Finding innovative solutions
for the mining industry
S
askatoon-based Prairie Machine and Parts Mfg. (PM&P) is a world leader in the manufacture of mining equipment. No other firm manufactures a complete mining system. Their line of equipment includes borer-style mining machines, a state-of-the-art Flexiveyor™ continuous haulage system, belt storage, and extensible conveyor deployment systems, roof bolters, and other auxiliary equipment. The 160-employee company, located in the heart of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, reaches markets in Australia, South Africa, England, New Mexico, Mexico, and, of course, Saskatchewan. Prairie Machine proudly recalls its roots, starting in 1977 as a small machining and repair shop near the airport with two employees who dreamed big. “We wanted to be a manufacturer someday and we realized early on that if you are going to be in the repair business, it might take you in a thousand mile radius of the city, but that’s about the limit. PM&P president Murray Popplewell. If you wanted to go any farther than that, you had to have a product to sell. We took that into consideration and we pressed forward. Today, we’re competing with some of the biggest companies in the world and we are proud to say that PM&P is the only manufacturer in the world that manufactures a complete mining system. That’s right from the mining machine, through to the belt drive. We have a complete mining system,” says president Murray Popplewell. Prairie Machine has become very specialized in manufacturing rotary boring machines for the potash industry and its Xcel line features two-rotor and four-rotor designs ranging from 600 to 1,600 horsepower. Continuous mining requires continuous ore haulage. When most people think of a conveyor, they imagine a permanent installation with a straight, continuous belt. The mainline conveyor in a mine would fit that image. But getting the ore from the mining face to the mainline belt means finding a way to turn around corners, all while maintaining a continuous, high flow rate of ore. To solve that problem, Prairie Machine invented the Flexiveyor™. It’s not the only continuous haulage system in a competitive world market, but it’s the most versatile, cost-effective and most productive. The patented machine is currently being used in various mining applications such as; potash, coal, salt, and trona. The Flexiveyor™ can be installed behind any type of mining machine. The concept is to continuously convey the ore away from the miner in an efficient manner. In high production, mining efficiency is key to profitability. The Flexiveyor™ provides PM&P’s customers with a continuous haulage solution that adds value to their bottom line. 72
PotashWorks Inaugural Issue 2013