Cummins Mining - Summer 2014

MINING BUSINESS WORK
MUSCLING IN
AT MEANDU
EX8000 DIGGING THE
BIG TONNAGES
Behind the seams at Boggabri
Ironing out the Duke
SUMMER EDITION 2014
www.cummins.com.au

04 05
08 09 Power station at Fortescue’s Christmas Creek
mine comprises 27 QSK78 gensets.
16 17
One of the three EX2600-6 excavators achieving high availability at Iron Duke.
When Contract Power decided to
become the first major user of Cummins
QSK78 generator sets in the world with
the construction of a power station at
Christmas Creek in the Pilbara, it could
have been viewed as a bold move in
such a remote and harsh region.
At the time, Contract Power general
manager Marc Grosser dismissed any
possible concerns: “We like trying new
equipment… we believe it gives us a
leading edge over our competitors.”
The power station in question was
completed early in 2012, its generators
vital to the operation of Fortescue’s
Christmas Creek mine, in particular
the two ore processing facilities that
have an annual through-put capacity
of more than 50 million tonnes.
EX8000 recently loaded 110,440 tonnes in a day.
This is the biggest diesel power station
in Australia, designed and built by
Perth-based Contract Power and
owned and operated by the same
company – a progressive outfit that
boasts the ability to do power generation
business “anywhere in the world”.
It is also the largest single installation
of prime power Cummins QSK78
generator sets in the world, each of
the 27 units able to deliver 2 MW.
In a previous issue of Cummins
Commentary (Issue 34, August 2011),
we featured the first development
stage of the power station. Undertaken
in 2011, this first stage saw the
installation of 14 generators, while the
second and final stage was completed
early in 2012 with the commissioning
of a further 13 QSK78 units.
The reliability of the power station is
A fleet of Cummins-powered haul mine is owned by Idemitsu Australia
trucks and excavators is achieving Resources, a subsidiary of Japanese
availability targets for mining
petroleum company Idemitsu Kosan
contractor Downer Mining at Boggabri Co., Ltd. Construction of the mine
Coal in the Gunnedah Basin, NSW. began in January 2006 and the first
coal was produced in October.
Cummins’ on-site support also rates
highly at Boggabri with the mine operating Downer Mining’s current contract with
24/7 and set to produce more than Idemitsu, which runs to December
5.0 million tonnes of coal in 2014.
2016, involves drilling and blasting, mine
planning, and loading and haulage.
Downer Mining has been the mining
contractor at Boggabri Coal since
Overburden haulage at Boggabri is
2006 when production began. The spearheaded by 17 Komatsu 930E trucks
The world’s first Hitachi EX8000 backhoe
excavator is in full flight at Stanwell Corporation’s
Meandu coal mine in south east Queensland,
digging the big tonnages expected of it.
With its dual Tier II Cummins QSK60 MCRS engines
pumping out close to 4000 hp, the 837-tonne EX8000
went into service in September and is moving 2700
to 3000 BCMs (bank cubic metres) an hour.
“The EX8000 is expected to move 14 million
BCMs per year over the next three years,
removing mainly overburden,” says Jim
Young, Meandu Mine asset manager.
A pointer to the machine’s capability is that it recently
loaded 110,440 tonnes in a day. The EX8000 is
equipped with a 45 cubic metre bucket and is moving
around 75 tonnes per bucket load, feeding a fleet of
220-tonne capacity Komatsu 830E dump trucks.
One of the biggest hydraulic excavators in the
world, the EX8000’s dual 60-litre Cummins QSK60
engines power its hydraulic system – a system
of 16 main pumps which move 8000 litres of oil
a minute to achieve maximum working force.
Although it’s early days yet for the EX8000
at Meandu Mine, Jim Young is confident the
machine will achieve its targets based on his
extensive knowledge of the Hitachi product.
“We plan to have the machine operating around
5700 hours a year,” says the man who started
at Meandu Mine during its construction in the
late 1970s. It’s not surprising that Jim Young
knows virtually every square metre of the Meandu
complex which today comprises five active pits.
Stanwell is a diverse energy company owned by
the Queensland Government and has coal, gas and
water assets that are used to generate electricity
for Australia’s wholesale electricity market.
Jim Young, Meandu Mine asset manager… “We plan to have the
EX8000 operating around 5,700 hours a year.”
critical to Fortescue – Australia’s third
largest producer of iron ore behind
Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton – as it
continues to ramp up production.
For Contract Power’s Marc Grosser,
“hitting the maintenance targets” is
one of the key pointers to the
efficiency of the power station.
“Mechanically, the engine/alternator
package is performing very well,” he says
without hesitation. “Some of the gensets
have clocked up over 10,000 hours
and are hitting the maintenance targets
that we have in place with Cummins.
“Our experience at Christmas Creek is
that maintenance costs of the QSK78
genset are lower than competitors’ costs.
“Fuel economy of the QSK78 is
also very competitive,” he says.
He points out the maintenance targets
set with Cummins include injector
change-out at 10,000 hours – a
target that is being achieved.
CUMMINS SOUTH PACIFIC SUMMER 2014
Cummins on-site technician Casey Haywood (right) with
Downer Mining’s reliability supervisor Adam Morrison.
with a 290-tonne payload capacity, and
the force behind their tractive effort is the
Cummins QSK60 engine rated at 2700 hp.
The reliability of the 930E trucks is
critical as they contribute significantly
to a total annual overburden and coal
movement of around 36 million BCMs.
The oldest 930Es had clocked up around
9,000 hours near the end of 2013,
with the youngest at 5000 hours.
CUMMINS SOUTH PACIFIC SUMMER 2014
CONTENT
mining
Cummins
mining
Cummins
04
YOUR MINING MAGAZINE
Muscling in at Meandu
The world’s first Hitachi EX8000 backhoe excavator is in full
flight at Meandu coal mine in south east Queensland.
USER REPORT
08
Generation X
The biggest diesel power station in Australia, at Christmas
Creek mine in the Pilbara, features Cummins QSK78 generator
sets.
04
MUSCLING
IN AT MEANDU
GENERATORS
12
Just keep on digging
Two of the first operational Tier II Cummins QSK38 engines
in the world have exceeded life-to-overhaul targets in
mining in south east Queensland.
GENERATION
15
Holding fire
A containerised fire pump incorporating Cummins power
has been built for a Pilbara mining project.
08
The generation of electrical power in Western Australia’s
Pilbara region is critical as its iron ore riches continue
to provide Australia with its biggest export earnings.
16
Behind the seams at Boggabri
A fleet of Cummins-powered haul trucks and excavators is
achieving availability targets at Boggabri Coal in NSW.
20
Ironing out the Duke
Four Cummins-powered Hitachi excavators are exceeding
production and availability targets at the Iron Duke mine in
South Australia.
24 Now we’re pumping
A mine dewatering pump, powered by one of the biggest
Cummins CustomPaks in Australia, has gone to a mining
Cummins
project
Mining
in Africa.
Magazine
Published by Cummins South Pacific.
16
20
BEHIND THE SEAMS AT
BOGGABRI
Cummins power is specified in all the Cat excavators at Boggabri.
12 13 CUMMINS SOUTH PACIFIC SUMMER 2014
IRONING OUT
THE DUKE
Four Cummins-powered Hitachi excavators are exceeding
production and availability targets at BGC Contracting’s
iron ore mining operations at Iron Duke in South Australia.
Three of the diggers are 254-tonne EX2600-6 units with
Tier 2 Cummins QSK50 engines rated at 1500 hp, while the
fourth is a 239-tonne EX2500-5 with a Cummins QSK45
rated at 1350 hp.
All are configured as backhoes and they moved in excess of
15 million BCMs (bank cubic metres) in their first 12 months
at the Iron Duke mine.
USER REPORT
Cummins Mining is published by
Cummins South Pacific.
2 Carribbean Drive, Scoresby,
Victoria 3179.
Editor
Murray Clifford
Ph. 0419 268 289,
Email: murray.clifford@cummins.com
Marketing Manager
Rachael Reinheimer
rachael.reinheimer@cummins.com
02 03

On Site,
On Demand,
On Time.
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your mine site.
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withstand the harshest operating conditions.
Designed as fully integrated power packages, Cummins’ generator sets span 20 kVA to 1250 kVA.
And they are backed by Cummins’ unmatched service support network which includes the awardwinning
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USER REPORT
MUSCLING
IN AT MEANDU
04 05

EX8000 recently loaded 110,440 tonnes in a day.
The world’s first Hitachi EX8000 backhoe
excavator is in full flight at Stanwell Corporation’s
Meandu coal mine in south east Queensland,
digging the big tonnages expected of it.
With its dual Tier II Cummins QSK60 MCRS engines
pumping out close to 4000 hp, the 837-tonne EX8000
went into service in September and is moving 2700
to 3000 BCMs (bank cubic metres) an hour.
“The EX8000 is expected to move 14 million
BCMs per year over the next three years,
removing mainly overburden,” says Jim
Young, Meandu Mine asset manager.
A pointer to the machine’s capability is that it recently
loaded 110,440 tonnes in a day. The EX8000 is
equipped with a 45 cubic metre bucket and is moving
around 75 tonnes per bucket load, feeding a fleet of
220-tonne capacity Komatsu 830E dump trucks.
One of the biggest hydraulic excavators in the
world, the EX8000’s dual 60-litre Cummins QSK60
engines power its hydraulic system – a system
of 16 main pumps which move 8000 litres of oil
a minute to achieve maximum working force.
Although it’s early days yet for the EX8000
at Meandu Mine, Jim Young is confident the
machine will achieve its targets based on his
extensive knowledge of the Hitachi product.
“We plan to have the machine operating around
5700 hours a year,” says the man who started
at Meandu Mine during its construction in the
late 1970s. It’s not surprising that Jim Young
knows virtually every square metre of the Meandu
complex which today comprises five active pits.
Stanwell is a diverse energy company owned by
the Queensland Government and has coal, gas and
water assets that are used to generate electricity
for Australia’s wholesale electricity market.
Jim Young, Meandu Mine asset manager… “We plan to have the
EX8000 operating around 5,700 hours a year.”

EX8000 is powered by dual Cummins QSK60
engines pumping out close to 4000 hp.
Meandu Mine was bought from Rio Tinto in
2008 to secure a long-term fuel source for
the two adjacent Tarong power stations.
Construction of the mine began in 1981
after the Queensland Government made
the decision to build the first Tarong
power station. In 1984, the mine began
regular supply of coal to the 1400 MW
power station – supply that increased
with the construction of the second
Tarong power station (443 MW) in 2003.
to do much walking,” says Jim Young.
Other machines in the excavator fleet
include a 518-tonne EX5500-5 which had
run 43,250 hours near the end of 2013
(it has dual Cummins QSK45 engines
rated at 1350 hp), and a 359-tonne
EX3600-6 which had worked 23,000 hours
(it is powered by a single Tier II Cummins
QSK60 MCRS engine rated at 1944 hp).
The QSK60 with its modular common
rail fuel system (MCRS) achieved
18,850 hours in the EX3600-6 before
rebuild, and Cummins mining business
manager Stewart McKeddie expects
a similar life to overhaul with the dual
Tier II QSK60 engines in the EX8000.
The 19-strong dump truck fleet at Meandu
is spearheaded by Komatsu 830E AC
The mine is currently producing 4.8
Mtpa but has reached as high as 7.2
Mtpa. Downer EDI is providing the
mining services at Meandu although
Stanwell owns most of the plant.
Hitachi is the preferred excavator
brand at Meandu, the oldest machine
on site – an EX3500 with dual 880
hp Cummins K38 engines – having
clocked up around 84,000 hours since
its commissioning in 1992. “It’s on easy
work these days where it doesn’t have
06 07
Meandu Mine has five active pits…pictured are the west and central pits.

Jim Young with Alex Mier, Cummins SE Asia manager for mining.
“
The EX8000 is expected to move 14 million
BCMs per year over the next three years.
“
units powered by 2500 hp Cummins
QSK60 engines. The oldest engines have
gone through the 14,000-hour market on
their way to the 25,000-hour rebuild target.
Hitachi is currently using Meandu
Mine as part of its trial development
of a comprehensive suite of
technologies aimed at providing
more autonomous equipment to the
surface mining industry by 2017.
to identify haul roads, intersections and
mine locations such as loading areas,
stockpiles and crushers. The trucks also
have a control system that allows precise
speed control, helping them to safely
negotiate steep slopes at the mine.
An interesting point is that Komatsu also
used Meandu Mine – in 2001-2002 – for
development of its automated truck,
a number of which are now in use at
Rio Tinto mines in the Pilbara, WA.
Three 296-tonne payload capacity
EH5000AC-3 trucks powered by the
Cummins QSK60 engine rated at 2850
hp will eventually be part of the trial at
Meandu over a three-year period.
Hitachi points out that dump truck
loading, haulage and dumping operation
will be entirely automated and that
the trucks will be able to interact with
other human-operated equipment.
The trucks will use a highly advanced
GPS to control their location, speed and
direction. The GPS system has the ability
CUMMINS SOUTH PACIFIC SUMMER 2014

GENER
GENERATORS
The generation of electrical power in Western Australia’s
Pilbara region is critical as its iron ore riches continue
to provide Australia with its biggest export earnings.
08 09 Power station at Fortescue’s Christmas Creek
mine comprises 27 QSK78 gensets.

ATION
When Contract Power decided to
become the first major user of Cummins
QSK78 generator sets in the world with
the construction of a power station at
Christmas Creek in the Pilbara, it could
have been viewed as a bold move in
such a remote and harsh region.
At the time, Contract Power general
manager Marc Grosser dismissed any
possible concerns: “We like trying new
equipment… we believe it gives us a
leading edge over our competitors.”
The power station in question was
completed early in 2012, its generators
vital to the operation of Fortescue’s
Christmas Creek mine, in particular
the two ore processing facilities that
have an annual through-put capacity
of more than 50 million tonnes.
This is the biggest diesel power station
in Australia, designed and built by
Perth-based Contract Power and
owned and operated by the same
company – a progressive outfit that
boasts the ability to do power generation
business “anywhere in the world”.
It is also the largest single installation
of prime power Cummins QSK78
generator sets in the world, each of
the 27 units able to deliver 2 MW.
In a previous issue of Cummins
Commentary (Issue 34, August 2011),
we featured the first development
stage of the power station. Undertaken
in 2011, this first stage saw the
installation of 14 generators, while the
second and final stage was completed
early in 2012 with the commissioning
of a further 13 QSK78 units.
The reliability of the power station is
critical to Fortescue – Australia’s third
largest producer of iron ore behind
Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton – as it
continues to ramp up production.
For Contract Power’s Marc Grosser,
“hitting the maintenance targets” is
one of the key pointers to the
efficiency of the power station.
“Mechanically, the engine/alternator
package is performing very well,” he says
without hesitation. “Some of the gensets
have clocked up over 10,000 hours
and are hitting the maintenance targets
that we have in place with Cummins.
“Our experience at Christmas Creek is
that maintenance costs of the QSK78
genset are lower than competitors’ costs.
“Fuel economy of the QSK78 is
also very competitive,” he says.
He points out the maintenance targets
set with Cummins include injector
change-out at 10,000 hours – a
target that is being achieved.
CUMMINS SOUTH PACIFIC SUMMER 2014

TESTING
Contract Power general manager Marc Grosser…
QSK78 gensets are “hitting the maintenance targets”.
Some of the gensets
have clocked up
over 10,000 hours
and are hitting the
maintenance targets
we have in place
with Cummins.
“We’ve had several issues outside the
QSK78 engine/alternator package, but
Cummins stands behind its product and its
warranty which we believe is a very good
trait. It’s nice to know that a manufacturer
will back its product. Overall, Cummins
has reacted very well to our requirements.”
Contract Power’s maintenance regime
at Christmas Creek is a no-compromise
affair. “There can be no compromises in
such a harsh environment as the Pilbara,”
says Marc Grosser. “The dust is highly
abrasive and ruthless on everything…
oil filter integrity needs to be spot on.”
To ensure best possible filtration,
Cummins’ Eliminator system is used,
replacing the traditional disposable
spin-on ‘paper’ element filters. Routine
servicing is at 250-hour intervals and oil
sampling is carried out every 500 hours.
The ability of the power station to
operate at maximum capacity in very
high ambient temperatures – as high
as 50 degrees C – also demands peak
cooling system efficiency. As Marc Grosser
points out, Marble Bar is reputedly the
hottest place in Australia and it’s only
150 km north-west of Christmas Creek.
It’s no secret that Contract Power
is eagerly awaiting Cummins’ new
QSK95 generator set – the biggest
genset ever developed by Cummins.
Cummins Perth’s power generation sales executive
Bhavani Sambhara (left) with Marc Grosser.
Scheduled to go into production in late
2014, the new 3.5 MW generator set
is powered by the QSK95, a 95-litre
V16 and the highest output diesel
engine ever developed by Cummins.
Marc Grosser has studied the
QSK95 closely and describes it as
an “awesome platform” for power
generation. In particular, he rates the
design and positioning of the external
‘hang on’ components highly for
serviceability and maintenance.
The Cummins engine currently most
10 11

The ability of the power station to operate at maximum capacity in very high ambient
temperatures – as high as 50 degrees C – demands peak cooling system efficiency.
One of eight 1250 kVA Cummins PowerBox generator sets, mounted on specially built trailers,
deployed by Contract Power for commissioning of Fortescue’s Solomon mine development.
widely used by Contract Power in power
generation is the KTA50, a 50-litre V16
with a reputation for being bullet proof.
Contract Power recently deployed eight
1250 kVA Cummins PowerBox generator
sets, each powered by the KTA50, for
commissioning of Fortescue’s Solomon
mine development, 120 km west of
Christmas Creek and Cloudbreak.
The PowerBox is a fully integrated
power system with the genset installed
in an ISO container. Contract Power
engineered eight trailers specially
for the commissioning and the
PowerBoxes were mounted on these
trailers along with transformers and
6000 litres of diesel fuel capacity.
Leon Hodge’s Contract Power
is today a group of companies
providing power generation solutions
both in Australia and overseas.
Hodges started out in business in the early
1990s as a lone contractor with a ute,
providing remote on-site servicing and
supply of power generation equipment to
the mining industry in Western Australia.
He didn’t exactly having a burning ambition
at the time to build a big business. “My
intention then was to keep food on the
table, look after the kids,” he recalls.
Within a couple of years Hodges had
over 20 employees and was one of
the few companies providing a 24/7
on-call service to mining clients.
In 1995 Contract Power began
building power stations. Today, the
company boasts the ability to do
business “anywhere in the world”
and, in fact, conducts business in six
countries across three continents.
CUMMINS SOUTH PACIFIC SUMMER 2014

Two of the first operational Cummins
QSK38 Tier 2 MCRS engines in the
world have exceeded life-to-overhaul
targets in mining in south east
Queensland.
Powering Hitachi EX1900-6 excavators in
service with Golding Contractors, one QSK38
achieved 19,199 hours while the other
reached 18,653 hours before change-out.
Initial planning was for a 16,000-hour life.
The highest-hour QSK38 achieved its
milestone at Evolution Mining’s Mt Rawdon
gold mine, while the other engine exceeded
its target at the Kogan Creek coal mine.
We recently visited the Kogan Creek mine near
Chinchilla (300 km west of Brisbane) where the
18,300-hour QSK38 had just been replaced
with a certified support bank engine from
Cummins’ Master Rebuild Centre in Brisbane.
The mine provides coal – 2.5 million tonnes a year
– to fuel the adjacent Kogan Creek power station.
Golding Contractors developed the mine from
a greenfield site and began operations in 2006
under an 11-year contract to mine the thin seam
deposit to a suitable quality for power generation.
The power station – one of Australia’s most
efficient coal-fired power stations – can provide
up to 750 MW of baseload electricity, enough
to power around one million homes.
12 13

ENGINE LIFE
QSK38 ENGINE LIFE
19,199 hours - Mt Rawdon
18,653 hours - Kogan Creek
Cummins QSK38 in Hitachi EX1900-6 excavator
achieved 18,653 hours before change-out.
CUMMINS SOUTH PACIFIC SUMMER 2014

Cummins mining business manager Stewart McKeddie
(left) with Golding maintenance superintendent Ben Victor
(centre) and maintenance supervisor Scott Poulsen.
Both the mine and power station are owned by CS
Energy, a Queensland Government owned corporation
and an electricity generator, trader and retailer.
The QSK38 is an evolution of the long established 38-litre V12
Cummins KV-series platform, a mining industry benchmark
for reliability and durability in its horsepower class.
A Tier 2 emissions engine, the QSK38 is rated at 810 kW
(1086 hp) at 1800 rpm in the Hitachi EX1900-6 which
has an operating weight of 192 tonnes. A feature of the
Tier 2 engine is the modular common rail fuel system
(MCRS) that ensures low emissions, quieter operation,
smoother power delivery and faster load acceptance.
Kogan Creek mine provides 2.5 million tonnes of coal a year
to the adjacent power station. Photo courtesy of CS Energy.
Photograph by Nadine Shaw Photography.
At Kogan Creek, the EX1900-6 is working with two other
Cummins-powered diggers – a Komatsu PC3000 and Hitachi
EX1800-3 – which feed a fleet of 14 dump trucks. Golding
selected these size diggers because of the nature of the coal
seams, and they move a total of 5.0 million BCMs a year.
Only scheduled maintenance
has ever been carried out on
the QSK38.
Cummins’ service and diagnostic tool, Insite, is used by
the Golding maintenance team at Kogan Creek. During the
QSK38 change-out, time was made available for a Cummins
representative to demonstrate the high-level diagnostic
capability of the Insite tool such as cylinder cut-out testing
and other procedures that reduce troubleshooting time.
All members of the Golding maintenance team take pride
in ‘ownership’ of the entire mining equipment fleet on
site. The diggers, as always, are the backbone of the
operation, and their engine reliability and durability is a
critical requirement to meeting the production targets.
Golding maintenance superintendent at Kogan Creek,
Ben Victor, confirms that “only scheduled maintenance”
has ever been carried out on the QSK38.
A contributor to the long engine life is obviously Golding’s
maintenance regime. “We make sure we put time into
preventive maintenance and we’ve never missed our
contract obligations to the power station,” he says.
Routine servicing intervals are also strictly adhered
to. “We carry out oil changes every 250 hours and
we fit new fuel filters and air cleaners every 250 hours
regardless of the condition they’re in,” he points out.
14 15
Golding developed Kogan Creek mine from
a greenfield site and began operations in 2006 under an
11-year contract to mine the thin seam deposit.

FIRE PUMP
Holding fire
A containerised fire pump,
incorporating an 8.3-litre Cummins
C-series diesel engine, has been
designed and built by Perth-based
Dynapumps for a mining project in
the Pilbara, WA.
The dual electric/diesel fire pump
system has been installed at the
project by the construction arm
of Forge Group, an engineering,
procurement and construction
service provider to the power and
infrastructure, mineral and resources,
and oil and gas sectors.
Housed in a 40 ft sea container
with lighting, access doors, louvers,
ventilation and monorail, the fire pump
is to AS2941 standard. The container
is acoustically attenuated to 85 dBA
@ 1.0-metre and the construction
enables quick on-site hook up to the
fire ring main.
Mounted within the container are
electric and diesel-driven ISO5199
pumps capable of a duty flow of 6000
litres/min @ 92-metre head each. The
diesel pump is driven by the Cummins
6CTA engine rated at 260 hp.
“We used a Cummins engine for this
project because of the high focus on
quality and reliability of equipment by
Rio Tinto, especially when it comes
to critical safety equipment such
as fire pumps,” says Jason Moore,
applications engineer for Dynapumps.
“Given the long design life of this fire
pump system, we needed an engine
that could ‘go the distance’ with
local support and parts availability
to minimise any downtime of safety
systems while operating in the harsh
environment of the north west.”
Dynapumps points out there are
major benefits of constructing a
pump set within a shipping container.
The container helps increase the
operational reliability of the pump by
protecting it from the harsh conditions
of a mine site. It also reduces the
amount of cleaning and maintenance
required to keep the radiators and
cooling fans working efficiently
by protecting the pump from the
environmental elements. In the event
of a fire, the sea container will slow
the fire’s progress down significantly
and protect the pump from the flames
for a period of time.
The ‘duress pendant’ is a feature of the real-time
monitoring of Cummins field service technicians.
Dual fire pump system incorporates a diesel pump powered by Cummins.
CUMMINS SOUTH PACIFIC SUMMER 2014

MINE REPORT
Cummins power is specified in all
the Cat excavators at Boggabri.
16 17

Cummins on-site technician Casey Haywood (right) with
Downer Mining’s reliability supervisor Adam Morrison.
BEHIND THE SEAMS AT
BOGGABRI
A fleet of Cummins-powered dump
trucks and excavators is achieving
availability targets for mining
contractor Downer Mining at Boggabri
Coal in the Gunnedah Basin, NSW.
Cummins’ on-site support rates highly
at Boggabri with the mine operating
24/7 and set to produce more than
5.0 million tonnes of coal in 2014.
Downer Mining has been the mining
contractor at Boggabri Coal since
2006 when production began. The
mine is owned by Idemitsu Australia
Resources, a subsidiary of Japanese
petroleum company Idemitsu Kosan
Co., Ltd. Construction of the mine
began in January 2006 and the first
coal was produced in October.
Downer Mining’s current contract with
Idemitsu, which runs to December
2016, involves drilling and blasting, mine
planning, and loading and haulage.
Overburden haulage at Boggabri is
spearheaded by 17 Komatsu 930E trucks
with a 290-tonne payload capacity, and
the force behind their tractive effort is the
Cummins QSK60 engine rated at 2700 hp.
The reliability of the 930E trucks is
critical as they contribute significantly
to a total annual overburden and coal
movement of around 36 million BCMs.
The oldest 930Es had clocked up around
9,000 hours near the end of 2013,
with the youngest at 5000 hours.
CUMMINS SOUTH PACIFIC SUMMER 2014

“ We don’t have any dramas
with Cummins here...
“
Downer Mining’s mechanical availability target for the
930Es is 89%, and the Komatsu fleet is exceeding
that target. Engine load factors are averaging 40%
and fuel burn points to a 20,000-hour overhaul.
Like any mine, Boggabri has targets to meet – targets
that are the focus of Downer Mining’s reliability supervisor
Adam Morrison as he looks at ways to reduce downtime
to ensure highest possible availability of equipment.
Support from equipment suppliers is obviously
a key factor in the execution of his task.
Cummins’ on-site support at Boggabri has been in place
for two years, and for most of that time has been the
responsibility of technician Casey Haywood, a young man
who takes immense pride in the company’s service support
capability and the relationship that is built with the customer.
He’s supported by the Cummins Tamworth field service team
and also product support representative Mick Karafilis.
“We don’t have dramas with Cummins here,” says Adam
Morrison. “What we want to see is a proactive approach
from our suppliers and we get that with Casey.”
Adam Morrison’s greatest focus is on the “money makers” in the
18 19

Downer Mining’s Adam Morrison (second from left) with Cummins’ service
support team (from left) Mick Karafilis, Jason Linke and Casey Haywood.
Overburden haulage is spearheaded by 17 Komatsu 930E trucks
powered by Cummins QSK60 engines rated at 2700 hp.
operation – the excavators. All are Cummins-powered Cat units
– three 600-tonne 6060 machines with dual 1500 hp Cummins
QSK45 engines which are moving overburden, and a 300-tonne
6030 with dual Cummins QSK19 engines rated at 675 hp.
The 600-tonners are moving 2000 BCMs an hour, have engine
load factors as high as 75%, and are exceeding their mechanical
availability target of 90%.The oldest 6060 – a face shovel –
had clocked up 11,500 hours near the end of the 2013.
While fuel burn and load factors point to a QSK45 life
to overhaul of 12,000 hours, planned change-out is
in fact 15,000 hours. A 500-litre oil reserve system on
the excavators sees 1000-hour oil drain intervals.
Downer Mining has a maintenance crew dedicated
to the excavator fleet, reflecting a disciplined
approach to maintenance overall.
All the Cummins engines at Boggabri – both in the trucks and
excavators – are equipped with the Cummins Eliminator oil
purification system. Eliminator replaces the traditional disposable
spin-on ‘paper’ element filters and is a combination of an
automatic, self-cleaning full-flow filter and an integral centrifugal
bypass unit. The system provides better filtration, helps with
servicing efficiency and lowers labour costs. The fact there
are no spin-on filters also means a big waste reduction.
CUMMINS SOUTH PACIFIC SUMMER 2014

IRONING OUT
THE DUKE
Four Cummins-powered Hitachi excavators are exceeding
production and availability targets at BGC Contracting’s
iron ore mining operations at Iron Duke in South Australia.
Three of the diggers are 254-tonne EX2600-6 units with
Tier 2 Cummins QSK50 engines rated at 1500 hp, while the
fourth is a 239-tonne EX2500-5 with a Cummins QSK45
rated at 1350 hp.
All are configured as backhoes and they moved in excess of
15 million BCMs (bank cubic metres) in their first 12 months
at the Iron Duke mine.
20 21
One of the three EX2600-6 excavators achieving high availability at Iron Duke.

USER REPORT
CUMMINS SOUTH PACIFIC SUMMER 2014

BGC plant operations manager Frank Wightman (centre) with Cummins customer support
representative Andrew Bettess (left) and Cummins mining business manager Jason Linke.
BGC is carrying out the mining
operations for Arrium, a company
that originated in 2000 when it was
spun off from BHP as OneSteel.
At the time, the company – with its
Whyalla steelworks in South Australia
– was solely a domestic manufacturer
and distributor of steel products.
The name change from OneSteel to
Arrium occurred in 2012 to highlight
the company’s evolution away
from being a pure steel maker.
In 2005 the decision was made to
enter the iron ore export business,
and today Arrium is the fourth largest
producer of iron ore in Australia with its
mining operations in South Australia.
Arrium is aiming for sustained export
sales of 12 Mtpa of hematite ore while
also supplying magnetite iron ore feed to
its steelworks at Whyalla. The company
achieved a major milestone is June
with an export run rate of 12 Mtpa.
BGC began mining operations at Iron
Duke in the Middleback Ranges near
Whyalla in November 2012, and in late
2013 expanded its operations to the
Iron Knob area for Arrium – the first
time full mining has been carried out
in the area since the late 1990s.
Iron Knob is the birthplace of the steel
industry and was once home to the
largest commercially-viable quantity
of iron ore in Australia. In fact, BHP
started mining at Iron Knob in 1899.
At Iron Duke – a mine that opened
in 1989 – BGC’s operations include
drilling and blasting, and ore extraction
and haulage. In the first 12 months
of operation, the BGC fleet’s monthly
movement of ore and waste was in the
range of 1.3 to 1.5 million BCMs.
“We hit the ground running from day
one,” says BGC plant operations
manager Frank Wightman.
The fact that the diggers are the backbone
of the operation is emphasised by
Wightman who points out that their
mechanical availability is in the high 90s
compared with the targeted 95%.
“We’ve been set challenging production
targets and we’re meeting those targets,”
he says. “In fact, we’re consistently
exceeding the targets and we put that
down to the new fleet of diggers.
“That’s the reason we went with the new
diggers. It takes one part of the risk away.”
He points out there are high expectations
for the Tier 2 Cummins QSK engines with
their modular common rail fuel system,
and to date they’re playing a key role
in the reliability of the digger fleet.
22 23

At Iron Duke BGC’s operations include drilling and blasting, and ore extraction and haulage.
We’ve been set challenging production targets
and we’re meeting those targets...
“We have a lot of Cummins engines in our
other operations and we don’t have a lot
of problems, full stop,” he says. “We’re
getting good support from Cummins too.”
He points out that fuel burn is monitored
closely – consumption is checked
monthly – and the figures go into
life cost modeling as a key factor
behind “purchasing decisions”.
Routine servicing at Iron Duke is carried
out fortnightly when the machines are
taken out of service for one shift. New
fuel filters are fitted every 250 hours while
oil/filter changes are every 500 hours.
For most of the first 12 months at Iron
Duke, BGC’s haul truck fleet included
five Komatsu HD1500 units powered
by Cummins QSK45 engines rated
at 1500 hp. The 144-tonne payload
capacity trucks played their part, too,
in BGC achieving production targets.
The five Komatsu trucks have since been
transferred to Iron Knob and there’s
the likelihood of a further six HD1500
units to be added to this operation.
One digger, a Hitachi EX2600-6, is
working initially at Iron Knob and will be
joined by a Cummins QSK60-powered
Komatsu PC4000 by mid-2014.
Komatsu HD1500 trucks have played their part in meeting production targets.
CUMMINS SOUTH PACIFIC SUMMER 2014

DEWATERING
Now we’re
pumping
A mine dewatering pump, powered by one of
Cummins’ biggest CustomPaks in Australia
and capable of pumping 250 litres/second
at 200 metres head, has been manufactured
by Weir Minerals Multiflo (WMM) for a
mining project in Zambia, Africa.
A leading dewatering specialist, WMM started
designing and manufacturing dewatering
pumps in Australia in 1976. WMM is
one of three divisions of the Weir Group,
headquartered in Scotland, which provides
engineering solutions to the minerals, oil
and gas, and power markets globally.
The Multiflo MF-420EX heavy-duty
dewatering pump was ordered by Kalumbila
Minerals, a fully-owned subsidiary of First
Quantum Minerals (FQM) for its Sentinel
copper project in Zambia. Worldwide, FQM
24 25

Dewatering pump capable of pumping 250 litres/second at 200 metres head.
operates seven mines – including the
Ravensthorpe nickel mine in Western
Australia – and is currently developing
other world class projects. At the request
of FQM the unit was custom-engineered
and manufactured to be powered by
the Cummins QST30 CustomPak.
The CustomPak powerpack is designed
around Cummins’ QST30 engine, a
30-litre V12 rated at 1050 hp. In high
duty cycle mining applications such as
rotary blasthole drilling, the QST30 is
noted for its reliability and durability.
Cummins CustomPaks have earned
a reputation for robustness and the
ability to operate in intense heat. All
CustomPak cooling systems provide
for continuous operation in ambient
temperatures of plus 50 deg. Celsius.
WMM points out that its Multiflo MF-
420E pump was upgraded in late 2011
to achieve the higher pressure ratings the
market was seeking. This was done by
improving the wet-end casing, allowing
the system to go from running at 1400
rpm to a maximum of 1700 rpm.
With operations based in Coolum on
Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and in
Balikpapan, Indonesia, WMM is a leading
supplier of custom-engineered dewatering
pump units in the Asia Pacific region.
CUMMINS SOUTH PACIFIC SUMMER 2014

Send your story ideas, comments and feedback
on this issue of Cummins Mining to:
rachael.reinheimer@cummins.com
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