Abstract SYMPHOS 2011

DEVELOPMENTS IN DC AND AC TECHNOLOGY FOR
SURFACE MINING EQUIPMENT
MN-O-05
Mark JOHNSTON,
General Manager Electrical Upgrades, Bucyrus International Inc.,
South Milwaukee, USA
This paper and presentation will reflect the latest developments in Excavator Electrical Control Systems in
association with the latest technological advances in Diagnostics, Condition Based Monitoring Systems and Data
gathering equipment as it applies to mobile Surface Mining Equipment.
Examples will show how Bucyrus International Inc, has incorporated this technology with Safety, Reliability and
Productivity as the major focus. Topics that will be covered during the presentation include:
- AC and DC Drive Technology
- Complete Electrical System Diagnostics
- Continuous Data Monitoring stored to on-board servers
- Automated Condition Monitoring utilizing
wireless vibration sensors
electronic fluid analysis for debris and oil
wireless strain gauges
- Production Monitoring
- Complete Remote Access via GSM networks
OPTIMISATION OF DRAGLINE OPERATIONS IN PHOSPHATE MINING
Vince Osborne,
SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd,
UK
MN-O-06
This presentation addresses the application of large walking draglines to overburden removal in open pit phosphate
mining, with particular emphasis on optimisation.
Where dragline stripping is the dominant method of waste removal, optimisation of the dragline operation will act
to maximise ore uncovery rate and minimise stripping costs.
Optimising the dragline operation requires consideration of a number of factors which affect the efficiency of
dragline stripping. Such factors include dragline selection, pit layout, waste allocation, dragline stripping method,
scheduled maintenance, downtime, walking and deadheading, and operator technique.
The choice of dragline stripping method is a primary determinant of productivity and the object of mine planners
is to select the dragline method that best suits the deposit and dragline. This presentation focuses on choice of
stripping method, but also addresses the other factors which influence dragline productivity.
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