in the field of long walls.” ware solution, Smartflow,” said Becker. “After our suc-
In June 2022, Komatsu and Becker-Warkop Sp. z cessful installations in Latin America, “We have the
o.o. (Becker Mining’s Polish arm) joined forces to pro- first Smartflow installations coming during 2023 for
duce a set of Joy custom-designed longwall powered customers in other regions.”
roof supports for Warrior Met Coal in the U.S. market. “We’re also seeing strong interest in our battery elec-
The supports also included Joy Faceboss RS20s roof tric Minetrans monorail transportation system. In about
support controls. 40-50% of cases, enquiries are based on miner’s com-
Later, in October, Becker Mining announced an mitments to meeting their sustainability goals. Eliminat-
agreement with Ericsson under which the companies ing diesel emissions from mines is a big concern, as are
will work together to provide Ericsson’s Private 5G noise reduction and reducing ventilation requirements.”
(EP5G) network solution along with Becker Mining’s Looking ahead, Becker Mining recently launched its
communication, automation and electrification offerings. new proximity detection system, PDS4.0. The PDS4.0
is a smart proximity detection system that enables
workers to communicate their status with each other.
The system has been designed to be EMESRT Level 9
compliant and is very easy to install and maintain.
The Becker Mining Group is also committed to re-
ducing its internal ecological footprint and is investigating
various ways to reduce its CO2 emissions. For example,
in 2021, Becker Warkop invested in the expansion of a
photovoltaic system (originally installed in 2020) in order
to reduce the purchase of additional energy required to
run its Polish manufacturing facilities. The project has
been so successful that the group is has begun to ex-
tend the initiative to its other global facilities as well.

To learn more visit: www.becker-mining.com.

CFT: A Breath of Fresh Air

Mining and tunnelling ventilation specialist, CFT’s (part
of the CFH Group) products are designed with sustain-
ability in mind, ensuring low-maintenance and long-
CFT launched its E-Generator in 2022. The system can be retrofitted term use. The company supports customers to return
into all steam-process networks. (Photo: CFT) their equipment and machinery at the end of its service

VDMA 60 VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT • 2023

life which can, in some cases, span 30 years or more. ers in person again, and the spirit was surprisingly good.
Used equipment is reconditioned and resold or recy- For us, 2022 started well, but then the world changed
cled where possible to ensure minimal environmental drastically. Sales outside of Russia are still strong, but
impact. Additionally, CFT allows customers to rent cer- we have experienced supply chain disruptions.”
tain systems and machines, making them economically In terms of equipment sustainability, PAUS has al-
feasible for use over shorter time periods. ways strived to offer long-life, heavy-duty machines for
Executive Vice President, Corinna Both-Kreiser, underground mining. Even under tough service condi-
said: “It’s important to customers that our equipment tions, the company aims for its utility vehicles to have
is durable, low-maintenance and energy-efficient. service lives of over 15 years or 30,000 operating hours.
“The past 12 months have been a very exciting “We see a growing interest for creating a safer and
time for us. Among other things, we closed our head- cleaner underground environment,” explained Paus. “To
quarters in Gladbeck (NRW, Germany) and moved to achieve this, our clients ask for emission-free units (bat-
our new nearby building in Marl. We are pleased to tery-electric vehicles), for scalers (roof support), graders
be able to concentrate our competences in dedusting (road maintenance) and remote controlled/automated
and ventilation technology even better on more than solutions, to mention our most popular offerings.”
7,500 m2 of production and storage space with an in- Recent innovations include the PScale scaler se-
novative fan-test stand.” ries — the PScale 8T and PScale 10T — which were
The topic of sustainability is also reflected in CFT’s introduced in early 2021, followed by the PTM 100
new building which is compliant with the German KfW Roadheader in mid-2021 and the 17-ton PMKM 8030
55 standard and has excellent energy properties. For dump truck in 2022.
heat generation, 4,200 m of geothermal boreholes Paus added: “Currently, we are working on a suc-
were drilled and two brine-to-water heat pumps were cessor for our flagship UNIVERSA 50 vehicle. The new
installed. These heat pumps can also be used for unit will be named the ‘UNIVERSA 55’ with many im-
cooling in the summer. A photovoltaic system was provements and enhancements, such as a suspended
also installed on the hall roof (217.5 kW peak), and front axle. This model will be launched in Q3 2023.
charging points added for electric and hybrid vehicles. “Then, in 2024, we will also introduce our rede-
“Our mining customers are concerned about occu- signed Minca 18 utility vehicle which is best known in
pational safety, health and environmental protection, its personnel carrier configuration. All developments
when they are interested in our products,” Both-Krei- will feature low-emission, Stage V compliant engines
ser explained. “Our contribution is to make the activ- or battery drive systems, and will be optimized for low
ities of underground employees more pleasant and fuel consumption by intelligent power flow systems.”
healthier. Our technology also ensures compliance Since the summer of 2022, PAUS produces al-
with all statutory national and international limits, in- most 100% of the electrical energy needed to run its
cluding those for inhalable and alveolar dust.” Emsbüren headquarters using solar panels. And, of
In 2022, CFT launched its E-Generator, a system course, the company uses some of this energy for
that can be easily retrofitted into all steam-process net- charging its employees cars and the company’s own
works. It can be used with any form of steam generation battery-electric vehicles.
(gas, oil, hydrogen). The electricity generated is fed into
the company’s own network and reduces the need for To learn more visit: www.paus.de/en/mining-and-
external electricity supplies. The existing production pro- tunneling.htm.
cess is not disrupted by the system,
and the E-Generator can be used
with saturated steam, wet steam and
superheated steam. The core tech-
nology has been tried and tested in
other applications for more than 80
years and CFT said it has been prov-
en to significantly reduce company’s
external energy requirements.

Read more at https://cft-gmbh.de/en.

PAUS, the Sustainable

Mine Vehicle Specialist
The bauma tradeshow was a high-
light of 2022 for Emsbüren-based
Hermann Paus Maschinenfabrik
(PAUS).
Executive Director, Franz Jo-
sef Paus, said: “bauma gave us a
chance to meet many of our custom- PAUS introduced its new PTM 100 Roadheader in mid-2021. (Photo: PAUS)

2023 • VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT VDMA 61

 Adapting Mineral Extraction
for a Changing Climate
From dry tailings stacking to dry beneficiation, water management
and safety are driving innovation in mineral processing

Climate change is expected to cause significant disrup- able as a containerized, semi-mobile solution which
tions to mine water supplies over the coming decades. enables mines to move the beneficiation plant into the
While some operations will experience more frequent pit or as a close to mining activities as possible.
floods, others will be subject to prolonged periods of “This will fit perfectly in our product portfolio and,
droughts. Recent research from McKinsey & Co has with our expertise, we can provide a full solution pack-
revealed that today, 30% to 50% of global copper, gold, age as an OEM,” said Steinberg. “Our allair dry jig
iron ore, and zinc production is concentrated in areas is also now available as a modular and semi-mobile
of high water stress and these numbers will increase solution. This will drive efficiency in beneficiation, and
in the run up to 2040. For example, in Chile, 80% of industries such as coal will gain the most benefits due
copper production is already located in extremely wa- to the high capacities.”
ter-stressed and arid areas and, by 2040, it will be 100%.
Climate adaptability and, particularly, water preservation To learn more visit: www.allmineral.com/en.
are therefore key concerns in mineral processing.
ANDRITZ: Excellence in Solid-liquid
allmineral’s New Waterless Separation
Beneficiation Plant For ANDRITZ, the issue of sustainability is of im-
Accordingly, allmineral’s aftermarket business has mense importance. It concerns all areas of the busi-
seen a surge in demand over the past 12 months. A ness and includes the most sustainable production of
highlight of 2022 was the delivery of a full after sales equipment worldwide. This encompasses sourcing
solution package to two coal washeries in Indonesia, raw materials and energy exclusively from reliable
including a vendor-managed spare parts stock as well and certified partners and suppliers.
as 365-day supervision of the plant. “We have long recognized the importance of this
Marco Steinberg, Managing Director – HAZEMAG area,” said Mario Gerards, Industry Director for Mining
allmineral Australia Pty Ltd., said: “Our clients in Aus- and Minerals at ANDRITZ Separation. “We are help-
tralia are particularly concerned with tailings manage- ing our customers and, ultimately, the environment,
ment. allmineral will launch a new dry beneficiation to make this world safer and more sustainable. In the
solution in 2023 which eliminates the use of water and past, the minerals and mining industry has not always
hence tailing ponds are not required at all.” been in harmony with the environment, but this no
The dry separation plant is similar to a jig plant, longer has to be the case. Especially in the field of
but without the need for water. The plant will be avail- solid-liquid separation, we specialize in the safe pro-
cessing of mine tailings and are happy to pass this
expertise on to our customers.”
According to Gerards, ANDRITZ Separation per-
formed well in the minerals and mining sector during
2022, despite difficult economic conditions and sanc-
tions related to the Russia-Ukraine war.
“Our order intake has been very satisfactory,” he
said. “We continue to support single machine sales
and are well on the way to becoming a complete
solution provider for mineral processing lines too. A
complete drying and packaging line, which we sold to
a European customer in the battery recycling sector,
can certainly be seen as a highlight.”
Gerards added that ANDRITZ Separation’s min-
erals and mining customers are placing ever more
attention on environmental compatibility and the sus-
tainable extraction of raw materials. The company re-
cently supplied four state-of-the-art filter presses and
a Metris addIQ control system for tailings dewatering
allmineral will launch a new dry beneficiation solution in 2023. The
solution is semi mobile, allowing it to be moved into the pit where
to Brazilian iron-ore producer, Itaminas. All of the units
necessary. (Image: allmineral) are now commissioned and are consistently produc-

VDMA 62 VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT • 2023

ing cakes with a moisture content of
around 17% and a density of 2.5 t/
m3 which makes them ideal for dry
stacking. Final performance was
34% higher than expected, and
around 8,800 m3 of process water
per day (approximately 80%) is
now recovered and returned to the
plant for reuse.
“The greatest challenge in the
safe and efficient dewatering of
larger tailings streams is economic
efficiency and the attempt to gener-
ate further saleable products from
tailings,” Gerards explained. “With
our magnificent filter press plant at
Itaminas in Brazil, we won a sus-
tainability award of which we are
ANDRITZ recently supplied four state-of-the-art filter presses and a Metris addIQ control system
particularly proud.” for tailings dewatering to Brazilian iron-ore producer, Itaminas. (Photo: ANDRITZ)
ANDRITZ is currently devel-
oping solutions for the processing of critical battery highly corrosive solutions that have to be processed
elements, including lithium, graphite, cobalt, copper, at high temperatures. Our new development ensures
nickel and aluminum. the highest process reliability for our customers.
“We see dynamic development of projects in this “The development of entire process lines is also not
field and adapt our machines to the individual needs of only on our agenda but is already being actively im-
our customers,” Gerards explained. “Often it requires plemented. We are also a global leader in application
new construction materials or more efficient compo- control and the automation of entire plants. Ultimately,
nents in areas such as wear protection and corrosion standstill means regression, and ANDRITZ does not rest
resistance. For example, our new LiKOSET thickener on proven quality but tries to get a little better every day.”
was developed specifically for the processing of lithi-
um, potash and various salts. Here we often deal with To learn more visit: www.andritz.com/separation-en.

■ HIGH POWER
TO WEIGHT
RATIO

■ MOST
COMPACT
DIMENSIONS

■ LOW
PRODUCTION
COSTS

■ 16T PAYLOAD

Hermann Paus Maschinenfabrik

YOUR EFFICIENT TRANSPORT SOLUTION Tel.:+49 5903 707-0
PMKM 8030 [email protected]
www.paus.de

2023 • VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT VDMA 63

 Making Material Handling
Ultra-efficient
Manufacturers and mining companies are leaning on digital
insights to drive down the footprint and cost of material transport

To achieve their zero-emission targets, mining com- particular challenge. While, in the past, the supply of
panies are looking for reliable partners to help them large parts was a typical bottleneck for mining proj-
adapt their operations to new technologies and ways ects, today, even the smallest parts like switches or
of working. programmable logic controllers (PLCs) could put proj-
Nils Janssen, Head of Global Account Manage- ect delivery at risk.
ment at Siemens Minerals, explained: “At Siemens, “To satisfy our customers priorities we have estab-
we want to become a partner to all stakeholders to lished new internal guidelines for project management
support the move towards a more sustainable econ- and establish a close cooperation with our partners to
omy by creating sustainable value. It’s thereby our secure the supply chain,” said Janssen.
highest priority to take leadership towards decar- “At the same time, we see a very active invest-
bonization and responsible business practices as a ment in the mining sector to secure critical minerals
company, but to also help our customers meet their necessary for the energy transition. For example, with
individual sustainability goals with our eco-efficient increasing orders for gearless mill drives (GMDs) and
portfolio of integrated products, services and solu- e-houses. A number of major digitalization projects
tions including hardware and software. are now in operation. It’s exciting to see the visions
“Our focus is to invest in R&D and innovation to that our customers created with us a few years back
increase the resource efficiency of our offerings and being realized and exceeding expectations.”
decrease our customers’ environmental footprint. For Electrification is a key trend; Siemens’ gearless
example, our gearless drivetrain systems are approx- drive technologies improve the energy and cost
imately 5% more energy efficient than the conven- efficiency of drive trains on critical pieces of equip-
tional set-up and process improvements derived from ment, such as conveyors and mills, while also boost-
digital solutions can boost the mine output at constant ing safety and availability through fewer failures.
energy consumption in the double-digit range.” Siemens Large Drives Applications also provides
the most efficient electrical components including
Siemens, Supporting Mines switchgears and variable frequency drives (VFDs)
to Reach Net Zero installed in e-houses to enable plants to connect to
Despite turbulent times during 2022, Siemens seized renewable energies.
the opportunity to align itself and its processes more Automation and digitalization are also important
closely with its customers. Material shortages were a trends. While Automation projects extend further
through the lifecycle of the plant from earliest plan-
ning & simulation phase until deep in the operation
phase digital solutions utilizing artificial intelligence
create greater transparency and allow operators to
optimize their processes.
“Greater visibility enables mine operators to op-
timize the complete mine (or even several mines),
rather than individual process steps,” said Janssen.
“Siemens also offers remote and autonomous oper-
ations of machines. This is achieved through modern
automation and digitalization solutions.”
Janssen added: “A recent development is the com-
bination of SIMINE MAQ with digital technologies from
MineSense. We recently integrated modules from our
respective portfolios to create a complete solution for
a copper mine in Canada. We also have some ex-
citing GMD deliveries being prepared for clients in
Southeast Asia and Africa, and plenty of e-houses
with integrated VFDs for mines in South America.
Siemens’ gearless drive technologies improve the energy and cost
efficiency of drive trains on critical pieces of equipment, such as conveyors. To learn more visit: https://new.siemens.com/global/
(Image: Siemens) en/markets/mining-industry.html.

VDMA 64 VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT • 2023

Voith Turbo, Digital Insights
for Optimal Transport
Sustainability is a huge focus at Voith; the company’s
slogan is ‘sustainable technologies for future genera-
tions,’ and this ethos applies to both its products and
internal operations. It’s production site in Crailsheim,
Germany has been operating carbon-neutrally since
January 2022 thanks to 41 energy-efficiency ini-
tiatives resulting in a 30% reduction in the facility’s
power demand and green energy production through
Voith’s own photovoltaic parks.
2022 saw the successful commissioning of Voith
Turbo’s BeltGenius ERIC (Efficiency and Reliability
Intelligence Control) system at a copper mine in Chile.
The digital twin of the complete conveyor belt system
allows mines to monitor, benchmark, and optimize
various aspects of their conveyor operation.
For instance, it provides full transparency of ener-
gy efficiency in conveying systems. Identifying ener-
gy-intensive conveyors and areas within the conveyor
with a high energy contribution, it’s possible to develop
strategies to optimize bulk material transport costs and
lower the operation’s environmental footprint. Digital
simulations of the system during operation (the models
calculate the relevant forces with an accuracy better
Grind down your
than 99%) also allow mines to predict failures before
they happen, cutting downtime to an absolute minimum
maintenance costs
and reducing the need for replacement parts.
Stefan Hutzenlaub, Digital Product Manager at
Voith Turbo, explained: “A huge segment of conveyor
operators are seeking solutions that can reduce their
operating expenditure (OPEX), allowing them to be
more profitable with their existing equipment and to
operate more sustainably. For example, through en-
ergy savings, longer equipment lifetime and less wear Köppern roller presses have been proven successful
and tear on key components. throughout the world in plants specializing in the
“This is where BeltGenius ERIC comes into play.
cost‑saving high pressure comminution of various
This overarching monitoring solution for the conveyor
ores like iron, copper, gold, diamond, molybdenum
delivers insights on how to tackle and improve upon
aspects like overall OPEX, with its subsegments of and lithium ore. The Köppern Hybridur® tires
higher equipment life, safer operation and increased feature an extremely wear‑resistant surface that
energy efficiency.” provides enhanced roller protection when grinding
The TurboGuide Mobile app for constant-fill fluid abrasive ores.
couplings is another breakthrough solution for sus-
tainable mining. The app delivers all necessary oper- Köppern – Quality made in Germany.
ating information and training material for Voith cou-
plings directly to operator’s mobile devices. » State of the art HPGRs and wear protection
Thomas Ohr, product manager for the TurboGu- » Process technology know‑how
ide Mobile app said: “Providing filling guidelines using
» High plant availability
a standard smartphone rather than huge paper docu-
» Low maintenance cost
ments leads to optimized operation and a major reduc-
tion of misuse, ensuring no operating fluids come into
contact with the environment. Providing manuals and Pilot HPGR testing capabilities in Australia, Canada,
tutorials via the app ensures the best possible training of Germany and Russia
the workforce, especially in less developed countries or
for mines in very remote regions. And digital equipment For further information please contact
tracking ensures transparency and hence better mainte- [email protected]
nance planning, leading to a better OPEX structure.”
www.koeppern.com
To learn more visit: https://voith.com/corp-en/products-
services/automation-digital-solutions/beltgenius.html.

2023 • VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT VDMA 65

 abaut GmbH Bochumer Eisenhütte Eickhoff Bergbautechnik GmbH
Agnes-Pockels-Bogen 1 GmbH & Co.KG Am Eickhoffpark 1
80992 München Klosterstr. 46 44789 Bochum
Web: www.abaut.de 44787 Bochum Web: www.eickhoff-international.com
Web: www.be-th.de
ABB Automation GmbH Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich
Geschäftsbereich Open Pit Mining Bosch Rexroth AG GmbH & Co KG
Hänchener Str. 14 Maria-Theresien-Str. 23 Walldürner Str. 50
03050 Cottbus 97816 Lohr am Main 74736 Hardheim
Web: www.abb.com/mining Web: www.boschrexroth.com Web: www.eirich.com

AEM - Anhaltische CFT GmbH Compact Filter Technic EVK DI Kerschhaggl GmbH
Elektromotorenwerk Dessau GmbH Neckarstraße 23 Josef-Krainer-Str. 35
Daheimstr. 18 45768 Marl 8074 Raaba-Graz
06842 Dessau-Rosslau Web: www.cft-gmbh.de Web: www.evk.biz
Web: www.aemdessau.de
Coal Control Gesellschaft für EXPROTEC GmbH
Alimak Group Deutschland GmbH Automation mbH Holzener Str. 35
NL Eppingen Reisholzstr. 15 58708 Menden
Frauenbrunner Str. 25 40721 Hilden Web: www.exprotec.eu
75031 Eppingen Web: www.coal-control.com
Web: www.alimak.de FAM Minerals & Mining GmbH
DEUTZ AG Sudenburger Wuhne 47
allmineral Aufbereitungstechnik Ottostr. 1 39112 Magdeburg
GmbH & Co. KG 51149 Köln Web: www.fam.de
Willstätterstr. 15 Web: www.deutz.com
40549 Düsseldorf FELUWA Pumpen GmbH
Web: www.allmineral.com DFT GmbH Deichmann Beulertweg 10
Filtertechnik 54570 Mürlenbach
ANDRITZ SEPARATION GmbH Heinrich-Hertz-Straße 3 Web: www.feluwa.com
Edmund-Rumpler-Str. 6A 36179 Bebra
51149 Köln Web: www.deichmann-filter.de Filtration Group GmbH
Web: www.andritz.com/separation Schleifbachweg 45
DMT GmbH & Co. KG 74613 Öhringen
apc analytics GmbH Am TÜV 1 Web: www.industrial.filtration-group.com/de/
Daimlerstrasse 17 45307 Essen
61449 Steinbach / Ts. Web: www.dmt-group.com FLSmidth Mining
Web: www.apc-analytics.com Technologies GmbH
Maschinenfabrik Heinrich Rellinghauser Straße 1
AUMUND Fördertechnik GmbH Döpke GmbH 45128 Essen
Saalhoffer Str. 17 Stellmacherstr. 10 Web: www.flsmidth.com
47495 Rheinberg 26506 Norden
Web: www.aumund.com Web: www.doepke-gmbh.de GEA Westfalia Separator
Group GmbH
AViTEQ Vibrationstechnik GmbH Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA Werner-Habig-Str. 1
Im Gotthelf 16 Revalstr. 1 59302 Oelde
65795 Hattersheim 23560 Lübeck Web: www.gea.com/contact
Web: www.aviteq.de Web: www.draeger.com
Getriebebau NORD
Bauer Maschinen GmbH DÜCHTING PUMPEN GmbH & Co. KG
BAUER-Str. 1 Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG Getriebebau-Nord-Str. 1
86529 Schrobenhausen Wilhelm-Düchting-Str. 22 22941 Bargteheide
Web: www.bauer.de 58453 Witten Web: www.nord.com
Web: www.duechting.com
Becker Mining Systems AG GK Europe GmbH
Walter-Becker-Straße 1 DURUM Verschleißschutz GmbH Mündelheimer Weg 37
66299 Friedrichsthal Carl-Friedrich-Benz-Str. 7 40472 Düsseldorf
Web: www.becker-mining.com 47877 Willich Web: www.general-kinematics.com
Web: www.durmat.com
BEUMER Group GmbH & Co. KG Goldhofer Airport Technology
Oelder Str. 40 EEP Elektro-Elektronik GmbH
59269 Beckum Pranjic GmbH Donaustrasse 95
Web: www.beumer.com Am Luftschacht 21 87700 Memmingen
45886 Gelsenkirchen Web: www.goldhofer.com
BHS-Sonthofen GmbH Web: www.eep.de
An der Eisenschmelze 47
87527 Sonthofen
Web: www.bhs-sonthofen.com

VDMA 66 VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT • 2023

Fagus GreCon Greten Herrenknecht Mining Liebherr-Mining
GmbH & Co. KG Schlehenweg 2 Equipment SAS
Hannoversche Straße 58 77963 Schwanau 49 rue Frédéric Hartmann
31061 Alfeld Web: www.herrenknecht.com 68025 Colmar, France
Web: www.grecon.com Web: www.liebherr.com
HYDAC INTERNATIONAL GmbH
GTA Maschinensysteme GmbH Industriegebiet MATO GmbH & Co. KG
Loikumer Rott 23 66280 Sulzbach/Saar Benzstr. 16 - 24
46499 Hamminkeln Web: www.hydac.com 63165 Mühlheim
Web: www.gta.eu Web: www.mato.de
ifm electronic gmbh
H + E Logistik GmbH Friedrichstr. 1 MBE Coal & Minerals
Josef-Baumann-Str. 18 45128 Essen Technology Holding GmbH
44805 Bochum Web: www.ifm.com Gottfried-Hagen-Str. 20
Web: www.helogistik.de 51105 Köln
Ingeteam GmbH Web: www.mbe-cmt.com
HADEF HEINRICH DE FRIES Grand Bateau - Zollhof 6
GmbH 40221 Düsseldorf MESUTRONIC Gerätebau GmbH
Hebezeuge • Winden • Krane Web: www.ingeteam.com Hackenfeld 13
Gauss Str. 20 94259 Kirchberg
40235 Düsseldorf JÖST GmbH + Co. KG Web: www.mesutronic.de
Web: www.hadef.de Gewerbestr. 28 - 32
48249 Dülmen Rolls-Royce Power Systems
Hammelmann GmbH Web: www.joest.com solutions brand “mtu”
Carl-Zeiss-Straße 6-8 Maybachplatz 1
59302 Oelde KAMAT GmbH & Co. KG 88045 Friedrichshafen
Web: www.hammelmann.com Salinger Feld 10 Web: www.mtu-solutions.com
58454 Witten
Hauhinco Maschinenfabrik Web: www.KAMAT.de J. D. NEUHAUS GmbH & Co. KG
GmbH & Co. KG Windenstr. 2 - 4
Beisenbruchstr. 10 KLEEMANN GmbH 58455 Witten
45549 Sprockhövel Manfred-Wörner-Straße 160 Web: www.jdngroup.com
Web: www.hauhinco.de 73037 Göppingen
Web: www.kleemann.info Nilos GmbH & Co. KG
HAVER ENGINEERING GmbH Reisholzstr. 15
An-Institut der TU Komatsu Germany GmbH 40721 Hilden
Bergakademie Freiberg Forststr. 29 Web: www.nilos.com
Halsbrücker Str. 34 40597 Düsseldorf
09599 Freiberg Web: www.komatsu-mining.de oddesse Pumpen- und
Web: www.haverengineering.de Motorenfabrik GmbH
Maschinenfabrik KÖPPERN Am Pappelwald 12
HAVER NIAGARA GmbH GmbH & Co. KG 39387 Oschersleben
Robert-Bosch-Str. 6 Königsteiner Str. 2 Web: www.oddesse.de
48153 Münster 45529 Hattingen
Web: www.haverniagara.com Web: www.koeppern.com OLKO-Maschinentechnik GmbH
Schlosserstraße 55
HAWE Hydraulik SE Korfmann Lufttechnik GmbH 59399 Olfen
Einsteinring 17 Hörder Straße 286 Web: www.ts-olko-com
85609 Aschheim/München 58454 Witten
Web: www.hawe.de Web: www.korfmann.com Hermann Paus
Maschinenfabrik GmbH
HEIN LEHMANN GmbH Krummenauer GmbH & Co. KG Siemensstr. 1 - 9
Alte Untergath 40 Wellesweilerstr. 95 48488 Emsbüren
47805 Krefeld 66538 Neunkirchen Web: www.paus.de
Web: www.heinlehmann.de Web: www.krummenauer.de
PFISTER WAAGEN BILANCIAI
HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA. KSB SE & Co. KGaA GMBH
Rixbecker Straße 75 Johann-Klein-Str. 9 Linker Kreuthweg 9
59552 Lippstadt 67227 Frankenthal 86444 Affing-Mühlhausen
Web: www.hella.com/mining Web: www.ksb.com Web: www.pfisterwaagen.de

hema electronic GmbH K-UTEC PFREUNDT GmbH

Röntgenstraße 31 Salt Technologies Robert-Bosch-Str. 5
73431 Aalen Am Petersenschacht 7 46354 Südlohn
Web: www.hema.de 99706 Sondershausen Web: www.pfreundt.de
Web: www.k-utec.de

2023 • VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT VDMA 67

 PLARAD Maschinenfabrik Schneider Electric GmbH TLT-Turbo GmbH
Wagner GmbH & Co. KG Gothaer Straße 29 Gleiwitzstr. 7
Birrenbachshöhe 17 40880 Ratingen 66482 Zweibrücken
53804 Much Web: www.se.com/de/de/work/solutions/ Web: www.tlt-turbo.com
Web: www.plarad.de for-business/mining-minerals-metals/
TML Technik GmbH
Pumpentechnik Erkrath SCHÖMA Christoph Schöttler Daimlerstr. 14 - 16
GmbH + Co KG Maschinenfabrik GmbH 40789 Monheim
Max-Planck-Str. 28 Hindenburgstrasse 50 Web: www.tml.de
40699 Erkrath 49356 Diepholz
Web: www.pumpentechnikerkrath.de Web: www.schoema.de TOMRA Sorting GmbH
Otto-Hahn-Straße 2-6
Putzmeister Concrete Pumps Schulte Strathaus GmbH & Co. KG 56218 Mülheim-Kärlich
GmbH Fördertechnik - Dichtungssysteme Web: www.tomra.com/mining
Max-Eyth.Str. 10 Runtestr. 42
72631 Aichtal 59457 Werl URACA GmbH & Co. KG
Web: www.putzmeister.com Web: www.schulte-strathaus.de Sirchinger Str. 15
72574 Bad Urach
Rockster Austria SEKA Umwelttechnik GmbH Web: www.uraca.de
International GmbH Nordparkstr. 12
Matzelsdorf 72 76829 Landau VAUTID GmbH
4212 Neumarkt, Austria Web: www.seka.gmbh Brunnwiesenstr. 5
Web: www.rockster.at 73760 Ostfildern
SIEMAG TECBERG GmbH Web: www.vautid.com
Rockwell Automation GmbH TECBERG park 28
Parsevalstr. 11 35708 Haiger VELCO Gesellschaft für
40468 Düsseldorf Web: www.siemag-tecberg.com Förder- Spritz- und
Web: www.rockwell-automation.com Siloanlagen mbH
Siemens AG Haberstr. 40
RWE Technology Large Drives Applications Minerals 42551 Velbert
International GmbH Schuhstr. 60 Web: www.velco.de
Ernestinenstrasse 60 91052 Erlangen
45141 Essen Web: www.siemens.com/mining Voith Group
Web: www.rweti.com St. Poeltener Str. 43
SKG-Aufbereitungstechnik GmbH 89522 Heidenheim
SAMSON AG MESS- UND Hefehof 25 Web: www.voith.com
REGELTECHNIK 31785 Hameln
Weismüllerstr. 3 Web: www.skg-aufbereitungstechnik.de VULKAN Kupplungs- und
60314 Frankfurt Getriebebau Bernhard Hackforth
Web: www.samsongroup.com STEINERT GmbH GmbH & Co. KG
Widdersdorfer Str. 329 - 331 Heerstr. 66
SCHADE Lagertechnik GmbH 50933 Köln 44653 Herne
Bruchstraße 1 Web: www.steinert.de Web: www.vulkan.com
45883 Gelsenkirchen
Web: www.schade-lagertechnik.com Stromag GmbH WILO SE
Hansastr. 120 Wilopark 1
Schäfer Pumpen & Hydraulik 59425 Unna 44263 Dortmund
GmbH Web: www.stromag.com Web: www.wilo.com
Henrichs-Allee 8
45527 Hattingen SUNWARD EUROPE HEAVY WIMA Wilsdruffer Maschinen-
Web: www.schaefer-ph.com INDUSTRY. NV und Anlagenbau GmbH
Havenlaan 1 Freiberger Str. 79
Schaeffler Technologies AG & 3980 Tessenderlo, Belgium 01723 Wilsdruff
CO. KG Web: www.sunward.eu Web: www.wima-maschinen.de
Georg-Schäfer-Straße 30
97421 Schweinfurt talpasolutions GmbH mining WIRTGEN GmbH
Web: medias.schaeffler.de/en/raw- data – data mining Reinhard-Wirtgen-Str. 2
materials/mining Katernberger Straße 107 53578 Windhagen
45327 Essen Web: www.wirtgen-group.com/mining
Schenck Process Europe GmbH Web: www.talpasolutions.com
Pallaswiesenstr. 100 ZF Industrieantriebe
64293 Darmstadt Thomas Magnete GmbH Witten GmbH
Web: www.schenckprocess.com Innomotion Park 3 Mannesmannstr. 29
57562 Herdorf 58455 Witten
Schienle Magnettechnik GmbH Web: www.thomas-magnete.com Web: www.zf.com
In Oberwiesen 3
88682 Salem-Neufrach
Web: www.schienle.de

VDMA 68 VDMA MINING SUPPLEMENT • 2023

 SUPPLIERS REPORT

Ventilation Shaft Hits 800-m Mark

Murray & Roberts Cementation report-
ed the new ventilation shaft at Palabora
Copper mine (PMC) passed the 800-m
mark, which is two-thirds of the shaft’s
planned depth of 1,200 m. According to
Fred Durand, the company’s senior proj-
ect manager, the shaft sinking is current-
ly making good progress, with 40 or more
lined m of advance being completed on
average each month.
“Shaft sinking operations should be
completed by the end of this year with
final handover of the shaft to our client,
PMC, taking place at the end of the first
quarter of 2024,” he said.
Ground conditions have been chal-
lenging thus far, resulting in the shaft lin-
ing being taken right down to the blasted
face, said Jas Malherbe, project man-
ager. “Normally, we would line the shaft
to within 12 to 18 m of shaft bottom and
support the sidewalls temporarily with
split sets and mesh,” he said.
“In practice, this did not prove viable,
prompting us to change our approach,”
Malherbe said. “The method we’ve ad-
opted is unconventional but has proven
The ventilation shaft at Palabora Copper mine is part of the Lift II project, which will extend mine life by
to be highly effective.” more than 15 years. (Image: Murray & Roberts Cementation)
Two twin-boom Komatsu electro-hy-
draulic jumbo drill rigs are lowered down safety offered by the Canadian method efficiency and reducing environmental
the shaft from surface and nested in has not in any way been compromised.” impact. “Several production process-
the four-deck stage for drilling the shaft Murray & Roberts Cementation’s con- es run 24/7 at Enefit Power in order to
bottom, a procedure that is repeated for tract to sink the 8.5-m-dia. shaft was supply our customers with raw materials,
each 48-hour blast-to-blast cycle. Also, a awarded in February 2019. so we need machines that are reliable,
Komatsu excavator with a 0.3-m3 bucket The ventilation shaft forms part of the productive, convenient and safer for em-
is lowered from surface through the stage copper producer’s Lift II project which will ployees to use, and that have a minimal
to shaft bottom and is used for lashing. extend mine life by more than 15 years. impact on the environment,” said CEO
So far, blasting has produced large Originally an open pit mine, the Palabo- Andres Vainola. “The new technology
rocks, which can be difficult to handle, ra mine transitioned to an underground from Sandvik meets these criteria.”
Malherbe said. “We break these up using block cave operation in the early 2000s The new equipment will partly replace
the excavator which has a quick coupler when Lift 1 was commissioned. an aging fleet. The Sandvik loaders offer
that allows it be fitted with a hydraulic PMC is located within Phalaborwa in 10- and 15-mt payload capacities. The
breaker within a few minutes.” the Limpopo province in South Africa. LH515i is the newest i-series model in
All the waste rock is brought to the Sandvik’s diesel-powered loader fleet,
surface by an 11-metric ton (mt) kibble. Sandvik Sells 20 Loaders introduced in 2021. The smaller LH410
The methods used at Palabora are to Estonia loader recently benefitted from signifi-
based on the Canadian shaft-sinking Sandvik reported it sold a fleet of 20 cant design upgrades, and it is fully com-
method that Murray & Roberts Cemen- Sandvik loaders to Estonia’s Enefit Pow- parable with Sandvik’s larger loaders in
tation pioneered in South Africa at its Ve- er, a subsidiary of state-owned energy terms of intelligence, performance and
netia mine project for De Beers Group. group Eesti Energia. The order is for 16 reliability, Sandvik said.
“We have adapted the method be- Toro LH410 loaders and four Toro LH515i Separately Sandvik reported it sold a
cause of the very different conditions loaders that will be delivered starting in fleet of 19 battery-electric vehicles (BEVs)
we’re facing, but many elements remain Q2 2023. to Rana Gruber for its iron ore operations
the same or are very similar,” Malherbe Enefit Power said its top consider- in Stoforshei in northern Norway. The or-
said. “In particular, the high degree of ations in the purchasing decision were der includes five LH518B loaders, four

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 69

 SUPPLIERS REPORT

The opening caps decades of com-

pany investments in infrastructure and
mining projects in India, Normet said.
“India represents a significant portion
of Normet’s business and the Center of
Excellence will support the future growth
and development of our company,” said
CEO Ed Santamaria.
Sales to customers in recent years has
proven to be transformational for Normet,
said Subhasis Mohanty, vice president,
Normet India. “We aim for ambitious
growth year on year and have projects in
the pipeline in both the underground and
infrastructure sectors in the country.”

South Deep Adopts

Ventilation-on-demand
Gold Fields’ South Deep Gold Mine con-
tracted Howden to supply the Vensim
Control system. The solution will, among
Sanvik sold 16 Toro LH410 loaders, similar to the above, to Estonia’s Enefit Power. (Image: Sandvik) other things, enable ventilation-on-de-
mand, allowing ventilation devices to
DL422iE longhole drills, two DS412iE me- analytics hub, and a technology training react based on feedback from environ-
chanical bolters, with two DD422iE jum- center for operations and maintenance. mental sensors.
bos, with delivery through 2024. The new facility includes a 14,000-m2 Howden said Ventsim Control will
Rana Gruber adopted the fleet to, factory and amenities area, and a 1,900- increase the safety of the underground
in part, help it achieve sustainability m2 office area. The factory is equipped workplace at the mine, and will help the
goals, the company said. “When we an- with assembly line and stations, painting miner achieve other critical goals. “Ven-
nounced our 2025 goal in 2020, many facilities, remanufacturing stations, and a tsim Control will further reduce energy
did not believe it would be possible, but proto shop with advanced testing facilities. consumption and associated tonnes of
we’re taking another major step forward It is supported by a 600-kW solar plant. carbon emissions,” said Eric Vemer, re-
in partnering with Sandvik to implement The Center is the largest greenfield gional president, Africa. “As the system
a battery-electric fleet that will improve project for the company, and will serve allows the mine to optimize its ventila-
our work environment and reduce our both Indian and global markets. It is the tion based on fully remote vehicle and
operational costs,” said CEO Gunnar company’s second global manufacturing personnel monitoring, it directly contrib-
Moe. “Most importantly, BEVs will help hub. The first is located in Iisalmi, Finland. utes to achieving emissions-reduction
us achieve our ambitious goals for car-
bon-free mining.”
Sandvik has supplied underground
equipment to Rana Gruber for more than
25 years. The companies signed a co-
operation agreement to strengthen their
partnership in November 2021. Trans-
4Mine, Sandvik’s in-house consultancy,
conducted studies and simulations to ad-
vise Rana Gruber on BEV fleet require-
ments, charging station locations and
other mining cycle optimizations, result-
ing in a letter of intent in November 2022.

Normet Opens a Multipur-

pose Facility in India
Normet announced the opening of its
Center of Excellence at Jaipur, Rajasthan
in India. The company said the facility will
be a global equipment production facility,
global service rebuild center, global re-
search and development center, a data Normet opened its Center of Excellence in Mahindra World City in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. (Image: Normet)

70 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 SUPPLIERS REPORT

targets, something of which the Howden

team is very proud.”
Ventsim Control combines ventila-
tion modelling of the mine with a flexible
control system and advanced control
strategies for monitoring, control and
optimization of underground mine ven-
tilation, Howden said. The remote and
autonomous control of ventilation devic-
es allows operators to view underground
mine conditions in real time.
The contract was part of a program by
the miner to implement a state-of-the art
ventilation optimization system.
The mine is a world-class bulk mech-
anized operation reaching depths be-
tween 2,800 m and 3,300 m and is lo-
cated in the Witwatersrand Basin, near
Westonaria, 50 km southwest of Johan-
nesburg, South Africa.

Bowman Lands McLanahan agreed to acquire Diefenbach, a supplier of filter presses like the above. (Image: McLanahan)
Engineering Contracts
Bowman Consulting Group Ltd. reported manufacturer of filter presses and thick- renaming the company Metso Corp. The
it won $600,000 of new mining-related eners based in Medolago, Italy. The two idea is driven by the fact that Metso and
engineering assignments in the south- companies, which have been working Outotec are now integrated and its cur-
western U.S. Bowman will provide civil together on projects since 2013, expect rent strategy focuses on growing a uni-
engineering and mine infrastructure sur- the acquisition to close during the sec- fied company.
veying services for eight new sites devel- ond quarter of 2023.
oped by one of the company’s longstand- McLanahan said the move was fueled
ing international mining customers. by the trending focus on a circular econ-
The consultancy said the projects will omy and recycling water. The acquisition
tap Bowman’s long experience providing enables the company to offer a more
mining operators with total site and infra- comprehensive solution to customers
structure solutions from initial site explo- and industries around the world amid a
ration through reclamation. The projects tightening regulations environment.
also offer opportunities for growth. “As we look toward the future, we
“Mining provides an opportunity for see a growing need for wastewater and
cross-selling, and we are optimistic tailings management in a variety of in-
about the synergies between our mining dustries as part of the circular econo-
services and those added from H2H,” my,” said Cory Jenson, executive vice
said Gary Bowman, chairman and CEO president for sales and business devel-
of Bowman. opment. “Every industry is being chal-
In December 2021, Bowman acquired lenged to use less and less water and
H2H Geoscience Engineering, which
Sumpter, OR Gold Mine
to recycle the water they are using,” he
provides mine consulting and geospatial said. “This acquisition offers significant
Coming to Auction in June!
capabilities. Bowman also recently add- synergies to McLanahan’s existing tail- 40981 & 40907 Spaulding Ridge Rd
ed enhanced mining services, including ings solutions in mining and aggregates, Eureka Gold Mine is located in the
construction quality assurance, process Cracker Creek reach of the Powder River
which continue to remain a critical part of
drainage in the Sumpter Mining District,
engineering, mine infrastructure engi- McLanahan’s product offerings.” Baker County, Oregon. It is an active
neering, capital project control services, McLanahan said Diefenbach will and permitted placer mine and will
construction management and plant continue to operate as an independent convey with all mining and excavation
commissioning, and topographical sur- brand, focusing on its core industries and equipment. Please call
for seller provided due
vey services. markets around the world.
diligence package.

McLanahan to Acquire Metso Outotec Could 800.801.8003

Diefenbach Become Metso williamsauction.com/GoldMine
McLanahan Corp. said it signed an Metso Outotec said its board of directors OR WILLIAMS & WILLIAMS WORLDWIDE REAL ESTATE, LLC.
PHILIP R. HEILIGER, LIC. NO. 201211071.
agreement to acquire Diefenbach, a proposed to the annual general meeting BUYER’S PREMIUM MAY APPLY.

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 71

 OPERATING STRATEGIES

Grease-free Polymer Bearings Prove

Their Worth in Mining Applications
and the ArcelorMittal/Ternium joint ven-
ture’s Peña Colorada iron mine in Colima.

Drone-based Planting
Can Reduce Time,
Costs of Reforestation
Although mining activity is often associ-
ated with deforestation, by some estima-
tions it’s a lesser contributor to the prob-
lem – accounting for about 7% of forest
losses and degradation – than commer-
cial and subsistence agriculture (73%)
After experiencing favorable results from installing polymer-based bearings in heavy-duty pumps at
several of its mines, Grupo Mexico also has ordered similar bearings for use in certain applications on
and urban expansion and infrastructure
its Komatsu wheel loader fleet. (10%). Nevertheless, while mining’s di-
rect impact on forests is often limited, its
Mining is notoriously hard on bearings, ings were costly and difficult to replace, indirect and cumulative impacts can be
and their critical role in maintaining ma- requiring regular greasing, but we found significant, according to a paper* pub-
chine operability amplifies their overall that the ThorPlas-Blue material are capa- lished by Chatham House, a UK-based
value far beyond just item cost – add in ble of withstanding the corrosive effects policy institute.
the expense associated with installation, of sulfuric acid, with no grease require- For example, mining’s direct impact
inspection, lubrication, replacement and ments,” said Selvas. includes land-use change at mine sites,
possible production shortfalls due to un- TZ Industrias’ initial scope of supply and downstream pollution and environ-
expected failure to get a true picture of was for bearing material machined to fit mental damage. The sector’s indirect
their importance. 54 pumps at the Buena Vista del Cobre and cumulative impacts can be more
Thordon Bearings, a Canadian sup- and Operadora De Minas De Nacozari significant, including those associated
plier headquartered in Ontario, said operations. TZ Industrias expects to with the development of road, rail and
Grupo México, the world’s fourth-largest retrofit a further 189 pumps in the com- port infrastructure for transport and ex-
copper producer, began installing Thor- ing months. port of minerals, and the impacts asso-
don self-lubricating bearings in 2014 and Given the performance of the Thor- ciated with inflows of workers and other
is still expanding their usage throughout Plas-Blue bearings in vertical pumps, economic activities such as logging as
its operations. however, Grupo México also ordered infrastructure opens forests up.
Thordon’s Mexico-based distributor bearings for use on some of its Komat- The paper explores the impacts of
TZ Industrias first supplied and retrofitted su wheel loaders. TZ Industrias sup- large-scale mining on forests, against the
ThorPlas-Blue bearings to vertical tur- plied and installed 33, 314-mm-diameter backdrop of rising demand anticipated
bine pumps operating at Grupo Mexico (12.36 in.) and 18, 116-mm-diameter for many mineral commodities. The study
mines in Sonora and Nacozari, and the (4.57-in.) ThorPlas-Blue bearings for use assumes that alongside the depletion of
mining company has continued to speci- on Komatsu 600 series loaders. A current accessible reserves and declining ore
fy Thordon solutions for other equipment, project involves trialing Thordon’s poly- grades across the sector, mining is like-
including heavy industrial vehicles. mer bearing technology on a P&H 4100 ly to push further into forest landscapes,
“The ThorPlas-Blue bearings we ret- series electric rope shovel. increasing the risk of deforestation and
rofitted in 2014 have lasted significantly The company claims that with no forest degradation. It expands upon the
longer than the Ultra-High Molecular greasing requirement, its self-lubricating key themes of a research workshop
Weight Polyethylene (UHMPE) pump thermoplastic ThorPlas-Blue material which was held at Chatham House in
bearings they replaced, leading to a provides long wear life, low friction, high May 2019.
number of new bearing orders,” said Ar- abrasion resistance and dry start-up ca- Apart from the increased scrutiny and
turo Selvas, director, TZ Industrias. pability. Bearings can operate in water pressure that the industry is likely to re-
“These pumps process a mix of wa- and chemicals up to 80°C (176°F) and ceive as competition for natural resourc-
ter and traces of sulfuric acid, which is 110°C (230°F) dry and can withstand de- es such as water, timber and farmland
more demanding than other applications sign pressures up to 45 MPa (6,527 psi).
that deal only with only water and sand, Other Mexican sites using pumps ret- * Mining’s Impacts on Forests, Aligning Policy
and Finance for Climate and Biodiversity Goals,
so they needed a tougher, longer-lasting, rofitted with a Thordon bearing solution in- research paper, October 14, 2020, ISBN: 978 1
more robust solution. The original bear- clude a Newmont gold mine in Zacatecas 78413 418 1.

72 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 OPERATING STRATEGIES

heightens, reforestation of mine lands depending on the project, may conduct quate burial in the soil to initiate the
presents the prospect of another meth- some replanting in a traditional way. vegetation cycle.
od to indirectly cut GHG emissions from The capsules carried by the drones • They allow a storage period compatible
mining – in this case, even long after min- have several advantages over conventional with the planting seasons in different
ing ceases. Simply put, trees sequester direct seeding, according to the company: regions of the world.
CO2 and store carbon in biomass. Mining • They offer a growing medium with opti- MORFO says basic components of its
companies can integrate reforestation mal humidity and biological richness for capsules are sourced locally to support
into their ESG strategies, provided the the plant. local economic networks and avoid risk
price is right. • Their physical structure is resistant to of ecosystem disruption due to the im-
2-23EngMiningJrnl_insertV1.pdf
A French climate-tech startup com- impact when dropped, resulting in ade- 1 2/21/23
plantation 5:31 PM
of exogenous plants.
pany has focused its efforts on devel-
oping what it claims is a unique solution
for large-scale reforestation of degraded
ecosystems, using drones. Instead of
simply planning a monoculture reforesta-
tion for a tract of land, MORFO says it
conducts a detailed analysis of the soils
and the surrounding biodiversity in order
to recreate viable forests which it will
monitor for years to ensure sustainability
and vigor.
MORFO says one of its specially
equipped drones can reforest up to 50
hectares per day using seed encapsula-
tion technology – 50 times more than tra-
ditional reforestation methods, according
to the company, which says it has suc-
cessfully carried out projects in Gabon
(in collaboration with the mining and met-
allurgical group ERAMET), French Gui-
ana and Brazil. C

The company points out that in its refor- M

estation strategy, humans and drones are

Y
complementary. In general, drones are:
• More efficient – They can plant between CM

20 and 100 times faster than humans.MYA

single drone can treat up to 50 hectares
CY
per day and plant 180 bolls (seed cap-
sules) per minute. CMY

• Cost savers – They can be as much K

as five times cheaper, because of their

speed of planting, but also because          
planting by drone avoids the need for              
      
a plant nursery.
    
• Safer – They are able to access areas    
that pose high risk for human activity; e.g.,   
          
in rugged or extremely remote terrain.      
However, MORFO explains that at
each stage of a project – analysis of the
    
    
           
terrain, choice of seeds, planting, moni-
         
toring of evolution – human intervention    
remains crucial. The company uses sci-
entists, employed by MORFO or by part-    
ner laboratories and universities, as well
as technicians, agronomy experts, drone
operators and seed specialists. The
company says it also collaborates with
members of local entities associated with
a project who assist in preparation and,

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 73

 PROCESSING SOLUTIONS

FLSmidth to Supply High-capacity

In-pit Crushing System
When combined with BASF’s LixTRA
reagent, the mineral recovery rates and
efficiencies are compounded, especially
in sulphide-based ores like chalcopyrite.
Caren Hoffman, who leads the global
mining solutions business at BASF, said,
“Technological improvements and collabo-
rations like the one we announced today
are essential if the industry is to maximize
the recovery of copper at existing mines.
By combining BASF’s LixTRA reagent, al-
lowing greater ore-lixiviant contact, togeth-
er with Moleaer’s nanobubble technology
to facilitate a higher oxidative environment,
we offer technology to the industry to sig-
nificantly increase copper recoveries.”

REE Demo Plant Testing

Shows Favorable Results
NioCorp announced in early February that
its demonstration-scale processing plant
at L3 Process Development in Quebec,
Canada successfully produced a high-pu-
rity mixed rare earth concentrate. These
FLSmidth’s TS range of gyratory crushers are designed to permit service and maintenance from above results, according to Colorado, USA-
with the eccentric assembly, bushings and hydraulic piston accessible and removable through the top of based NioCorp, support the technical fea-
the crusher, which the company said is safer than bottom-service crusher design and improves speed
and simplicity of maintenance work.
sibility of separating high-purity oxides of
several key magnetic rare earths from ore
FLSmidth has received an order valued In addition, whole crusher shells with wear at the company’s Elk Creek critical miner-
at $45.3 million to supply its Top Ser- liners can be changed as single units to als project in southeast Nebraska.
vice Gyratory Crusher (TSUV), including increase equipment uptime and the propri- NioCorp said its patent-pending
a semi-mobile station and heavy-duty etary, self-aligning main-shaft technology demonstration scale rare earth extraction
apron feeder, to a South American cop- significantly reduces safety risks, assem- and purification solvent extraction pro-
per miner. The company claims the TSUV bly times and increases accuracy. cess operation is ongoing in Trois-Riv-
is the world’s largest primary gyratory ieres, Quebec, using solutions gener-
crusher, with a handling capacity of more Partnership Will Explore ated by the upstream operations of the
than 12,000 metric tons per hour (mt/h). Nanobubble Cu Leaching demonstration plant. The rare earths
“This order further extends FLSmidth’s Global chemical company BASF and were then precipitated out of solution,
market leading position in primary crush- nanobubble-technology specialist Mole- producing a solid containing 6% praseo-
ers and semi-mobile crusher stations, aer have begun an exclusive partnership dymium oxide, 25% neodymium oxide,
key components of our in-pit crushing aimed at combining the two companies’ 0.35% terbium oxide and 1.6% dysprosi-
and conveying systems. Beyond the tan- expertise in mineral processing, hydro- um oxide, with the balance of the solids
gible benefits for the customer, the solu- metallurgy, gas transfer, and nanobubble consisting primarily of rare earths with
tion contributes to our MissionZero ambi- technology to develop innovative process- minor base metal impurities.
tion of providing the needed technologies es for mining. The initial aim is to target Based on these results, and subject to
to enable zero emission mining by 2030,” the copper leaching process and improve additional demonstration testing, L3’s pro-
said Mikko Keto, CEO at FLSmidth. extraction rates of copper ores containing cess engineering team determined that
FLSmidth said the crusher order will high levels of chalcopyrite, which have overall recoveries for these four magnetic
deliver multiple efficiency benefits to the historically been difficult to leach. rare earths are likely to be greater than
customer; for example, the crusher and BASF claims that, based on test work 92% and meet commercial purity specifi-
station are designed with easily accessible it has conducted, Moleaer’s nanobubble cations for magnetic rare earth oxides.
modules for simple and quick maintenance technology improves the extraction pro- These results, said NioCorp, are in
from the top using overhead bridge cranes. cess of valuable metals such as copper. line with bench- and pilot-scale testing

74 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 PROCESSING SOLUTIONS

located on tidewater,” said Robert Mc-

Leod, president and CEO of Blackwolf.
“With the Niblack Cu-Au-Zn-Ag deposit
also located on tidewater and marine
bulk transport being reasonably cost ef-
fective, we believe that the Kitsault site
could be a potential good fit for Black-
wolf. Other companies with projects near
tidewater in Alaska and B.C. have also
expressed interested in participating.”
The companies will jointly share the
costs of this study. Fuse Advisors is a
Vancouver-based consultancy that pro-
vides project management and technical
advisory services to development stage
companies in the resource sector.
NioCorp said it achieved a rare earth dissolution rate of 86%–95% from Elk Creek project ore through hydro-
chloric acid leaching and a loading rate of up to 99% rare earths in a follow-on solvent extraction recovery step. The Kitsault mine project is owned by
Avanti Kitsault Mine Ltd., in which New
of L3’s rare earth recovery system, as southeastern Alaska. The proposed site at Moly has a 100% interest. The mine is a
well as hydrometallurgical performance Kitsault previously hosted a molybdenum brownfield site with considerable past min-
models that have been run on the rare mine. New Moly is considering funding re- ing activity and basic infrastructure in place.
earth recovery process upon which the quirements to restart a larger scale project. From 1968 and intermittently until 1982,
demonstration plant is based. And, the The companies have engaged Fuse the site produced approximately 30 million
company continued, they are in line with Advisors Inc. to complete an initial assess- lb of molybdenum from open-pit mining.
previous published results at demonstra- ment of the technical viability of the Kitsault Kitsault’s development would include con-
tion-scale in producing high-purity scan- polymetallic mill concept. By reviewing the struction of a process plant, upgrade of the
dium oxide at an overall recovery rate of respective metallurgical test work com- existing powerline, expansion of the exist-
approximately 92%. Scandium behaves pleted at the various deposits, Fuse will ing open pit, construction of a low-grade
very similarly to rare earths in solution assess the potential for blending or batch- ore stockpile, waste rock management
while it is being separated and recovered ing mineralized material, potential process facility, and a tailings management facility
into a high-purity oxide product. flow-sheets, potential throughputs from the with associated water management ponds.
L3 is currently completing the assem- various deposits and associated mill sizing The contiguous Dolly Varden and
bly and commissioning of additional sol- and timelines. Fuse will also be completing Homestake Ridge projects, owned by Dol-
vent extraction steps that will be run in industry benchmarking by assessing simi- ly Varden Silver, make up a 163-km2 land
concert with the rest of the demonstration lar polymetallic mines and mills, which in- package across the inlet from the Kitsault
plant to confirm these recovery numbers. clude Boliden’s operations in Scandinavia site, via a 28-km historic mine road. Black-
NioCorp noted that an economic and the Jiama project in China. wolf Copper and Gold’s Niblack project
analysis has not been completed on the “We are optimistic about the potential hosts multiple Cu-Au-Zn-Ag deposits and
rare earth mineral resource comprising a synergies of working with the companies prospects, located next to tidewater on
portion of the Elk Creek project – where in a scenario to reduce respective capital Prince of Wales Island in southeast Alaska.
the primary product will be ferroniobium costs as well as reduce permitting time- New Moly also owns 80% of the Mt.
– and further studies are required before lines and risks by using a permitted site Hope molybdenum project in Nevada.
determining whether extraction of rare
earth elements can be reasonably justi-
fied and economically viable after taking
into account all relevant factors.

Companies Study
Polymetallic Mill Plan
in British Columbia
Blackwolf Copper and Gold has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with Dolly
Varden Silver and New Moly LLC to joint-
ly study the viability of using New Moly’s
Kitsault project as the potential site for a
centralized polymetallic processing facil-
ity that could accept mineralized material
from the companies’ respective depos-
its in northwestern British Columbia and Location of Kitsault, Dolly Varden and Nibllack deposits in northwestern British Columbia.

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 75

 EQUIPMENT GALLERY

After Validation, Mobius Reaches

Commercialization
Epiroc’s ASI announced the full commer- Blast Modeling Software for
cialization of Mobius, the autonomous Optimized Grade Control
haulage system (AHS) that is reportedly Orica unveiled OREPro 3D Predict, model-
being deployed to almost 100 haul trucks ling software that predicts blast movement
at Roy Hill mine in Western Australia. The in near-real-time and optimizes grade con-
solution was proven during the product trol value. The solution enables iterative
verification phase at the mine, a major designs and the quantification of value in
milestone that triggers the next level in the each blast design, the company said.
solution’s development, the company said. Using readily available mine data
The product verification phase at Roy as inputs, including blast designs and
Hill included the operation of a mixed in-situ block models, sophisticated phys-
fleet of Cat 793F and Hitachi EH-5000 ics-based algorithms predict movement
haul trucks. On a fleet of 10 trucks, the dynamics throughout the entire blast
solution attained critical results in testing volume to create a swelled post-blast
for efficiency, productivity, and availabil- grade control block model, Orica said.
ity, ASI said. With the validation phase The polygon optimization tools can then
complete, Roy Hill will convert its mixed suggest delineations that help achieve
fleet of 96 haul trucks to Mobius, making the highest value possible. The software
it the largest AHS site in the world. can also simulate post-blast topography
The validation phase and its results for boundary-setting purposes.
were paralleled by the launch of related The solution complements the indus-
field services for deployment and sup- try’s leading reactive software, ORE-
port. That support will be through Epi- Pro 3D, creating value for customers
roc’s distribution network, such as the through a complete grade-control work-
one based in Perth, Australia, supporting flow offering. near to real time, and working crews re-
the Roy Hill deployment. Orica.com ceive prompt notification for action along
Epiroc acquired 34% of ASI Mining with immediate access to all event de-
in 2018. Updated RockSpot tails, which are tracked, stored and clas-
Mobius is an autonomous mining plat- Has New Tools sified in a rockfall events database.”
form that also supports drilling, blasting IDS GeoRadar launched a software IDSGeoRadar.com
and dozing. update for RockSpot. The update ex-
ASIRobots.com pands the data analysis performance 5G Android Smartphone
of the system with new tools supporting for Hazardous Areas
rockfall risk zonation, TARP fine tuning, i.safe MOBILE announced the IS540.1,
and back-analysis to reduce operational which, the company said, is the world’s
and geotechnical risks, parent company first 5G smartphone for ATEX and
Hexagon said. IECEx zone 1/21. The Android 12 unit
The tools allow users to manipulate features a high-performance Qualcomm
the events database and plot custom QCM6490 chipset, a large 6-in. display,
charts based on defined areas and items, a 48-MP main camera; and standards
such as event rate, duration or area ex- such as WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and NFC.
tension, velocity and run-out distance of The smartphone has powerful artifi-
rockfall, Hexagon reported. They enable cial intelligence and computing functions,
a comprehensive back-analysis, models i.safe MOBILE said. “Fields of application
calibration, integrity of rockfall controls, for the new IS540.1 are scenarios in haz-
and design change justification. ardous areas involving autonomous driv-
RockSpot is the industry’s first end-to- ing, platooning, control and monitoring of
end solution able to trigger notifications mobile robots, near-real-time monitoring
on rockfalls in real time and to maximize in process automation, workflow in the
rockfall hazard management, providing control loop and in plant management,
an explorable rockfall database for anal- logistics management, asset tracking
ysis, Hexagon said. “The compact and and site access tracking.”
powerful radar picks up falling rocks in isafe-mobile.com

76 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 EQUIPMENT GALLERY

Convergence System for ered, use laser measurements, and can

UG Ground Support Tech be connected via WiFi or Bluetooth.
Sandvik released xCell Cyclops, a con- The system can be customized to cap-
vergence system for ground support in ture and track any changes in a mine’s
underground mining that provides wire- ground conditions, Sandvik said. It offers
less, continuous, remote and real-time built-in notifications and alarms.
measurement of ground movements. The system is available today as a
The system enables remote assessment subscription service with three levels:
of rock mass behavior, which leads to Basic, Silver and Gold. Number of users
safer, more efficient and cost-effective at a site and devices in remote mode
ground support and optimized ground re- vary across the levels. Local service is ment that can deliver a ten-fold return
habilitation, Sandvik said. included in all three levels, and remote through increased production” while re-
xCell Cyclops sensors are installed service is included in the Gold package. ducing emissions.
on existing rock bolts, are battery pow- Rocktechnology.sandvik “Not having to haul or process waste
material is a smart way to do this, and it
Environmental Impact is delivering huge results not only from
Calculator an emissions perspective but also in-
Minnovare launched the Environmental creasing production,” the consultancy
Impact Calculator, which allows mining said. “If we start to look at opportunities
companies to compute CO2 emissions. that will both increase production and
The calculator shows how those emis- have the benefit of reducing emissions,
sions are reduced through improved drill- this will be a no-brainer for underground
ing accuracy, the supplier said. mining companies.”
Minnovare also said an environmen- Using Minnovare technology could
tal services company in Perth, Australia, save Western Australian goldfields pro-
hailed the calculator as very accurate. ducers between 1,000 and 8,000 mt of
The consultancy also said the supplier’s CO2 per year, the consultancy said.
Production Optimizer is a “small invest- Minnovare.com

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 77

CONSULTANTS & SERVICES

‘the essential’ 3 hour course

includes takeaway tools
for match performance roads
✓ for fleet & operating conditions
✓ for life of road & traffic loads
✓ lowering RR & cycle times
✓ lowering fuel & emissions
✓ for increased tire life
✓ AND lower $/ton
Tim Joseph shares ‘the essential’
Roads make Loads
April 5, Conquistador Hilton, Tucson AZ

jpicanada.com
realize enhanced asset performance

SMYTHE & ASSOCIATES

(1) 562-598-2840

PRIVATE OFFICE FINANCING

FOR
Mine Expansion & Construction
Competitive Rates and Terms

Email: [email protected]
Visit: www.smythefinancial.com

VISIT
WWW.E-MJ.COM

FOR ADVERTISING, CONTACT YOUR

INTERNATIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE:
Midwest/Eastern U.S. & Canada Germany, Austria & Switzerland Japan
Craig Scharf Gerd D. Strasmann Masao Ishiguro
Tel: +1 904-721-2925 ext. 106 Tel: +49 202 28 14 64 83 Tel: +81 (3) 3719-0775
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Western U.S., Canada & Australia Scandinavia, U.K. & European

Frank Strazzulla Colm Barry
Tel: +1 949-459-1767 Tel: +46 (0) 736 334670
[email protected] [email protected]

78 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 ADVERTISING INDEX

Andritz AG.....................................................VDMA 55 Innovative Wireless Technologies (IWT).................. 13

Becker Mining Systems GmbH......................VDMA 59 Maschinenfabrik Koeppern GmbH & Co KG..... VDMA 65
Beumer Group GmbH & Co KG....................VDMA 58 Komatsu Mining Corp USA...................................... BC
Caterpillar............................................................... IBC Martin Engineering................................................... 73
CIM 2023.................................................................. 25 Mining Media Int’l - Subscription Renewal................ 77
CR Mining................................................................... 7 RUD Ketten Rieger & Dietz GmbH u. Co KG.... VDMA 53
DeZURIK Inc (Red Valve)......................................... 27 Schurco Slurry.......................................................... 15
Epiroc......................................................................... 3 Superior Industries Inc.............................................. 17
Eriez......................................................................... 37 Valley Forge & Bolt Mfg Co...................................... 31
ERLAU AG.....................................................VDMA 53 Weir Minerals Australia........................................... IFC
General Kinematics.................................................. 11 Williams & Williams Worldwide Real Estate LLC..... 71
GIW Industries Inc (KSB Inc).................................... 30 Wirtgen International GmbH..........................VDMA 57
Hermann Paus Maschinenfabrik GmbH........VDMA 63 World Mining Equipment (WME).............................. 79

VISIT WWW.E-MJ.COM FOR MORE

INFORMATION ON ADVERTISING

www.e-mj.com MARCH 2023 • E&MJ 79

 MARKETS

Palladium Loses Its Luster

By Steve Fiscor, Editor-in-Chief

Palladium hit a record high in Q1 2022

due to supply concerns following Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine, and then the price
steadily declined to $1,438 per ounce
(oz). The average pricing of all three ma-
jor platinum group metals (PGMs) soft-
ened in 2022. Platinum closed the year
higher than it opened, but palladium and
rhodium finished lower.
Used in catalytic converters for emis-
sions control, palladium demand is a func-
tion of the automotive industry, which was
up 7% in 2022. So, why has the price for
palladium softened? Could more automak-
ers be substituting platinum for palladium?
South Africa’s Impala Platinum sees
the markets for PGMs tightening during
2023 based on demand recovery and
constrained supply. The company said
palladium and rhodium markets tightened
in 2022, recording deficits of 800,000 oz Palladium prices hit a record high in Q1 2022 and then steadily declined.
and 62,000 oz, respectively. Implats said
its South African processing capacity was (ETFs) returned metal to the market, lead- build of the Polokwane smelter, as well
constrained by maintenance and the lack ing to a surplus of 336,000 oz in 2022. as Eskom load-shedding.
of power. Meanwhile, automotive sup- Implats said palladium prices so far in Amplats believes that a combination
ply-chain constraints eased and under- 2023 have been impacted by soft phys- of pent-up demand, low inventories,
pinned a modest recovery in light-duty ve- ical demand due to Chinese and other strong labor markets and stimulus re-
hicle production, while industrial demand consumers destocking in the opening leased into the Chinese economy should
remained robust. weeks of the year. help the automotive recovery rally con-
Implats said platinum benefited from PGM production at South Africa’s tinue through the year. Market funda-
underlying auto and industrial demand Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) de- mentals for PGMs should remain robust,
growth but saw negative investor sen- creased by 6% to a little more than 4 mil- and Amplats expects the supply/demand
timent as the precious metals came un- lion oz in 2022. Production was impacted balances of the three main PGMs to be in
der pressure and exchange traded funds by a delay in the completion of the re- small deficits in 2023.

(March 2, 2023)

Precious Metals ($/oz) Base Metals ($/mt) Minor Metals ($/mt) Exchange Rates (U.S.$ Equivalent)
Gold $1,838.30 Aluminum $2,399.50 Molybdenum $77,726 Euro (€) 1.068
Silver $20.96 Copper $8,958.50 Cobalt $33,400 U.K. (£) 1.203
Platinum $962.00 Lead $2,125.50 Lithium Hydroxide $74,700 Canada ($) 0.736
Palladium $1,438.00 Nickel $24,395.00 Australia ($) 0.677
Rhodium $9,600.00 Tin $24,570.00 Iron Ore ($/dmt) South Africa (Rand) 0.055
Ruthenium $465.00 Zinc $3,048.00 Fe CFR China $126.80 China (¥) 0.146

Gold and silver prices provided by KITCO Bullion dealers (www.kitco.com). Platinum group metals prices provided by Johnson Matthey (www.platinum.matthey.com).
Non-ferrous base and minor metal prices provided by London Metal Exchange (www.lme.co.uk). Iron ore prices provided by Platts Iron Ore Index. Currency exchange
rates were provided by www.xe.com.

80 E&MJ • MARCH 2023 www.e-mj.com

 DRIVEN
FOR
RESULTS
CAT MINING TRUCKS
®

The development of every Cat® mining truck is driven by a commitment

to delivering what you require: highly reliable and durable machines,
technology and autonomy solutions that boost efficiency and safety,
features to reduce environmental impact, and services that improve your
overall hauling operation. Our efforts are driven by your results.

With a focus on continuous improvement and an innovative mindset,

we’re committed to your operation today and in the future.

TOGETHER WITH CAT DEALERS, WE’RE YOUR

PARTNER FOR THE LONG HAUL.

Discover new ways to improve your hauling

operation today: C AT. C O M / M I N I N G T R U C K S

©2023 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, LET’S DO THE WORK, their respective logos,
“Caterpillar Corporate Yellow”, the “Power Edge” and Cat “Modern Hex” trade dress as well as corporate
and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.
Ready for When the team of Hoffman Family Gold have to

action?
deal with harsh conditions deep in the wilderness of
Alaska, they use Komatsu equipment designed for
whatever reality (and reality TV) throws at them.

Learn more about the equipment:

komatsu.com/pc650lc

© 2023 Komatsu Ltd. or one of its subsidiaries. All rights reserved.