Duetto Analytics™, a multi-instance web-based software platform, monitors the health of Maestro’s Internet of Things (IoT) devices and underground networks in real time assuring that the data is both secure and valid while providing increased worker safety and improved productivity. Simple-Safe-Secure. Duetto Analytics™ Identify and manage problems before they occur in underground mines.
27 A New Era Of Lubrication
Maryam Mohagheghi, Petro-Canada Lubricants Inc., uncovers the benefits of lubrication innovations.
31 Revolutionising The Depths
Satish Rao, Clareo, develops a
Luiz Claudio Sampaio – Global Mining Market Manager, and Mathias Lamberts – LubAnac Technical Coordinator, TotalEnergies, detail how rigorous oil analysis in mining operations can extend equipment lifespan and reduce total cost of ownership.
21 Electrification Review 2025
With electrification increasingly becoming one of the mining industry’s favourite buzzwords and hot topics, Global Mining Review invited key players to share some thoughts about their involvement in electrifying the mining industry.
Barbara Wagner, Innovative Wireless Technologies Inc., USA, explores the rise of wireless networks in underground mining.
35 From Exploration To Extraction
Karan Anand, Intelsat, USA, defines how multi-orbit satellite connectivity is driving new levels of performance and efficiency in the mining industry.
38 A New Lease On Life
Josh Swank, Philippi-Hagenbuch, USA, presents considerations for converting an inefficient haul truck into an efficient water truck.
42 Holistic Comminution Solutions
Magnus Skorvald, Weir, Sweden, reveals the equipment innovations that are advancing the crushing and grinding sector.
45 Causing A Stir
Fisher Wang, Metso, Switzerland, delves into current innovations in vertical stirred milling.
49 Less Is More
Baojie Zhang, Derrick Corporation, USA, makes a case for enabling lower HPGR transfer sizes to improve energy efficiency.
51 A Deep Dive Into Mine Hoisting Safety
Björn Jonsson, ABB Process Industries, Sweden, investigates how the demands on mine hoisting systems have intensified, and the continuous innovations required to address new challenges.
55 Why Metal Fans Aren’t Cutting It, And What Is.
The Horton team discusses the selection of tough fans for harsh environments, and posits why composites are becoming increasingly popular.
59 The Idle Truth
Todd Swinderman, Martin Engineering, USA, explains how conveyor belt transition design can affect performance and longevity.
TotalEnergies Lubrifiants is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of lubricants, with 42 production sites around the world and a direct presence in 160 countries – delivering to more than 600 mines per day. TotalEnergies develops high-performance lubricants for the evolving mining industry, helping to optimise equipment efficiency and extend service life. The company’s products and services contribute to the lowering of operating costs in mining operations.
For over 45 years, we’ve been at the forefront of innovation, providing advanced Sizer technology to industries around the globe. Whether it’s soft, sticky material or hard abrasive rock, our tailored Sizers and Sizer Stations, powered by cutting-edge technology, offer reliable and efficient solutions to simplify the complexities of modern mining operations.
As a turnkey provider, we bring both the expertise and the equipment to deliver end-to-end solutions—from initial concept and design, through to manufacturing, installation and ongoing aftersales support. We’re not just a supplier; we’re your partner on a sustainable journey, committed to helping you optimize performance, reduce costs and achieve long-term success.
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To those outside the industry, mining is about powerful machines designed to perform a single, simple task. Historically, this may have been the case, but today, the mining industry has evolved into much more of a science. Mining companies expect smart technology and reliable support to make the most out of every shift, every cycle, and every tonne of material moved.
Over the last century, the Caterpillar name has become synonymous with mining solutions. Throughout the decades, we have closely collaborated with customers to develop the equipment and technologies to meet their mining needs.
In 2025, Caterpillar marks the 100th anniversary of one big idea that changed the world. In 1925, Holt Manufacturing Company and C.L. Best Tractor Company combined their strengths and visions for the future to form the Caterpillar Tractor Company. The merger resulted in the development of the first diesel-powered tractor, giving customers a more reliable and powerful source of productivity.
From these humble roots, we have continued to build strong relationships and expand our capabilities. Today, Caterpillar and Cat® dealers offer a broad line of mining equipment, technologies, and services.
Our century-long journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Working alongside our customers, we continually push the boundaries of what is possible. Our success has been driven by the resilience and creativity of the Caterpillar team, and demonstrated by the remarkable achievements of our customers. Miners can look forward to this continuing over the next 100 years.
Caterpillar has been a part of numerous mining breakthroughs over the years. These include the industry’s first true motor graders, the first dozer with resilient carriage and elevated sprocket to meet mining’s demand for more power, and Cat MineStarTM Solutions’ comprehensive suite of technology offerings.
MineStar offers comprehensive solutions for both surface and underground mining that allow customers to measure, manage, and maximise operations. With integrated fleet monitoring and management systems, high-precision guidance technologies, and material tracking, it helps customers increase efficiency. Caterpillar remains committed to advancing and growing the technology portfolio to support safer and more productive mining environments.
This commitment to productive mining continues through autonomy and automation. Caterpillar has been investing in autonomy in mining for over 20 years. Removing the operator from the cab introduces new benefits, including improved cycle consistency, enhanced safety, and opportunities for advanced skill development. We continue to innovate by expanding and scaling our autonomous technology to serve the quarry and aggregate industry.
We continue to test the limits of what is possible, working alongside our customers and Cat dealers to take mining to places it has never been. We have introduced the industry’s first diesel-electric underground loader, the R2900 XE; first demonstrated battery-electric large mining truck, the 793 XE; and first live demonstration of our Dynamic Energy Transfer (DET) solution.
We remain committed to developing innovative technologies that help our customers navigate the evolving energy landscape. DET represents a significant leap forward in energy management, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These advancements are about meeting today’s challenges, as well as preparing for the future of mining – where technology drives efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
Like our founders, we innovate and evolve with our customers, designing solutions to help them work to a superior level of efficiency. It is that kind of commitment that will lead mining into the future.
Nobody knows for certain what the mining industry will be like in 2125, but one thing is clear: Caterpillar will be there helping it work smarter and more efficiently, to make the world a better, more sustainable place.
artin offers a comprehensive range of belt support solutions, including impact cradles, idlers, and rollers designed to optimize the performance, reliability, and lifespan of your conveyor system.
Impact cradles provide critical protection from the abuse of falling material within transfer points, significantly reducing costly dust and fugitive material that lead to downtime for clean-up and diminish production.
Our idlers and rollers stabilize the belt, preventing potential sagging and eliminating hazardous pinch points — ensuring superior reinforcement across a wide range of belt sizes and speeds.
GLOBAL Vale, Cummins, and Komatsu advance joint dual fuel programme
Vale has announced that its partner, Cummins Inc., has started the successful commissioning of a new ethanol fuel test cell, marking a significant milestone in both companies’ joint project with Komatsu to develop an ethanol/diesel-powered surface mining haul truck aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This achievement underscores the three companies’ shared commitment to decarbonising the mining sector and advancing sustainable energy solutions.
Announced in July 2024, the dual fuel programme aims to retrofit existing diesel engines in Komatsu haul trucks to operate on both ethanol and diesel, significantly enhancing sustainability. These modified 230 – 290 t haul trucks – the first vehicles of this size to run on ethanol in the tank – will be able to use up to 70% ethanol, potentially lowering CO2 emissions footprint by up to 70%.
QSK60 Engine testing is expected to run until 2026 before field tests begin at Komatsu’s facilities.
Carlos Medeiros, Vale’s Executive Vice President of Operations, stated: “We continue to make progress
on our decarbonisation projects, reinforcing Vale’s commitment to this issue. Ethanol is a priority input to achieve our goal of reducing the use of diesel in our operations while keeping reliability and operational excellence.”
Vale has set a target of reducing its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 33% by 2030. Among mine equipment, the haul truck is one of the biggest consumers of diesel, and therefore a major emitter of greenhouse gases. The election of ethanol as an alternative to diesel is justified because it is already a widely adopted fuel in Brazil, with an established supply network. Cummins low carbon fuel test cells accommodate a wide range of high horsepower engines – from 38 to 95 l fuel capacity –and ensure seamless transition of a variety of alternate fuel types for varied testing scenarios. The specialised facilities also maintain a high precision environment to deliver accurate emissions with reliable data and provide safe storage conditions to prevent contamination and maintain fuel quality.
Rio Tinto has officially opened its newest iron ore mine, Western Range, in the Pilbara. The mine has the capacity to produce up to 25 million tpy of iron ore and could sustain the existing Paraburdoo mining hub for up to 20 years.
The US$2 billion project, a joint venture between Rio Tinto (54%) and Baowu (46%), was completed on time and on budget. It involved building a primary crusher and 18 km conveyor system linked to the existing Paraburdoo processing plant.
The new mine provides stability for Paraburdoo’s more than 880 residential and FIFO employees. It also supports the ongoing viability of Paraburdoo town and strengthens the Western Australian and national economies through royalties and taxes.
Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corp. Board Chairwoman Robyn Hayden (née Tommy) and Yinhawangka Traditional Owners joined Premier Cook, Minister King, Baowu Group Chairman Hu Wangming, Baowu Resources Chairman
Shi Bing, Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm, Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Simon Trott, and other government and joint venture representatives on site for the opening.
Western Australian Premier, Roger Cook, said: “The opening of Western Range is a significant achievement, and its importance to Western Australia’s economy cannot be overstated. My government will continue to back in our resources industry, which is creating quality jobs for Western Australians while helping us maintain the standard of life we all enjoy.”
Federal Resources Minister, Madeleine King, said: “The opening of Western Range is fantastic news for the Pilbara, for Western Australians, for Traditional Owners, and for the nation. The Pilbara is the engine room of the nation’s economy. Projects like Western Range will keep that engine running for future generations of Australians.”
Tailings 2025
03 – 05 September 2025
Santiago, Chile www.gecamin.com/tailings
AIMEX Exhibition
23 – 25 September 2025 Wayville, Australia www.aimex.com.au
The Digital Mine
25 September 2025 Online conference www.bit.ly/4hp4fjQ
International Mining and Resources Conference
21 – 23 October 2025
New South Wales, Australia www.imarcglobal.com
China Coal & Mining Expo
28 – 31 October 2025 Beijing, China www.chinaminingcoal.com
The Mining Show
17 – 18 November 2025 Dubai, UAE www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/ mining-show
CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026
03 – 07 March 2026
Las Vegas, USA www.conexpoconagg.com/ conexpo-con-agg-constructiontrade-show
To stay informed about upcoming industry events, visit Global Mining Review’s events page: www.globalminingreview.com/events
Hexagon’s Mining division is taking an exciting step forward in artificial intelligence (AI)-based drill automation with the purchase of Drill Assist from Arizona-based Phoenix Drill Control, LLC.
The Drill Assist technology developed by Phoenix Drill Control uses AI to continually optimise the drilling process, resulting in improved penetration rates, greater machine availability, and reliable downhole data.
Dave Goddard, Hexagon EVP, Mining, described Drill Assist’s benefits as ‘significant’: “The technology substantially improves drill penetration rate, allowing our customers to get increased value out of the equipment they already own. The technology also provides highly accurate downhole data that can be used to detect hardness variations and fracture zones, allowing mining customers to improve blast and fragmentation, and greatly reduce energy consumption per tonne mined.”
Weir has been selected by Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, to supply the tailings transport solution for the Talabre tailings dam expansion project in the Atacama region of Chile.
The brownfield expansion project will combine the thickened tailings streams from three major mines in the area: Ministro Hales, Chuquicamata, and Radomiro Tomic. The expansion is expected to have a total productive life of 20 years, and handle a slurry thickened to approximately 70% solid content – creating the opportunity to reuse process water and increasing the safety and stability of the storage facility.
The Weir solution includes a combination of GEHO® positive displacement pumps and WARMAN® centrifugal pumps to handle the large volume and high solid content of tailings from the three mines. With the full process enabled with NEXT intelligent digital solutions, the combined equipment will transport over 10 000 dry tph using less energy than other available solutions.
The initial £40 million contract awards will be booked in 2Q25. In total, the contracts represent the single largest order for Weir’s GEHO pumps, underlining the benefits of this technology for large scale, energy-efficient tailings transportation. Revenue is expected to be recognised over the course of 4Q25 and early 2026 in line with project cut-off dates. After commissioning of the equipment, aftermarket support will be provided locally via Weir’s strong service centre presence in the region.
The mining sector imposes challenges on operating vehicles, requiring reliable, high-performance solutions that ensure both safety and efficiency. The BKT tyre range is designed to provide better load distribution on the ground, so that dump trucks, wheel loaders, dozers, graders, and some multi-purpose vehicles, can tackle any job while offering traction, stability, and comfort – withstanding all the hazards that one can find in these rough and rocky environments.
EARTHMAX SR 468 is an all steel radial tyre available up to 57 in. – the largest tyre ever made by BKT. It has been designed for rigid dump trucks operating in the harshest conditions. This tyre stands out by extraordinary puncture resistance due to the all steel construction, making it suitable even for rough terrains. In addition, the unique E4-marked tread pattern and design, along with a specifically developed compound, ensure effective heat dissipation and exceptional wear resistance under demanding operating conditions.
EARTHMAX SR 53 is an all steel radial tyre for loaders and low-profile dump trucks (LPDTs). Marked L-5, it features a deep tread made of a durable compound, providing great protection against cuts and wear under tough operating conditions. The reinforced shoulder provides greater lateral stability resulting in optimal vehicle control on uneven surfaces, while the radial structure confers a uniform contact pressure optimising traction and reducing fuel consumption.
EARTHMAX SR 57 is an all steel radial tyre designed for underground mining vehicles. The extra L-5 deep tread in addition to its special underground mine service (UMS) compound provides excellent resistance against cuts, punctures, and wear – ensuring a longer product life-cycle even in the harshest conditions. The multi-ply steel-belted casing offers protection against cuts and punctures improving safety and vehicle stability. The tread pattern optimises traction on rough and rocky surfaces, providing excellent grip and ride comfort for the operator, an essential aspect during complex operations.
Discover the world of Gebr. Pfeiffer Mining
Discover the benefits of dry grinding for your mining operation! Delivering improved mineral liberation, Pfeiffer vertical mills increase your yields, cut your energy and resource costs, and generate less undesirable fines. They are also ideally suited to expanding your existing plant to meet new environmental regulations. Take the efficiency test. Tell us about your ore – we’ll advise you and carry out dry grinding tests in our technical center before surprising you with the results of the recovery.
Rock your recovery rate – Getting it done!
Satish Rao, Clareo, USA, develops a strategy playbook for battery metal miners and manufacturers.
This year will be a reset year for EV sales,1 according to J.D. Power. The growth rate for electric vehicles (EVs), an important market for battery and energy storage systems, is expected to slow in 2025 and 2026 due to policy uncertainty, cuts to EV tax credits in the US, frustration with public charging infrastructure, and affordability concerns with high prices seen as a barrier to wider adoption. On top of that, the energy landscape is changing and facing headwinds from trade disputes, resource nationalism, and macroeconomic uncertainty.
However, the longer term EV sales outlook remains favourable. EVs represent only one market segment within battery storage, with other mobile and stationary storage applications also expected to continue to drive demand growth. Indeed, the IEA has recently said that the battery industry has entered a new phase,2 with annual demand surpassing 1 TWh in 2024, and a possible tripling of production capacity over the next five years. Rapid price declines have contributed to this growth, with the average price of a battery pack for a battery electric car dropping below US$100/kWh.
The most significant change is taking place within battery storage technology and chemistry. Cheaper battery minerals and alternative battery chemistry are key contributors, with lithium prices dropping more than 85% from their peak in 2022, and Chinese manufacturers prioritising lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries, which have been
Cobalt Cobalt oxide (Co₃O₄)
Cobalt sulfate (CoSO₄)
LCO, NMC NMC
Nickel Nickel sulfate (NiSO₄) NMC, NCA
Graphite
Manganese
30% cheaper than lithium-nickel-cobalt-manganese-oxide (NMC) batteries.
With this situation in mind, battery metals miners and manufacturers need a greater awareness of the battery storage value chain, to position themselves competitively, and avoid losing out on the US$671 billion global EV market.
Chinese manufacturers have a dominant share of the battery market, with over 80% of lithium-ion battery production,3 and design innovation in cheaper LFP technology and improved energy density through cell-to-pack and cell-to-body configurations,4 which is helping grow LFP share from 40% of EV batteries to nearly 60%. This represents a turnaround for
Natural/synthetic graphite Li-ion (all types)
Manganese dioxide (MnO₂)
HPMSM (MnSO₄·H₂O)
Manganese carbonate (MnCO₃)
Sodium manganese oxide (Na₀.₄₄MnO₂)
Layered P2-Na₀.₇MnO₂.₀₅ (Ti/F-doped)
Copper Copper foil
Aluminium Aluminium foil
LMO
LMNO, NMC
LMO (precursor)
Sodium-ion (tunnel-type)
Sodium-ion (layered)
All battery types
NCA, structural components
Lead Lead oxide (PbO₂) Lead-acid
Vanadium
Vanadium electrolyte (VOSO₄)
Sodium Sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃)
Sodium perchlorate (NaClO₄)
Sodium hexafluorophosphate (NaPF₆)
Sodium iron phosphate
Vanadium redox flow
Sodium-ion (general)
Aqueous/non-aqueous electrolytes
Non-aqueous electrolytes
Sodium-ion
Sulfur Sulfide electrolytes (LSPS) Sulfide solid-state
Polymers
PEO + Li salts
Polymer solid-state
Stabilises cathode structure
Cathode precursor
Enhances energy density
High-performance EVs, electronics
EVs, grid storage
Long-range EVs, drones
Anode material EVs, ESS, portable devices
Cathode material (spinel structure)
Cathode precursor
Cathode synthesis
Cathode material (Mn³+/ Mn⁴+ redox)
High-capacity cathode (Mn³+/Mn⁴+ redox)
Current collectors
Power tools, medical devices
EVs, ESS
Lithium-ion batteries, ESS
Grid storage, renewable integration
EVs, high-energy storage
EVs, ESS, electronics
Cathode substrate, casing EVs, ESS
Cathode material
Electrolyte solution
Precursor for cathode synthesis
Electrolyte salt
Electrolyte salt
Cathode material
Solid electrolyte (high Li+ mobility)
Flexible electrolyte
Automotive starter, backup ESS
Large-scale ESS
Low-cost ESS, stationary storage
Grid storage, EVs
High-voltage sodium-ion batteries
Low-cost ESS, stationary storage
EVs (e.g., Toyota prototypes)
Wearables, IoT devices
LFP technology, initially viewed as unsuitable for EV batteries due to lower energy density, and consequently, lower range. For stationary storage, LFP offers even more advantages over NMC technology due to its cost and longevity, and energy density is typically not an issue. Chinese manufacturers, such as BYD and CATL, have scaled production and yields significantly due to their cumulated years of expertise and continuous innovation.5 Western companies have struggled to match Chinese manufacturers, as evidenced by the bankruptcy of Northvolt,6 a European manufacturer, who struggled with scale, low yields, pricing pressure from Chinese manufacturers, and volatile lithium costs.
Chinese producers also integrate across the entire value chain,7 from mining to mineral processing, refining manufacturing equipment, precursor, and components, to final production of batteries. There is fierce competition in battery manufacturing in China, with the IEA estimating nearly 100 producers, with the race on for market share at the expense of profit margins. This is supported by favourable government policy looking to shape the market through subsidies, such as provincial land provided for free for companies to build manufacturing plants.5
Trade disputes introduce further complexity, with the current US administration seeking to impose tariffs totalling 82% on Chinese imports, while China is hitting back with export controls on key rare earth minerals.
The pace of battery storage technology options is also accelerating, with many different chemistries being developed, driven by the need for more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable energy storage solutions. Depending on the energy storage application, there are a significant number of technologies ranging from lithium-ion, with its own set of associated Li-ion chemistries, to solid state, sodium-ion, and lithium-sulfur, to name a few.
The evolving battery chemistry landscape and shifting market and government forces create a dilemma for battery mineral mining, processing, and refining companies and manufacturers. What should their technology priorities and optimal investment strategies be to capture growth? For example, the rise of LFP chemistry for Li-ion will reduce the demand for cobalt and nickel in some applications, while adoption of sodium-ion batteries could impact lithium. Mining and processing companies will have to understand the implications of such market and technological shifts to the minerals produced and their processing and refining outputs, which are the input materials needed by battery manufacturers.
Table 1 presents a summary which highlights a few of the battery metals and minerals; it is not intended to be comprehensive, and was developed using Perplexity AI by prompting with the structure and important areas for inclusion, followed by review and refinement. A battery metal producer will need to understand end use applications and battery chemistries to identify how to best seize growth opportunities, and battery manufacturers will need to develop a future facing portfolio while creating security and flexibility of the supply of critical input materials.
Battery manufacturers and mining, processing, and refining companies will face strategic choices in terms of where to invest resources, which battery chemistry to pursue, and how to win. Competition, cost, and pricing pressures will be relentless, as will be the pace of technological innovation in battery chemistry, along with market volatility in the current environment stemming from trade disputes, government shaping, and market manipulation from the desire for control over these strategic minerals.
The tools and approaches used during times of market uncertainty and rapid technological change can be applied to the battery metals and manufacturing sectors. Clareo outlines a strategy playbook for companies to navigate these challenges. The playbook highlights the key aspects of strategy that must be considered and customised to apply to a company’s context that may differ due to its position in the value chain (battery manufacturer vs. mining and processing, and single vs. multiple commodity focus).
Invest in technology and business innovation to drive to lowest cost for responsible extraction and processing, rather than seeking price support. Responsible extraction and processing adheres to the highest environmental standards. This is critical to achieving competitiveness and responding to market shaping and manipulation strategies that may be deployed in some regions. Achieving a sustainable low-cost position is especially important for a single commodity focused company, as they lack portfolio diversification – all their operations/mines need to invest in innovation to achieve profitability.
Technology innovation examples include Amprius’ anodes that utilise silicon instead of graphite to increase energy density and reduce costs,taking advantage of silicon’s abundance.8 Tesla’s integrated Gigafactory achieves scale by consolidating production steps, and the concept is now utilised by other manufacturers.
Similarly, innovations in lithium processing technologies are helping drive down costs, while also improving environmental sustainability. Direct lithium extraction (DLE) offers lower total cost of ownership, even with higher initial CAPEX compared to conventional solar evaporation, but comes with lower OPEX, and offers enormous environmental benefits of water conservation and a smaller footprint.
Another example is Oak Ridge National Lab’s use of a relatively abundant mineral, aluminium hydroxide, as a sorbent to efficiently extract lithium in a single step from waste liquids leached from mining sites, oil fields, and used batteries.9
Focus on end-use markets and applications, identifying key market and technology drivers instead of just current
customers and direct competitors. Critical market and technological uncertainties can be used to develop a range of plausible future scenarios, and identify implications on the sector and company. Shell uses scenarios to explore consequences of recent geopolitical events through its 2025 Energy Security Scenarios.10 The energy sector utilises such approaches to anticipate potential future outcomes and make informed decisions, but the mining and mineral processing sector is yet to fully embrace this approach.
By building future scenarios, battery mineral producers and manufacturers can benefit from modelling varying EV adoption rates and improve forecasting for materials, while understanding their supply constraints, material shortages, and geopolitical risk.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has developed a scenarios model for lithium called LIBRA,11 with an interface to public users to enter their own set of assumptions regarding battery demand, lifetime, and chemistries to illustrate potential future scenarios.
Identify a future technology and product portfolio based on plausible future scenarios, complementing internal development of core technology with external partnerships and venture investments into new areas to build optionality. An example is Talon’s partnership with the Argonne National Laboratory to utilise waste iron compounds in its nickel sulfide ore, to produce nickel for nickel-based battery chemistries, as well as iron for LFP batteries.12
Flexibility and optionality in processing and manufacturing enables a company to respond quickly to market changes and seize new opportunities. This can be especially useful when cost and scale-based mass production are not an option or cannot be achieved. The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) of Germany has set up a first of its kind, robotic, modular, and agile battery cell production system to enable production of customised battery cells in required quantities.13 In addition, strategic decision-making tools such as real options analysis can help determine allocation of resources to new technologies, adding or exiting technologies, and the timing of such decisions.
Geopolitical forces have escalated the importance of critical minerals at national and global levels, with new policies being drawn to ensure access and supply to important minerals. Indigenous and local communities are key stakeholders who are increasingly seeking active roles in the establishment of new battery mineral ventures, and mining companies need to engage with them as a development partner. Battery metal miners and manufacturers should expand their partnering horizons to engage with governments and communities. There are some examples of this, such as SQM, who are close to finalising a partnership for the Chilean state owned mining company, Codelco, to enter the lithium market, and are in
talks with Indigenous Atacama groups to create a model that will give the indigenous groups an unprecedented active role in the governance and decision making for the new company.13
There are also examples of collaboration between competitors, such as BYD and Toyota, for R&D for battery electric vehicles,14 and across the value chain such as Tesla and Panasonic’s long-standing, strategic partnership focused on battery technology, the development and supply of lithium-ion battery cells for Tesla’s electric vehicles, and the co-location of manufacturing at the Gigafactory in Nevada.
The above approaches provide a playbook for battery metal miners and manufacturers to expand their strategic horizon and position for growth during times of tremendous cost pressure, rapid technological change, and geopolitical uncertainty. While the long-term demand outlook remains strong, mining companies and manufacturers must innovate to drive down the cost of responsible sourcing and extraction.
Executives can begin to apply this playbook by answering a few simple questions:
Are you capturing the best growth opportunities for today and the future? Are you producing battery input materials and chemistries that maximise your growth potential based on their end use applications over multiple time horizons?
Are you able to compete with a differentiated offering or are you being pulled into a price race to the bottom? Have you looked at ways to include value additions, such as improved energy density and cost efficiency, through next generation anode and cathode designs and ethical sourcing of materials?
What are critical risks to your supply that may turn into future constraints? Have you looked at the localisation of supply and production to reduce supply chain risk and improve IP control?
Does your technology roadmap include innovations to drive costs down for responsible extraction, processing, and manufacturing? Have you considered technological innovation in processing to cut down waste, reduce water and energy, utilise cheaper substitutes, and technical and commercial collaborations with suppliers and customers with shared risk and reward mechanisms?
These questions are designed to force dialogue between battery mineral mining, processing, and manufacturing companies and end users. They will uncover challenges and opportunities that may need creative solutions. Ecosystem engagement and collaboration can help address challenges, and should extend to a broader set of stakeholders that includes governments and policy makers, local communities, investors, and technology and research providers.
References
Available on request.
Luiz Claudio Sampaio – Global Mining Market Manager, and Mathias Lamberts – LubAnac Technical Coordinator, TotalEnergies, detail how rigorous oil analysis in mining operations can extend equipment lifespan and reduce total cost of ownership.
In the demanding realm of mining, where heavy machinery endures relentless stress, the strategic implementation of regular oil analysis proves to be an essential method for optimising equipment lifespan and minimising the total cost of ownership (TCO). This article explores the substantial benefits of consistent oil analysis on equipment availability, maintenance expenditure, and overall operational efficiency within the mining sector.
The global oil analysis market is experiencing a strong compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.51% from 2023 to 2030. This growth is driven by the increasing recognition of proactive maintenance strategies as a key component of operational sustainability. The mining industry, characterised by its reliance on high-value, heavy-duty equipment, is particularly well-positioned to benefit from this trend.
The TCO of mining equipment encompasses far more than the initial purchase price. It includes operating costs, maintenance expenses, downtime losses, and eventual disposal costs. Regular oil analysis directly effectively targets several key components of TCO, resulting in substantial savings.
Oil analysis acts as an early detection system, detecting incipient wear and tear before it escalates into catastrophic failure. By identifying abnormal wear patterns through the analysis of wear metals, contaminants, and lubricant degradation, operators can implement targeted, timely corrective actions. This proactive approach significantly extends the operational lifespan of critical
equipment and reduces the need for frequent, costly replacements.
Unplanned downtime is a significant drain on productivity in mining operations. Oil analysis enables both predictive and preventive maintenance, allowing operators to schedule maintenance activities based on the actual condition of the equipment rather than fixed time intervals. By minimising unplanned stoppages, equipment availability is enhanced, ultimately boosting production output and revenue.
Preventive maintenance, informed by oil analysis, is significantly less expensive than reactive repairs following equipment failure. Early detection of minor issues enables more cost-effective and less invasive maintenance interventions. Furthermore, optimised lubricant usage, centred on condition-based oil monitoring, reduces lubricant consumption and disposal costs.
Oil analysis provides valuable insights into lubricant condition, enabling operators to optimise drain intervals. This reduces unnecessary lubricant changes, minimising waste and associated costs. Moreover, the analysis can identify the presence of contaminants that may degrade lubricant performance, allowing for timely remediation and preventing early lubricant failure.
The financial benefits of consistent oil analysis are considerable. Studies indicate that companies implementing robust oil analysis programmes can achieve significant cost savings. For example, it is estimated that effective oil analysis can reduce maintenance costs by up to 30%, and extend equipment lifespan by up to 50%.
The effectiveness of oil analysis depends on the application of a range of advanced analytical techniques. These include: Spectroscopy (ICP, FTIR): Identifies wear metals, contaminants, and lubricant degradation products.
Viscosity measurement: Determines the lubricant’s resistance to flow, indicating its ability to provide adequate lubrication.
Particle counting: Quantifies the number and size of particles in the lubricant, reflecting contamination levels.
Total acid number (TAN) and total base number (TBN): Measures the lubricant’s acidity and alkalinity, indicating its remaining service life.
To fully leverage the potential of oil analysis and achieve substantial TCO reductions, mining companies must adopt a strategic and meticulous approach to its implementation. Here is a deeper dive into the essential considerations:
Establish a regular sampling schedule: The cornerstone of trend analysis
Establishing a regular sampling schedule is crucial for effective trend monitoring in oil analysis. Sampling frequency should be customised based on equipment specifics, operational environment, and criticality, with high-stress equipment in harsh conditions requiring more frequent sampling than less critical assets. Considerations should include equipment age, load, and manufacturer recommendations. Maintaining consistent sampling intervals is essential for reliable trend data, as irregular sampling can obscure patterns; software tools or scheduling systems should be used for automated reminders and adherence. Optimal sampling points must provide representative oil samples, avoiding stagnant or contaminated areas, and ensuring accessibility and safety. Detailed records of sampling dates, times, operating hours, and relevant data are crucial for accurate trend analysis and troubleshooting.
Selecting a reputable laboratory is crucial for reliable oil analysis, requiring verification of relevant accreditations like ISO 9001 to ensure quality standards and confirmation of experience analysing mining equipment lubricants. Expertise in mining applications is essential, necessitating a laboratory that understands the challenges of heavy loads, extreme temperatures and contamination, and has experience with various mining equipment types. Timely analysis results are vital for maintenance decisions, making it essential to inquire about standard and urgent turnaround times. The laboratory should provide clear, concise, and easily interpreted reports, along with a secure data management system. Responsive customer support and technical assistance are also paramount, requiring inquiries about consultation availability and troubleshooting services.
Effective interpretation of oil analysis results requires comprehensive training for maintenance personnel, ensuring they understand the significance of various
parameters and their implications for equipment health. Emphasis should be placed on trend analysis, teaching personnel to identify abnormal patterns rather than relying solely on single data points. Oil analysis reports must provide clear and actionable maintenance recommendations, with standardised procedures in place for responding to various results. Establishing a strong collaborative relationship with the laboratory enhances communication and allows for experts to advise on complex or ambiguous findings.
Integrating oil analysis data with existing maintenance management systems enhances seamless data sharing and analysis, enabling automated work order generation and proactive maintenance scheduling. Data visualisation tools should be utilised to present oil analysis data in a clear and intuitive format, allowing for easy identification of trends and anomalies. Automated alerts should be configured to notify maintenance personnel of critical results, ensuring prompt response to potential equipment failures. Secure storage and safeguarding of oil analysis data from unauthorised access, complying with relevant privacy regulations, is essential. Reports should be generated that combine oil analysis data with other maintenance data, providing a comprehensive view of equipment health, and analytical tools should be used to identify patterns and correlations for improved maintenance strategies.
The oil analysis market is undergoing a significant transformation driven by rapid technological advancements. These innovations are not merely incremental improvements, they are fundamentally reshaping how mining companies monitor equipment health, predict failures, and optimise maintenance strategies.
Internet of Things (IoT) sensors provide continuous, real-time data on oil condition parameters such as temperature, viscosity, contamination, and wear debris, overcoming the limitations of periodic sampling and offering a dynamic view of equipment health. These sensors detect subtle changes indicative of incipient failures, triggering automated alerts for proactive intervention, and wirelessly transmit data to remote monitoring platforms, enabling remote diagnostics and expert analysis. Integration with existing computerised maintenance management systems (CMMS) and operational systems provides a comprehensive view of equipment health, facilitating automated work order generation and predictive maintenance. Crucially, sensors are designed to withstand the harsh vibration, temperature, and dust levels prevalent in the mining sector.
However, while sensors provide valuable real-time data, they cannot entirely replace comprehensive laboratory oil analysis. Lab analysis offers a deeper, more nuanced investigation, assessing parameters beyond the capabilities of sensors. Thus, oil analysis and sensor data complement each other; sensors offer continuous monitoring, while lab analysis provides in-depth diagnostic clarity.
The advancement of oil analysis goes beyond basic sample examination, integrating comparative diagnostics and advanced AI-driven predictive modelling to offer deeper insights into equipment health, enabling more precise diagnoses and proactive maintenance. Modern oil analysis platforms utilise extensive historical databases of similar equipment operating in comparable conditions, comparing new samples against this repository for a contextualised diagnosis that identifies subtle anomalies that single-sample analysis might miss. This comparative method reduces false positives and negatives, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and leading to targeted maintenance. Systems calculate the likelihood of problems based on historical data, enabling proactive maintenance, and establish equipment-specific benchmarks, factoring in operating hours, load, and environment for accurate long-term monitoring.
Remote monitoring enhances oil analysis by utilising cloud-based platforms for secure data storage and analysis, granting global access for data review and expert interpretation. Mobile applications provide real-time data and reports on smartphones and tablets, enabling on-the-go monitoring and decision-making. These platforms facilitate collaboration between on-site and off-site experts, ensuring timely access to advice and support. Consequently, response times to potential equipment failures are significantly improved, minimising downtime and reducing the risk of catastrophic damage. Furthermore, mining companies with global operations can monitor all equipment from a single, centralised location.
Rigorous oil analysis is an essential tool for optimising equipment lifecycle and minimising TCO in mining operations. By embracing proactive maintenance strategies informed by oil analysis, mining companies can enhance equipment availability, reduce maintenance costs, and improve overall operational efficiency. The continued adoption of advanced analytical techniques and technological advancements will further solidify the role of oil analysis as a cornerstone of sustainable mining practices. The integration of consistent testing procedures and the accurate interpretation of data is vital to the success of any oil analysis programme. It is the long-term application of these procedures that allows the greatest possible TCO savings.
With electrification increasingly becoming one of the mining industry's favourite buzzwords and hot topics, Global Mining Review invited key players to share some thoughts about their involvement in electrifying the mining industry.
Sustainability, productivity, and digital innovation are coming together to shape the future of the industry, and electrification is right at the centre of it. This comes as no surprise, with 91% of mining leaders surveyed as part of ABB’s ‘Mining’s Moment’ report impressing electrification as crucial to decarbonisation efforts. 42% said they are planning to invest in the decarbonisation of their haulage fleet by 2026, and 68% are planning to electrify at least 25% of their fleets by 2030.
Electrification technology is rapidly evolving, and the mining industry is adapting in real time to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and support decarbonisation goals. This transition cannot happen overnight. It requires incremental steps, starting with adapting and upgrading current commercial technologies to create a pathway to the next generation of solutions.
ABB believes in taking real, practical steps that help mines move forward, not just moving toward lower emissions, but also advancing safer and more efficient operations. While sunken costs cannot be undone, they can be maximised through smart, strategic upgrades. Right now, ABB is helping to build that bridge with solutions that are designed to evolve alongside the mines they power.
A collaboration between ABB and Antofagasta Minerals in Chile is currently underway and includes the construction of an 800 m-long, modular trolley line supported by a dedicated megawatt substation. This is ABB’s first modular trolley system and the first of its kind in South America, designed to be flexible, reusable, and relocatable to match dynamic mining environments.
This project is a key part of Antofagasta Minerals’ five step sustainability roadmap, and a critical pilot that will feed directly into broader, site-wide electrification strategies. Real innovation goes beyond isolated projects to ensure every step is scalable, safe, and smart.
In parallel, ABB is moving ahead with another significant trolley line operation, designed to support underground battery-electric truck haulage.
Developed in collaboration with Boliden and Epiroc, the initial trolley line system deployed at Boliden’s Rävliden mine is being extended to 5 km, marking a substantial leap in real-world electrification for the wider industry. It demonstrates the importance of pilot projects and how they can evolve into stepping stones to full operational integration.
This initiative underlines ABB’s long-term strategy: deliver flexible, scalable systems that mines can rely on today, and build on for tomorrow. Through partnerships and innovation, ABB is working to ensure that electrification becomes not only viable, but fully operational at industrial scale, unlocking new levels of productivity, efficiency, and decarbonisation.
ABB is also advancing fast-charging solutions through the Robot Automated Connection Device (ACD). Currently in its testing stage at Boliden’s Aitik mine, the Robot ACD enables quick, safe, and interoperable connections for battery-electric trucks, reducing downtime and removing the need for manual handling.
By collecting and analysing data from real-world trials, ABB is refining connection reliability to ensure these systems meet the highest standards for productivity and safety. Faster, automated charging is a critical piece in electrifying heavy-duty mining fleets, and making electrification possible, even in the tough conditions of active mining environments.
Operators need solutions that maximise existing investments while setting the stage for future innovation. Now is the moment to act: to invest in technologies that not only deliver immediate improvements but can also evolve alongside an operation and carry it through each phase of its electrification journey.
ABB’s approach focuses on modularity, safety, and future-readiness, empowering mining companies to take action without locking themselves into rigid solutions.
Electrification is moving fast, and those who invest strategically now will be positioned to lead mining’s low-carbon future. Decisions made in the present are laying the groundwork for decades of efficient, sustainable operations. With the right partnerships, the right technology, and the right roadmap, the electrified future of mining is closer than ever.
A tailored analysis program can help you move from reactive to predictive maintenance. Plan your production shutdowns to perform maintenance operations at the optimal time. Extend the lifetime of components and lubricants to the maximum. Improve equipment productivity while minimizing maintenance costs.
As the mining industry accelerates its shift toward low-emission operations, one major concern continues to slow the adoption of electric machinery: the assumption that electrification means committing to permanent, rigid infrastructure. For underground operations – often remote, constrained, and cost-sensitive – this can feel like a barrier too high to overcome.
However, recent advances in modular battery systems are rewriting this narrative. Today, it is possible to electrify a mine without tying it to a fixed energy installation. Instead, non-fixed, swappable battery systems offer a far more adaptable approach – one that aligns with the operational realities of underground mining and allows sites to reduce emissions while maintaining productivity.
This flexibility is not new for Aramine – it has been a strategic choice from the beginning. From the earliest stages of its battery equipment development in the early 2010s, Aramine made the deliberate decision not to rely on fixed charging infrastructure. This choice led to the design of a fully detachable energy module, integrated with all necessary components including the charger. The goal: to allow seamless operation and minimal disruption, even in the most constrained underground conditions.
One of the key innovations lies in the ability to replace the battery module directly underground,
using a simple hoist and access to any basic electrical source. There is no need for specialised charging bays or complex logistics. When a machine’s energy module is used up, a freshly charged one can be swapped in minutes, right where the machine is operating. This eliminates the need to bring machines back to the surface, reduces downtime, and most importantly, frees mines from the burden of permanent infrastructure.
Over the last several years, Aramine’s L140B and L440B loaders have put this concept into practice. These compact, battery-powered machines are specifically designed for narrow underground galleries and confined conditions. The L440B, for example, offers a 5 t tramming capacity, while benefitting from the latest generation of high-performance batteries.
Importantly, these innovations are not just on paper – they are in use today. 13 mining sites across five continents are currently operating with Aramine’s battery-powered loaders. A total of 48 units of the L140B and L440B have been delivered, running in a diverse range of environments – from high-altitude mines at 4000 m, to deep and hot underground operations. This wide deployment is the clearest indication yet that the system works – and works reliably under pressure.
The industry has responded. Aramine’s production for both models is already fully booked through 2025 and 2026, highlighting the growing confidence among mining operators that electric machines, when designed with flexibility in mind, can meet and exceed the performance of diesel-powered alternatives. To support this accelerating demand and reaffirm Aramine’s long-term commitment to electrification, a new production facility is currently under construction – another step toward scaling up sustainable mining solutions globally.
What these developments show is that electrification no longer requires compromise. The days of having to redesign entire sites to accommodate electric machinery are over. A modular energy system – swappable, mobile, and self-contained – means mines can electrify on their own terms, regardless of geography, scale, or infrastructure.
This approach does not just reduce emissions, it gives mining companies the ability to integrate sustainable practices gradually and cost-effectively, while maintaining full control over operational continuity.
And this is only the beginning. Battery technologies continue to evolve rapidly, opening the door to longer autonomy, faster swaps, and even broader equipment compatibility. The progress made so far confirms that technical limitations are fading, and that the future of mining is not just cleaner, but smarter, more resilient, and more adaptable than ever.
Getman Corporation is progressing the development of battery-electric vehicle (BEV) solutions for underground mining applications, in alignment with the industry’s transition towards electrification. As part of this initiative, the proven A64 machine platform is being adapted to battery-electric operation by replacing the internal combustion engine with a fit-for-purpose electric motor, an optimised transmission, and integrated battery and high-voltage electrical systems.
A modular design philosophy has been adopted to retain the machine’s core structural configuration, functionality, and major mechanical systems – including the driveline, axles, and braking systems – outside of the BEV-specific components. This approach maximises compatibility with existing A64 fleets, facilitates retrofit or conversion opportunities, and enables customers to maintain continuity with current Getman parts inventories and service practices, particularly with respect to drivetrain and braking components. For most A64 configurations, BEV-specific modifications are confined to the powertrain section (‘engine end’) of the machine, while the ‘working end’ components and operational systems remain largely unchanged.
The A64 BEV is designed for full battery tramming and operational duty cycles, incorporating a >120 kWh battery pack engineered for an estimated service life exceeding 10 yr. The system architecture supports multiple charging methods, including an onboard 480V AC-DC charger and compatibility with external DC fast-charging infrastructure. Battery management is fully integrated with the Getman Machine Control System, providing advanced monitoring, optimisation of power usage, and enhanced diagnostic capabilities. Operator interaction is streamlined via joystick steering, a 10 in. interactive driver display, and distributed control modules. This upgraded control system architecture has been previously validated on other Getman platforms, including the ProShot and ProMix series.
The introduction of the battery-electric A64 platform reflects Getman’s continued commitment to engineering innovation and to delivering sustainable, practical solutions that address the evolving technical and regulatory requirements of the underground mining sector.
While zinc-based additives, often found in traditional transmission drive-train oils, have long been used to enhance performance, recent evolutions in the regulatory landscape for this technology have raised questions about its long-term function. As environmental and operational standards continue to evolve, regulatory bodies are pushing for lubricants with lower metal-based additive content to minimise ecological impact while still delivering uncompromised performance. In response to these changing regulatory requirements, next-generation ultra-low zinc lubricants with lower metal-based additive content are now emerging, offering a ground-breaking alternative that meets industry needs, without the drawbacks of conventional formulations.
Caterpillar’s TO-4 specification has long served as the industry benchmark for lubricants used in heavy-duty mining equipment, ensuring optimal performance in transmissions, final drives, and hydraulic systems. While this specification has historically been met using conventional products, ultra-low zinc technology is now proving to not only meet the TO-4 specification, but significantly outperform conventional
Maryam Mohagheghi, Petro-Canada Lubricants Inc., uncovers the benefits of lubrication innovations.
lubricants in durability, efficiency, and environmental impact. The shift towards this next-generation formulation marks a major advancement in lubricant science, promising longer service intervals, improved wear protection, and enhanced sustainability.
For mine managers, every operational decision impacts productivity, safety, and profitability. Equipment downtime can translate to lost revenue, increased maintenance costs, and disruptions to tightly scheduled operations. Lubrication, therefore, is far more than just routine maintenance – it is a fundamental factor in maintaining peak fleet performance and ensuring the longevity and protection of high-value machinery.
Ultra-low zinc technology is redefining heavy-duty lubrication – leveraging polyphosphate film technology while eliminating the need for traditional zinc-based additives. Both traditional and next-generation anti-wear mechanisms involve the formation of polyphosphate films. In traditional systems, zinc atoms act as ‘carriers’ that then disperse back into the fluid as the polyphosphate film forms on metal surfaces. Next-generation fluids create a
similar polyphosphate protective film without the need for the zinc carrier atoms.
This evolution in formulation is not merely theoretical; it has been rigorously validated through both bench and field testing. Ultra-low zinc technology has demonstrated clear advantages, including:
Superior wear protection: Enhances the durability of gears, bearings, and hydraulic systems under extreme operational conditions.
Improved oxidation resistance: Provides superior oil stability and component protection, even in high-humidity and extreme-temperature environments.
Optimised friction control: Offers smoother, more consistent clutch and brake performance, reducing shudder and improving operator control.
The limitations of traditional zinc-based lubricants are becoming more apparent, particularly as the industry demands higher levels of efficiency and reliability. The mining industry is under ever-increasing pressure to supply the global community with critical natural resources, and a higher level of efficiency and performance is now being demanded of their lubricants. Additionally, the metallic content of ZDDP complicates disposal and contributes to ecological concerns, making ultra-low zinc an attractive alternative for companies looking to meet sustainability goals.
Mining is a 24/7 operation with no room for unplanned downtime. Every piece of equipment is pushed to its limits, making the choice of lubricant a strategic investment in long-term productivity and profitability.
When it comes to gears, failure is not an option. Whether in industrial machinery, automotive transmissions, or heavy-duty mining equipment, gears operate under extreme loads. High performance lubricants can mean the difference between seamless performance and catastrophic breakdown, making the selection of the correct oil a strategic priority for mine operators.
Well-established testing methods continue to validate that next-generation formulations outperform traditional zinc-based chemistry in terms of
wear resistance, friction durability, and oxidation stability. One of the most reliable industry tests for assessing lubricant performance under extreme conditions is the D4998 FZG test.
and wear protection properties at the interface of a loaded set of gears. The mining industry recognises the FZG test as a leading evaluator of gear durability.
The D4998 FZG test is used to evaluate lubricants for gear wear protection. Conducted according to ASTM D4998, this test evaluates wear via gear weight loss at steady state test conditions (load, temperature, and speed). Think of it as the ultimate stress test for lubricants. When using a specialised FZG test rig, lower wear values indicate that the fluid has performed better in terms of gear durability and protection.
With the test duration now extended from 20 hours to 80 hours, with measurements taken at 20 hour intervals, the results were clear: next-generation ultra-low zinc technology significantly outperformed all benchmark fluids evaluated. After extended FZG Gear Wear testing, gear teeth treated with ultra-low zinc Transmission Drive Train Oil remained in excellent condition, demonstrating superior wear resistance compared to legacy technology. The proof is undeniable – next-generation ultra-low zinc technology offers enhanced protection for critical gears under severe loads.
Ultra-low zinc technology is more than just a response to regulatory shifts – it is a transformative leap forward in lubrication science. As the mining industry continues to push the boundaries of efficiency, reliability, and sustainability, advanced lubricants play a crucial role in ensuring equipment longevity and reducing operational costs.
For mine managers seeking a competitive edge, ultra-low zinc technology presents a real opportunity to raise their game. In an industry where every minute of uptime counts, the right lubricant is not just an operational necessity, it is a strategic investment. Ultra-low zinc technology is on its way to redefine the standards of heavy-duty lubrication. Here comes the future... are you ready?
Barbara Wagner, Innovative Wireless Technologies Inc.,
USA, explores the rise of wireless networks in underground mining.
The mining industry has seen a significant transformation in how data and communications are managed over the past decade. The industry has shown a shift towards digitalisation to operate more efficiently, improve worker safety, and make informed, real-time decisions. Internet of Things (IoT) devices, combined with wireless communication technologies, in particular, have revolutionised underground mining, providing unprecedented levels of connectivity and streamlining operations even in the most remote locations.
Traditionally, mining operations depended on manual reporting, paper logs, and legacy communication systems that limited data accessibility and responsiveness. Over the past two decades, though, the need for greater efficiency and safety has led to the adoption of modern digital communication networks. At the same time, today’s mines are deploying IoT real-time monitoring systems to track operations as they happen. Remote monitoring and automation have also become integral, allowing operators to control equipment from centralised locations, reducing human exposure to hazardous environments. Data is now centralised and analysed, enabling operators to optimise productivity and make data-driven decisions that enhance operational outcomes.
Mining environments present unique challenges that often require a combination of wired and wireless network solutions. Fiber and Ethernet remain necessary in centralised control areas, providing stable, high-speed connections. But, for the last mile, legacy leaky feeder systems have been shown to be substandard and are being supplemented with more modern and efficient solutions. Wireless networks have gained popularity due to their flexibility and ability to adapt to changing mine layouts.
Wi-Fi and cellular networks are widely used in surface facilities, while underground operations increasingly rely on mesh networking for scalable, resilient connectivity. The choice of network infrastructure is influenced by site location,
mining conditions, cost considerations, and the necessity for real-time data. Wireless solutions have become a preferred choice due to their adaptability, reliability, and speed and ease of deployment in dynamic underground settings.
Wireless mesh networks are rapidly becoming the backbone of underground mining operations. Unlike wired systems, they eliminate the need for extensive cabling, allowing for faster deployment and easier integration of new sensors and equipment. These networks also improve safety by enabling real-time tracking of personnel and machinery, allowing for quick responses to emergencies. The ability to support IoT-enabled sensors ensures seamless data transmission, facilitating predictive maintenance and enhanced operational efficiency. As mines continue to embrace automation and remote operations, wireless communication technologies will remain at the forefront of innovation.
Safety is the top priority in mining, and wireless mesh networks, like those developed by US-based Innovative Wireless Technologies (IWT), are making a significant impact in protecting workers and improving operational awareness. Continuous connectivity ensures that safety-critical information is communicated instantly, enabling better coordination between workers and emergency response teams.
Advanced wireless sensor monitoring within the network detects potential hazardous gas levels, ventilation issues, or equipment malfunctions, providing real-time alerts that allow for immediate action. In emergency situations, rapid communication and automated alerts minimise downtime and improve incident response. Data analytics further contribute to safety by offering predictive insights, helping mine operators implement proactive measures to mitigate risks before they become critical.
A key advantage of wireless networks in underground mining is their ability to support a diverse range of critical services within a single, unified infrastructure. Unlike traditional systems that require separate networks for voice communication, data, equipment monitoring, and safety sensors (such as gas monitoring and proximity detection), an integrated wireless solution consolidates these functions into one seamless platform. This not only reduces the complexity and cost of deploying multiple networks, but also enhances reliability and efficiency. A single, scalable network can support real-time communication between workers, automate machinery controls, enable predictive maintenance through IoT sensors, and provide continuous tracking for personnel safety. By streamlining operations and eliminating communication silos, an all-in-one wireless network creates a more cohesive, responsive, and future-proofed mining environment, ensuring that operations remain agile as technology and industry demands evolve.
One example of this is IWT’s SENTINEL™ WGM+, which combines critical communication services and hazardous gas monitoring into a single, wireless device. Traditionally, mines relied on separate systems for voice communication and atmospheric monitoring, often leading to inefficiencies and gaps in data collection. The WGM+ streamlines these functions by providing seamless, real-time voice and text communication
while continuously monitoring gas levels for potential hazards. This integration not only enhances safety by ensuring miners receive immediate alerts about dangerous conditions, but also simplifies deployment and maintenance by reducing the need for multiple devices.
The demand for reliable underground communication has led to the development of specialised solutions tailored to the mining sector. Companies like IWT have introduced platforms which integrate wireless communication with real-time monitoring, location tracking, and enhanced safety features. Future advancements in mining communications will incorporate high-speed wireless mesh data networks, advanced proximity detection, and improved analytics for predictive maintenance and hazard prevention. IoT sensor networks will continue to evolve, allowing for more precise data collection and analysis, further optimising decision-making and operational efficiency.
The future of mining communications is driven by emerging technologies that will further enhance safety, efficiency, and automation. Advanced IoT sensor networks are improving environmental monitoring, predictive maintenance, and automated reporting. Additionally, edge computing is playing a crucial role in reducing latency and enhancing real-time decision-making capabilities by processing data closer to the source. Autonomous systems, supported by wireless networks, are revolutionising mining operations by enabling self-operating machinery that reduces human exposure to
hazardous conditions. Proximity detection technologies are also evolving, providing enhanced tracking solutions that improve worker safety and underground navigation.
The benefits of integrated communication networks extend beyond mining. Similar technologies are being deployed in oil and gas operations, maritime industries, and other sectors that require reliable, real-time data transmission in remote or hazardous environments. The ability to provide continuous monitoring and automation across various industries highlights the growing influence of wireless communication solutions in enhancing safety and efficiency across multiple applications.
The adoption of wireless mesh communication networks is transforming underground mining, enabling real-time monitoring, improved decision-making, and enhanced worker safety. Furthermore, wireless mesh networks increase in value as additional services are deployed over a common backbone. As digitalisation continues to reshape the industry, the role of advanced communication solutions will become even more critical. With continuous advancements in wireless technology, automation, and AI-driven analytics, the future of underground mining communications promises to be more efficient, connected, and secure than ever before.
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Karan
Anand, Intelsat, USA, defines how multi-orbit satellite connectivity is driving new levels
Mof performance and efficiency in the mining industry.
ining companies have commonly included some form of satellite communications within their connectivity toolboxes, alongside neighbouring terrestrial network solutions. As either a primary or redundant communications option, satellite solutions provide coverage where terrestrial networks do not, enabling mine operators to remotely
monitor sites, establish reliable communications between workers at the site and company executives at the headquarters offices, and generally improve overall efficiency, productivity, and safety of mining operations. For years, satellite-powered connectivity solutions have been deployed to support all phases of the mining lifecycle: from site exploration,
to surveying, to extraction. Given that mines are often situated in remote locations where cellular and terrestrial networks are either unavailable or unreliable, the global nature of satellite and its ability to provide uninterrupted coverage anywhere a mine may be located is invaluable to operators, even more so when the inevitable emergency arises.
At one time, those within a mining organisation responsible for procuring a satellite connectivity solution would have had to choose among unique and disparate solutions powered by separate satellite bands. Given the numerous yet varied needs for connectivity in the mining industry, the decision of which solution to select may have been driven by the connectivity requirements of the moment, or the specific use case at hand.
For example, exploration teams that are typically more mobile would likely require an on-the-go solution to maintain critical communications, data transmission capabilities, and situational awareness as they move from site to site across dispersed locations. On the other hand, workers at temporary field offices or exploration sites may need a more robust and high-quality bandwidth option that supports video conferencing and high-volume data transfer, while also meeting the personal connectivity needs of workers stationed on site.
Today, multi-orbit satellite connectivity means mining operators no longer have to choose between different satellite
providers or solutions to meet their unique and diverse connectivity needs.
Multi-orbit connectivity solutions leverage the inherent strengths of geostationary (GEO) and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks to offer enhanced coverage, higher speeds, reduced latency, and improved reliability.
GEO satellites, which sit high above the Earth in stationary orbit, offer higher throughputs, reliability, and unrivalled breadth of coverage. LEO satellites, which orbit much closer to the ground, feature high speeds and the lower latencies required for applications where there can be no delays in transmissions, such as those that enable remote or autonomous operation of heavy mining equipment.
Instead of determining which satellite network solution would best meet their needs, mining operators now have the option to deploy a unified satellite-powered solution that leverages the best of both networks to connect people and assets, capture and transmit data, monitor sites, comply with environmental regulations, optimise resource management, and improve the sustainability and safety of operations.
At sites using satellite technology for backhaul, multi-orbit delivers a new level of continuous high-speed data transmission, enabling real-time communication and data exchange between mining sites and central offices. Since multi-orbit satellite connectivity is accessible via a singular terminal – one that is easy to operate even by those without a technical background – mining companies need not invest significant financial resources in equipment and training.
Accessing connectivity from the best satellite network available helps mining company owners and operators take full advantage of industry innovations and digitisation opportunities while, at the same time, overcoming some of the many pervasive challenges facing them today:
The need for raw and critical materials used in the production of electric vehicles and the renewable energy technologies fueling industrialisation and energy transformations is driving continued worldwide demand for mining. According to the most recent projection from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, 293 new mines will need to be built by 2030 to meet the insatiable demand for materials needed to manufacture smartphones, solar panels, wind turbines, and more. Building a new mine is a lengthy process requiring extensive research, permitting, and funding before becoming operational. Keeping up with demand in the meantime requires current mines to be operated with peak productivity and efficiency. To achieve this, mining operators have invested in digital technologies, AI-powered applications, and Industry 4.0 platforms that rely on mission-critical connectivity to function. Multi-orbit satellite solutions deliver the multi-band, high-throughput connectivity that derives maximum value from investments in digital technologies, and ultimately optimises the performance of mining operations – helping mining companies meet unrelenting demand.
Increasing mine productivity and efficiency also means deploying applications that enable the remote and autonomous operation of heavy industrial equipment. Mining equipment manufacturers are rapidly embedding fleet connectivity capabilities into excavators, haul trucks, drills, crushers, and more. Attempting to remotely control these assets without reliable, robust, low-latency satellite connectivity is simply not possible. Delays in data transmissions or interruptions in connectivity are not only intolerable, but they can also be dangerous and costly. In most cases, cellular coverage cannot be counted upon. Mining companies that deploy a multi-orbit satellite solution can leverage the flexibility, speed, and latency of LEO satellites to establish the critical connectivity needed to support telematics, vehicle monitoring, automation processes, and remote-control operations with no delays or interruptions.
With increased regularity, mining companies are turning to Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to further improve efficiency, reduce costs, and comply with environmental regulations. Fixed IoT solutions in mining involve deploying sensors and connected devices throughout the mining site to monitor equipment performance, environmental conditions, and the use of resources. Mobile IoT solutions are used to track and manage mobile assets and vehicles. In either case, IoT devices that collect and transmit data in real time – allowing
for predictive maintenance, improved safety protocols, and efficient resource utilisation – must have access to always-available connectivity that terrestrial networks cannot offer. Integrating multi-orbit connectivity with IoT solutions ensures that even the most remote sensors can communicate effectively with central systems, delivering better outcomes and ROI against investments in IoT deployments.
Enhancing safety and worker well-being
Mining is an inherently dangerous endeavor. While fatality statistics have improved in recent years, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics consistently shows that mining ranks among the industries with the highest rates of fatal work injuries. Mine workers routinely face any number of threats to health and safety including exposure to hazardous materials, explosions, fires, and collapses, any of which can result in serious injury or death. As the global demand for the mining and extraction of critical minerals intensifies, strengthening safety protocols, investing in advanced monitoring systems, and fostering a culture of safety at every level of operation is more essential than ever in protecting the lives of mine workers. Multi-orbit connectivity allows mining operators to continuously monitor conditions at the mine site as well as the surrounding environment. By improving communication and collaboration among personnel and enabling real-time situational awareness of worker locations, weather, environmental conditions, and potential hazards, multi-orbit connectivity can help prevent accidents, ensure prompt response to emergencies, and enhance overall mine site safety and security.
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Over time, equipment wears and tends to slow down as its hours increase. It is bound to happen to every machine, and when equipment becomes less efficient, so does an operation. When it comes to off-highway haul trucks, there are alternatives to getting rid of the truck entirely through an auction or trading toward another piece of equipment. Instead, an operation can repurpose the haul truck to extend its useful life, and find new efficiency for the machine by converting it from a material hauler in a primary fleet to a water truck. Converting an ageing haul truck to a water truck not only lengthens its operating life, but also transforms it into a highly productive asset for essential dust control jobs to reduce the expense associated with keeping dust below required thresholds, extending its circle of life and aiding in sustainability goals.
With the right water tank, operations can rest assured they will turn an ageing, less-productive material hauler into a highly efficient water truck for years to come. But first, it is important to understand why a truck can continue to haul water after it has reached the end of its useful life hauling material.
One of the main reasons that haul trucks can have an extended life as a water truck is the reduced overall burden on the vehicle. Filling a water tank is significantly easier on a truck, causing much less impact than loading a dump body with large rocks and other heavy materials. Production hours play a part as well. Trucks designated for material hauling accumulate around 8000 hr/y and, as they approach the 50000 hr mark, they become less efficient from years of heavy-duty hauling. Water trucks, on the other hand, typically accumulate 2000 – 3000 hr/y as the everyday demands on the truck are not as high.
Loading a truck with water instead of hard materials combined with fewer operational hours is a recipe for much-extended truck life. If the machine is still in decent shape when converted to a water truck, it is reasonable to expect the truck to comfortably surpass 50 000 hr service. The third part of the longer-life equation is opting for a water tank that is engineered and constructed for longevity. Water tanks built with the most durable steel available –450 Brinell – allow for minimal maintenance and the toughness to last for years to come. With durable steel and
meticulous engineering, some water tanks can last for 25+ years. Additional design considerations will maximise the water tank’s efficiency in its new role in dust control.
Dust control is a necessary process that must be managed daily, and the proper water tank solution helps operations be as efficient as possible to minimise the associated cost. From a casual perspective, it might seem like a water tank is a water tank, without much in the way of design differences between them. However, it is crucial to be mindful of tank design when converting a haul truck to a water truck.
Rounded water tanks are the most common and certainly get the job done, but not without hurdles. The curved sides raise the water’s center of gravity, making the truck less stable when navigating haul roads. The absence of corners, edges, and obstructions to slow the water’s momentum also contribute to water churning, posing a safety risk for the driver and anyone nearby since the water can shift the centre of gravity and make the truck unstable. To mitigate instability, operators often avoid completely filling the tanks, meaning more frequent refills, and increased downtime and fuel consumption to travel back to the water source. Alternatively, water tanks with a square design minimise churning and have a larger capacity by not rounding off the sides of the tank; they also offer enhanced safety features for more stable operation.
Water tanks’ internal baffling plays a critical role in impacting safety and efficiency. Baffles within the tank help minimise water surging during movement. Nearly all water tanks feature baffles, but many have large holes cut out to allow maintenance personnel access to the tank’s compartments. These openings allow water to surge between compartments which increases the risk of the truck tipping or getting into another type of accident.
To minimise surging and increase stability, some tanks are designed with water control systems that utilise baffling running from floor to ceiling and along the complete length and width of the tank to fully compartmentalise the water. Within the outer components, some manufacturers also install side-surge stabilisers along the walls to prevent water from rolling or churning.
For ease of maintenance, look for a water tank that incorporates both baffle doors and external doors. When the tank is empty and needs service, external doors allow technicians easy access to the inside of the tank and provide fresh air and natural light throughout the tank. Baffle doors allow technicians to easily walk through without the need to crouch during maintenance, and provide access to multiple compartments, minimising their work in confined spaces. Water tanks with elements to increase safety, both while operating and during maintenance, are key factors an operation should take into account when considering water truck conversion.
Additional aspects to note are efficiency-enhancing features and ease of use. To optimise productivity, look for a water tank that can spray the entire width of a haul road in one pass. Some offer in-cab analogue controls that give operators precise and simplified water control with the
ability to utilise any or all spray heads simultaneously. The addition of a remote-controlled water cannon opens the door for other applications, such as spraying stockpiles or washdowns.
The decision has been made to retire an off-highway haul truck into a water truck. So, now what? Some manufacturers custom engineer each solution, which can take some time but also guarantees the best-fitting water tank, making sure that it addresses specific operational needs. Operations need not worry about lengthy installation when the tank is on site, however, as the process can take less than two days.
First, the installer removes the old truck body and, in some cases, may have to also remove hoist cylinders. They then place the water tank onto the chassis, shim it, and tighten the water tank. Finally, they replace the control box in the cab and hook up electrical. Now, the operation is ready to efficiently tackle dust control with their ‘new’ water truck.
This installation can be completed by the operation at their location, by the manufacturer, or by hiring a dealer or other third party. If an operation wants to install the water tank themselves but is not sure about some aspects of the process, they should consider partnering with a manufacturer who will assist them and be there for the installation process to lend a hand and provide instruction whenever necessary.
Though no longer optimal for productively hauling material, converting ageing haul trucks to water trucks can give the machines a new lease on life and provide a pathway to a safer and more efficient solution for dust control. So, rather than retiring a used truck, consider the alternatives and the opportunity to continue to use an existing asset in a new role in the support equipment fleet.
Magnus Skorvald, Weir,
reveals the equipment innovations that are advancing the crushing and grinding sector.
Today, there is an increased focus on the impact mining operations have on the environment, and there is a recognition across the industry that miners need to improve the efficiency of their operations – to be mindful of the energy and water they consume and the waste they generate.
As a result, miners are taking a more holistic view of their operations; rather than looking at pieces of equipment in isolation, they are increasingly considering how what is happening upstream impacts what is happening downstream, and vice versa. In other words, there is more of a focus on optimising the entire flowsheet.
As an end-to-end solutions provider, Weir has long understood the value of this approach; indeed, this philosophy has been the basis of its transformational flowsheet solutions, in which it replaced traditional
SABC flowsheets with ENDURON® HPGR-based circuits, potentially reducing energy consumption by up to 40%.
Moreover, it has continued to upgrade its comminution portfolio to ensure that, not only does it remain at the forefront of innovation, but that it can continue provide its customers with the holistic, end-to-end solutions they want.
Weir has recently launched its new ENDURON jaw crusher, which features an updated setting regulation and hydraulic power unit (HPU). The new HPU controls the pressure to the auto-tensioning hydraulic cylinders, ensuring the correct tension on the retraction springs.
This innovation provides true push-button control of the CSS adjustment, automatically maintaining the set pressure on the toggle retraction springs. The auto-adjust feature
also eliminates the need for operators or maintenance personnel to work in challenging environments with high-tension spring forces, since there is no need to manually reset the spring tension.
Weir also conducted stress analysis and simulation validation and calibration, as well as trialing various solutions to optimise wear distribution and find the ideal ESCO® wear materials. It leveraged its expertise in materials technology and ultimately selected an alloy capable of handling the demands of primary crushing applications.
Crucially, the full range of ENDURON jaw crushers now feature ESCO wear parts. The results of all the testing demonstrate that in addition to improving productivity, the ESCO wear parts prolong wear life, which means
increased utilisation and, as a result, fewer maintenance interventions.
Weir has also upgraded its range of ENDURON cone crushers, replacing the previous internals with ESCO wear liners and upgrading the H/LPU.
As part of this project, Weir went through an extensive consultation process with its customers to understand their crushing needs and requirements. As a result, Weir wanted to be able to offer its customers the ideal solution based on the application and their specific site and operational challenges, which is why its range includes both the ENDURON EP fixed-shaft and EC live-shaft cone crushers.
The ENDURON EC Series design has been engineered for maximum output without compromising reliability,
while the ENDURON EP Series allows the head to move independent of the shaft, which, in turn, allows a faster input speed, higher pivot point, and increased stroke. These features allow additional power input, which equates to an increase in production and reduction compared with similarly sized live-shaft machines.
Digital technologies obviously play an important role in optimising equipment performance, monitoring equipment health, and streamlining maintenance requirements.
Weir has upgraded the sensor packages on its crushers, allowing the user to collect important data that can then form the basis on which its NEXT Intelligent Solutions can perform condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, and process optimisation once fully released.
Indeed, digital plays a vital role in ensuring that equipment right across the entire comminution process – from crushing through to grinding and classification –operates optimally. Weir takes a solutions-based approach when developing its equipment.
In other words, Weir’s new range of ENDURON crushers are perfectly suited to preparing the feed for downstream grinding, specifically for its ENDURON HPGR-based circuits. Notably, in the last few years, operators are increasingly opting for HPGRs to efficiently grind competent ores.
One of the reasons for this is because new classification technologies and HPGR-based circuit configurations are expanding the operational bandwidth. When combined with dry-air classification technology – which is still considered relatively new in the mining industry – a micron-size fine grinding circuit can be deployed without the use of water or grinding media.
The performance of the grinding circuit relies heavily on classification, which is why, in recent years, Weir has also focused on developing its classification portfolio. Most notably, its ENDURON ELITE high-capacity, double-deck banana screen is perfectly suited to screening the high-capacity conglomerated fines created by the HPGR.
The varying slope angles within the screen means that the feed material is subjected to varying angles of throw throughout its journey along the deck. This is beneficial to the changing PSD on the deck as material gets removed through the apertures.
The steep slope angle at the feed end ensures the fine material is rapidly stratified. This creates interparticle space within the material layer, allowing the fine material to easily reach the deck surface and stratify through the screen media panel apertures. As the deck angle flattens out towards discharge, the throw angle in relation to the deck becomes more vertical and the material velocity slows down, which is ideally suited to near size screening.
Comminution uses up to 1% of the total final energy consumption globally, which means that even marginal efficiency gains can have a significant impact. This is why Weir continues to focus on expanding its portfolio to ensure its customers can continue to meet their production targets, while also reducing the impact operations have on the environment.
Fisher Wang, Metso, Switzerland, delves into current innovations in vertical stirred milling.
Vertical stirred mills are widely recognised in the mining industry as an effective solution for regrind and fine/ultrafine grinding applications. Their popularity stems from their ability to deliver high energy efficiency, reduced footprint, and lead to an overall cost savings for customers. These technologies support the industry’s drive toward lower energy consumption and
improved recovery, especially in operations targeting fine and ultrafine particle size distributions.
Since 2012, Metso has served as the exclusive supplier of Swiss Tower Mill’s (STM) High Intensity Grinding mill (HIGmill™) technology. During that time, Metso and STM have sold over 90 HIGmills with over 220 MW of combined installed power.
Following over a decade of successful collaboration, Metso completed its acquisition of Swiss Tower Mills Minerals AG on 2 April 2025, officially integrating the HIGmill into its broader portfolio of stirred milling solutions, which also includes the Vertimill® and the SMD®. This strategic partnership has positioned Metso as a supplier of the industry’s most comprehensive range of stirred milling equipment, serving a variety of grinding applications – from coarse to ultrafine, and everything in between.
The HIGmill is a high-speed vertical stirred media mill, designed for high-efficiency comminution. Its configuration consists of a stationary shell, with rotating grinding rotors on a shaft to stir the media charge against a series of stator rings. The feed slurry is introduced from the bottom of the grinding chamber, travels upward through a stirred media bed, and eventually discharges products at the top. The process is typically a single pass with no external classification required.
Particle breakage in the HIGmill occurs primarily through attrition breakage, under a combination of both compression and shear forces. The design encourages this attrition breakage, particularly in high-intensity zones near the chamber periphery. The rotating grinding rotors create centrifugal force that pushes coarser particles and grinding media into the high intensity grinding zones on the periphery of the grinding chamber, while finer particles travel upwards closer to the mill shaft (see Figure 1).
This design feature prevents overgrinding and ensures the energy is applied mainly to coarser particles, thus helping to maximise energy efficiency. Gravity plays an important role by keeping the media compact during operation, thus ensuring high intensity inter-bead contact, and efficient, even energy transfer throughout the mill volume. By supporting effective inter-particle contact and maximised energy transfer, the HIGmill achieves superior grinding efficiency whilst minimising energy consumption.
One of the HIGmill’s most defining characteristics is its operational flexibility. This is primarily due to its ability to adjust the mill speed (via a variable speed drive), the grinding media filling level, as well as adapt the mill internal configuration to any combination required. Significant power turndown and flow turndown are also achievable, which accommodates fluctuating feed characteristics such as throughput rate and feed particle size. Thus, the HIGmill can control the applied specific grinding energy (SGE) into the process to regulate product size.
Allowing for adjustment of rotor speed to match changing ore characteristics and throughput demands gives operations that extra level of control needed to maintain consistent quality and process stability under varying conditions. And, by incorporating an online particle size analysis into the HIGmill control system, a consistent product size can be provided to downstream separation processes to maximise recovery.
The HIGmill is offered in sizes from 75 kW and 200 l to 12 500 kW and 75 000 l, from small pilot mills to the world’s largest stirred mills (see Figure 2). To date, 17 units (50 000 l) have been installed globally.
Noteworthy operating references include:
3x HIG5000-35000 at First Quantum’s Cobre de Panama for copper concentrate regrind duty.
10x HIG5000-50000 at FMG’s Iron Bridge in Australia, for iron ore secondary and tertiary grinding duties.
1x HIG6500-50000 at US Steel Keetec site in Minnesota, for iron ore concentrate regrind duty.
2x HIG5500-50000 at Freeport’s Grasberg mine in Indonesia, for copper concentrate regrind duty.
Recently, Metso’s primary focus involves extending the HIGmill’s capabilities from fine/ultrafine grinding to the realm of coarse grinding, with the overarching objective to develop a complementary grinding technology to Metso’s existing horizontal mills and Vertimill.
This recent development is referred to as Vertical Power Mill (VPM), which retains the core operational characteristics of the HIGmill but with significant enhancements. Extensive test work on VPMs has demonstrated the process ability to grind feeds with a top size of 3 – 4 mm using large diameter ceramic media. Similar to the HIGmills, the VPM also operates in an open-circuit configuration at a relatively high solids density, which helps reduce the overall demand for fresh and process water. The addition of the VSD also enables greater flexibility during operation.
After converting its ball mill bull gear to LE’s Pyroshield® Open Gear Lubricant, a gold mine decreased its annual lube consumption by 86%, while lowering pinion temperatures, eliminating nozzle plugging and lubricant buildup, and reducing disposal costs.
VPMs are currently offered in capacities from 75 kW and 200 l, up to 5000 kW and 50 000 l. Their integration into flowsheets provides a pathway for consolidating multiple grinding stages at once, simplifying plant design and operations.
Two emerging trends in the application of Metso’s vertical stirred mills have gained traction in recent years:
This works by combining Vertimill and HIGmill technologies which operate in a series and leverage each mill’s unique strengths (see Figure 3). Vertimills are most efficient with coarser grinds (300 microns to 38 microns), while HIGmills perform best at ultrafine sizes (38 microns to 20 microns).
The combination of the two technologies in a unified flowsheet leads to improved overall energy efficiency and lower operational costs. The selection of such a flowsheet was based on extensive testing carried out in Metso’s testing facilities, which provided a solid basis for flowsheet development, equipment sizing and selection, and performance validation.
Coarse particle flotation (CPF)
technologies are suitable for the CPF concentrate regrind application, with the selection criteria determined by specific process requirements such as throughput rate, ore hardness, size reduction ratio, and downstream processes.
Advanced calculated modeling is also guiding product development. The discrete element method (DEM) is a numerical technique that simulates how particles move and
interact with each other and their boundaries. Metso has been focused on using DEM to drive development and application of the HIGmill.
In a recent study, the effects of different rotor configurations with variations in diameter, castellation, spacing, and alignment were evaluated. Through this work, Metso has been able to optimise torque and power distribution along the shaft, enhance wear performance, and reduce maintenance costs.
At the same time, power draw models are also being modernised. Previously, HIGmill power draw was calculated with an analytical model based on measurement data. Currently, a numerical model is being developed using DEM coupled with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The purpose of this model is to more accurately predict HIGmill power draw and startup torque over a wider range of mill configurations and process conditions. Metso believes this improvement will lead to faster commissioning and improved operational performance of the HIGmill.
As the industry continues to push for improved energy efficiency and optimised performance, vertical stirred mills, such as the HIGmill, will remain at the forefront of fine and ultrafine grinding solutions. Through ongoing innovation, decades of technological expertise, and a robust installed base, Metso is well positioned to support the evolving needs of a more efficient grinding process.
Alan Boylston
Michael Denzel
1. HEATH, A., et al., ‘A power model for fine grinding HIGmills with castellated rotors’, Minerals Engineering, 103 – 104, (2016), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2016.07.017
2. PAZ, A. Z., ‘Recent developments in coarse grinding using vertical stirred mills’, The 13th International Comminution Symposium, Cape Town, South Africa, (2023)
3. PAZ, A. Z., SIPHANYA, A., and VANSANA, K., ‘The optimisation of a vertical regrind mill at Renaissance Minerals’, Proceedings of Mill Ops Conference, (2024)
4. ZHMARIN, E., VON KÄNEL, D., RODEI, P., ERSCHEWSKI, A., and ANDRADE, C., ‘Extending STM’s Large Vertical Stirred Mill Portfolio up to 12.5 MW’, International Conference on SAG & HPGR Technology, Vancouver, Canada, (2023)
Baojie Zhang, Derrick Corporation, USA, makes a case for enabling lower HPGR transfer sizes to improve energy efficiency.
High-Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR) have emerged as a promising comminution technology in modern mineral processing, particularly for hard, competent ores. HPGR’s energy-efficient interparticle breakage creates micro-fractures in the ore, improving mineral liberation and
overall recovery. As the industry seeks to maximise the potential of HPGR circuits, a key area of focus has been optimising transfer size, a critical factor influencing both energy efficiency and metallurgical performance.
Traditionally, HPGR circuits operate with transfer sizes between 3 and 6 mm. However, research indicates that reducing the transfer size to 1 – 2 mm can deliver circuit energy savings of 5 – 15%. By shifting more of the grinding load to the HPGR, where energy is used more efficiently than in downstream ball mills, operators can significantly enhance circuit performance. Moreover, finer transfer sizes promote better mineral liberation, enabling more effective coarse gangue rejection through technologies such as magnetic separation. Achieving these smaller transfer sizes, however, requires robust and high-efficiency classification equipment capable of handling the coarse product from HPGR.
Derrick Corporation’s high-frequency dry fine screens are proving to be a game-changer in this area, facilitating lower transfer sizes in HPGR circuits while maintaining reliability and efficiency. Derrick’s innovative dry screening technology is designed to handle difficult materials with moisture levels as high as 8%, far exceeding the limits of conventional screens, while still achieving excellent screening efficiency. This makes Derrick screens especially suitable for challenging applications where both moisture content and particle distribution are highly variable.
One of the significant advantages of Derrick dry fine screens is their ability to overcome traditional bottlenecks, such as screen blinding and low efficiency in fine screening. In addition, Derrick screens are compact, energy-efficient, and easy to maintain, providing significant operational cost savings compared to alternative technologies.
At an iron ore operation in Africa, Derrick dry fine screens, fitted with 10 mesh and 40 mesh panels, have been used to close dry grinding mills since the 1990s. Building on the proven capabilities of Derrick’s dry screening technology, the plant partnered with Derrick to replace all the existing dry screens, closing the HPGR circuit, which another vendor had supplied. The installation of Derrick’s high-frequency, high-efficiency screens with 1.7 mm Polyweb® urethane panels resulted in increased throughput, improved energy efficiency, and greater operational flexibility. Two Derrick screens were installed in the same space previously occupied by a single competitor’s screen, maximising space utilisation.
The previous screens had been plagued by frequent mechanical issues, difficult maintenance, and screen blinding, which reduced HPGR circuit efficiency. With only four screens per line, the failure of a single unit caused a 25% drop in plant capacity. In contrast, Derrick screens provided several key advantages:
Derrick screens are half the size of the previous units (1800 x 4500 mm), offering improved chassis reinforcement and reducing mechanical failures.
Each Derrick screen operates with a single 3.6 kW motor, significantly reducing energy consumption compared to the 30 kW motors of the older screens.
Derrick’s modular design and side-tensioned panels simplify maintenance and inspections, minimising downtime. A failure in one Derrick screen results in only a 12.5% capacity loss, compared to 25% with the previous screens.
Derrick’s polyurethane panels resist blinding, with open areas of 38% for fine cuts (1.6 mm) and 43% for coarser cuts (10 mm), maintaining high-efficiency operation even in high-moisture environments.
This transition has improved energy efficiency by 5 – 10%, optimised transfer size, and significantly increased plant uptime, showcasing the value of Derrick’s dry fine screening technology in HPGR circuits.
Björn Jonsson, ABB Process Industries, Sweden, investigates how the demands on hoisting systems have intensified, and the continuous innovations required to address new challenges.
Mining is one of the world’s oldest and most essential industries, but as global resource demand grows, so too does the complexity of extracting minerals from deeper deposits. Traditional hoisting systems that once supported shallower operations
are being tested to their limits as mines continue to push further into the earth. This evolution requires constant refinement of safety standards, operational procedures, and the development of more advanced technology to ensure mining operations can continue efficiently and securely.
In this context, mine hoist systems, responsible for transporting personnel, equipment, and extracted materials between the surface and deep underground, play a critical role in both the safety and productivity of mining operations. As mines extend deeper, the complexity of hoisting systems grows, introducing various engineering challenges.
Safety must be approached holistically as hoisting safety becomes even more critical. The challenges of deep shaft operations demand integrated engineering solutions, advanced monitoring systems, and robust maintenance protocols to ensure safety, with a combination of technology and human factors integrated into every step of the system design.
The deeper the shaft, the greater the risks involved with mine hoisting. Risks can range from mechanical failures and rope fatigue to operational errors and emergency response limitations. Addressing these challenges with a blended approach to safety, where system design incorporates advances in technology, materials, and monitoring, can help to establish more reliable and secure operations.
Rope failure is a primary concern in deep mine hoisting, often resulting from excessive stress, fatigue, or corrosion. Given the extreme depths involved, ropes must be engineered for high tensile strength and flexibility, and undergo rigorous maintenance regimes including electromagnetic testing to detect defects
before it leads to failure. Equally critical are the braking and emergency stopping systems. With hoists frequently operating at speeds exceeding 18 m/sec., precise control over acceleration and deceleration is essential. Mechanical braking systems, supported by hydraulic and electrical fail-safes, must be capable of bringing hoisting loads to a controlled stop in the event of power loss or system malfunction.
The increasing use of automation and digital monitoring reduces these risks, allowing for improved consistency, real-time diagnostics, and automated safety interventions. By automating safety interventions, these technologies help to minimise human error and improve the overall safety of personnel, mitigating potential threats and ensuring more efficient and secure operations.
Unique challenges demand a fresh approach to technology. Innovation across the industry is stepping up to meet the demands of deeper mining operations where the complexity of hoisting systems and the pressures of extreme conditions intersect. As mining pushes further underground, the risks associated with equipment failure, energy inefficiency, and operational downtime become more significant. To mitigate these challenges, the industry is embracing innovative technologies that enhance safety, increase efficiency, and ensure reliability under harsh conditions. These advancements tackle specific pain points, providing mine operators with solutions that improve safety while also optimising overall hoist system performance.
One of the key areas where technology is making strides is the implementation of digital monitoring systems. In the context of deeper mining, where maintenance and timely issue detection can be both costly and logistically difficult, real-time monitoring can prove indispensable. These systems allow operators to consistently track hoist performance, providing instant, detailed insights into potential problems such as vibration irregularities, rope slippage, or uneven load distribution. This proactive approach helps to identify issues before they evolve into serious faults, minimising downtime and reducing the risk of accidents that could compromise safety.
The digitalisation of hoist monitoring is complemented by advancements in the ropes themselves. Traditional hoisting ropes, while reliable, can wear out quickly under the extreme stresses of deep mining, calling for a re-evaluation of the standard materials to develop solutions specific to the needs of the task. Lang lay ropes, for example, are designed to provide superior resistance to bending fatigue compared to traditional wire ropes. These ropes also have an increased wearing surface per wire, meaning less wear to the sheave and drum equipment. However, complications due to smaller sheaves and drums can cause lang lay ropes to be crushed out of shape more readily than regular lay ropes. This is where the employment of
non-destructive testing and electromagnetic inspections comes into play. Through a combination of robust design and proactive inspection, the likelihood of rope failure at critical moments can be drastically reduced.
Adding to these improvements is the role of regenerative braking technology. Conventional braking systems dissipate energy as heat, but regenerative braking systems transform it into electrical power. This energy can then be returned to the power grid or reused within the mine’s infrastructure, increasing energy efficiency. Not only does this technology reduce the environmental impact of overall mining operations, but it also decreases the wear on mechanical brake components, adding an extra layer of redundancy to braking systems.
Together, these innovations form a cohesive strategy aimed at addressing the complex needs of deeper mining. Digital monitoring systems, advanced rope materials, and regenerative braking technologies can be utilised in tandem to enhance safety, increase efficiency, and reduce the risks inherent in deeper operations.
These advancements align with broader industry trends, where safety standards continue to evolve and improve. It is not always possible to wait for global safety standards to catch up; ensuring mine hoist systems meet, or even exceed, local regulations provides an additional layer of reassurance. ABB’s Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 independently certified solutions are an example of the safety innovations taking place in the industry.
Setting new benchmarks continues to drive mining operations forward, balancing safety with performance.
The evolution of hoisting systems has been shaped by lessons learned from past operations and industry best practices, driving improvements across the board. Safety remains a primary area of consideration, and with today’s technological advancements, mine operators do not need to compromise on productivity to ensure regulations are met. Whether selecting a single drum, double drum, or friction hoist, each offers unique advantages tailored to specific operational needs, it just comes down to recognising a mine’s challenges and choosing the right fit for the scenario.
Rope variations can pose a challenge when it comes to maintaining hoists. In deep shaft applications, a single drum hoist must support the full weight of the rope when the load is near the bottom of the shaft, leading to increased mechanical strain and uneven load distribution. In these cases, multi-layer winding can cause rope-on-rope contact, which increases wear and fatigue risks. A way to alleviate this issue is through the adoption of double drum hoists which are able to maintain a balanced rope load, reducing stress on the system and improving operational safety. Combined with advanced lubrication techniques and wear-resistant coatings, this can further mitigate rope deterioration.
In some cases, an alternative hoisting system may provide better long-term safety. Frictions hoists, or Koepe hoists, offer energy advantages – rather than using a winding drum, these systems use a large-diameter drive sheave to lift the load while balancing the system with a counterweight or second skip. This counter-balanced design reduces the amount of power needed to operate the hoist and decreases the risk of uncontrollable movements. However, they require constant monitoring to ensure the rope remains in proper tension and alignment. Incorporating automated rope tensioning and digital diagnostic systems can greatly enhance safety in these systems.
A key lesson from past deep mining operations has been the importance of proper tail-rope management. Tail ropes help balance the system by connecting both ends of the hoist rope at the bottom of the shaft. Mismanagement of these ropes, whether from poor maintenance or improper tensioning, can lead to accidents, highlighting the need for strict inspection protocols.
For ultra-deep mining, Blair multi-rope hoists distribute the load across multiple ropes, maintaining uniform load distribution across all ropes requires precise equalisation mechanisms, and regular testing and calibration of these devices is essential for safe operation. Automation further enhances safety, with modern hoisting control platforms incorporating digital monitoring systems that enable remote operation, automated fault detection, and swift emergency responses – reducing human intervention and minimising operator-related risks.
Ensuring safety in hoisting systems is not just about selecting the right equipment. It is about using solutions that have been rigorously designed, tested, and certified to perform. Every hoisting system comes with unique risk factors, making it essential to choose technologies that have undergone a strict research and development (R&D) approval process, with multiple validation gates, to guarantee reliability and compliance with the highest safety standards.
Standardising safety technology not only lowers barriers to investment, but also accelerates continuous improvement. By prioritising certified, standardised safety products, which can often be rolled out seamlessly with a simple software update, every site can benefit from the latest advancements, without costly overhauls, providing mining operations with the confidence that their hoisting systems are protected by solutions built on a foundation of rigorous testing, real-world validation, and continuous innovation.
The future of safe mine hoisting will be shaped by ongoing advancements in technology, material science, and regulatory developments. As automation and AI play an increasingly larger role in predictive maintenance, mining companies will be able to use real-time data to anticipate equipment failures before they happen, reducing downtime and improving safety.
Research into advanced materials is set to revolutionise hoisting systems. High-performance synthetic ropes, which are lighter and more flexible than traditional steel ropes, are one example. While steel ropes still dominate deep mining, hybrid materials may offer even better resistance to fatigue and wear in the near future.
In addition, stricter safety regulations are continuing to drive innovation. Regulatory agencies worldwide are demanding more frequent inspections and better emergency braking capabilities. Mines will need to adopt increasingly sophisticated monitoring technologies to meet these evolving standards.
Electrification across mining operations will also contribute to safer, more efficient hoisting systems. Shifting from diesel-powered equipment to fully electric infrastructure will reduce emissions and improve underground working conditions. To support this, electric hoisting systems will require high-efficiency drives, energy storage solutions, and smart load management technologies to optimise safety and performance.
Looking to the future, the mining industry must remain committed to embracing innovation and adhering to stringent safety standards. By doing so, it will ensure that hoisting systems continue to provide a safe, efficient, and reliable backbone for underground mining operations for years to come.
The Horton team discusses the selection of tough fans for harsh environments, and posits why composites are becoming increasingly popular.
Whether a design engineer crafting the next ground-breaking piece of mining machinery, or a reliability technician responsible for the success or failure of a mine site’s equipment, every decision that goes into mine machinery is heavily scrutinised. Even a seemingly minor detail like the engine fan on a giant truck is a critical choice.
There was a time when the near 100 in. diameter fans that cool mining equipment engines were all made of metal, but new technologies, increasing pressure to grow business, and more stringent noise and emissions requirements have combined to provide designers and mining operations gurus with different choices. Horton engineering is at the forefront of many new technologies, including composite fans.
Today, nylon and composite fans have begun to surpass metal fans in the latest, greatest mining applications. For decades, metal fans were the only thing available, and while they are by no means obsolete, they have their limitations. It is difficult to optimise the design of a metal fan for specific airflow requirements; they also feature more potential failure points. It is rare, but some mines
have experienced metal fans fretting to the point that they plunge into the radiator.
Plastic or nylon modular fans are easier to customise. These can be made at different widths and curvatures, and are adhered to a metal centre disk, which means it is easy to increase or decrease blade count. Nylon fans sometimes succumb to the aggressive conditions that come with working in a surface mine. Chips, bumps, and scratches from rocks and other debris can cause significant damage over time.
Composite fans can withstand harsh operating conditions while also being melded to specific application and cooling needs. For example, engineers recently performed an A-to-B test, pitting a metal fan against a Horton thermoset composite fan, and the latter provided a limiting ambient temperature of over 5°C more than the former.
Typically, metal fans are stamped and rolled using manufacturing cells, and this limits the kinds of design tweaks that can be made. Plastic and composite fan blades are usually either injection or compression moulded, and this provides much more flexibility, from blade count to pitch width, and a variety of other variables. Furthermore, composite fans are more efficient; in the same physical space, they provide more airflow and perform better than metal or nylon fans.
Optimised fan design can lower decibel levels, an area of increasing import as mining-centric locales like Australia and South America adopt stricter noise regulations. One area where this has been keenly relevant is in Australia’s Hunter Valley Region, where government noise ordinances throughout the area have forced mines and construction operations to look at noise-reducing measures.
There are several ways to design a fan that limits noise. One of the most common is to spec a larger fan and run it at a lower speed. Nylon and composite fans are best suited for this because they can be engineered to provide higher airflow at lower RPMs.
Mines usually replace fans on a regular basis, and metal fans should be replaced every time the engine is repowered – which happens between 30 000 and 35 000 hours. Metal fans have plates, laminations, and rivets that connect at every joint. Micro movements occur in the plates when the fan is in rotation, which creates stress on the rivets. At some point, a fan is going to fatigue, fail, and throw a rivet. When that happens, the lamination can fly off the fan, damaging other under-hood equipment, or even flying out of the engine compartment at high speed.
Realistically, metal fans have only one life cycle, so if a mine tries running two or three cycles, the fan may lose
a rivet and throw the whole fan, which is a significant safety hazard. There are still companies who use metal fans, but most have converted old equipment to composite fans.
When a coal mine in the Hunter Valley of eastern Australia asked for help, Horton recommended replacing their original metal fans with Thermoset Engineered Composite (HTEC) fans, which had the same diameter, even the same blade count, as the OEM metal fans. However, because of the blade design, HTEC fans move more air. The trucks were therefore able to operate 100% of the time, no matter how hot it got.
Due to the fact that it is molded rather than bent and twisted like metal fans, the HTEC blade can be made with more elaborate shapes to produce higher airflow and greater efficiency. The base resin is a thermoset compound instead of a thermoplastic, so it maintains its strength and stiffness at high temperatures, unlike traditional nylon fans. The HTEC blade also has the same robust attributes as metal fans, but with the advantages of more optimised blade geometry.
A Horton HTEC fan was tested at Yancoal for 35 000 hours. The only way you could tell it was used was some slight discoloration and feathering on the leading edge of the blade. It could easily have run another 35 000 hours, or another six years. Miners are used to replacing fans, but they did not need to replace this one because there were no signs of wear.
With its many mines and precious metals, Australia is considered the proving ground for many mining components and applications. Composite fans have become increasingly popular here since 2015. One mine improved the life of its fans from 24 000 to 36 000 hours by switching from metal to composite. Another large mine is actively converting all its mine haul trucks’ metal fans to composite fans, avoiding the 100% downtime that can be caused by a failed metal fan.
Optimised airflow provided by composites lessens noise and sends more power to the wheels by helping eliminate unnecessary cooling. A more efficient engine also produces less particulate matter, which is good for the environment and reduces a mine site’s overall carbon footprint.
Most importantly, a fan that is lasting longer and making an engine more efficient means more trips from the bottom of the mine to the top, a faster rate of output, and more dollars on the top line of an operations’ financial statements. All this because of a simple, significant upgrade to the engine cooling fan.
A European mining equipment manufacturer tested a Horton composite fan on one of its 100 t dump trucks. When the test fan arrived at their facility, an engineer opened the package and found what looked like a plastic fan. He placed the fan on the floor and started jumping on it to see if it would crack. When it did not, he realised it was not plastic at all, but a thermoset composite material instead. The Horton composite fan is now standard on that dump truck, which had previously been using a metal fan.
A new, higher standard has been set with composite fans being used in mines all over the world.
Todd
Swinderman, Martin Engineering,
As production demands increase, more material passes through a conveyor system at faster speeds. However, if a conveyor system design does not change to compensate, the result is most often excessive dust, spillage, and broken idlers as the system struggles to keep up with volumes it is not graded to handle. As managers seek to save money on equipment upgrades, some designers cut corners that can cause more issues than they solve. Here are some things to watch for, and practical advice to follow.
When observing the conveyor transition points throughout an operation’s bulk handling system, the issue of dust and spillage is quite common, and can have many causes. If spillage is observed piling behind the system, fouling the tail pulley, or becoming entrapped between the belt and skirt, it could be an indicator of ‘loading on the transition’ (see Figure 1). This is when a conveyor belt is loaded before it is in the fully troughed position, which is generally considered bad practice.
The belt in transition is a 3D surface, and there is an abrupt inflection in the skirtboard angle at the first full trough idler, making it difficult to seal the belt in the transition. This difficulty in achieving an adequate seal results in the escape of fugitive materials. The abrupt change in angle creates an entrapment point at the inflection that collects fine material, leading to belt grooving and leakage, which causes other problems such as seized rollers.
Despite these drawbacks, limitations imposed by a lack of available space and the maximum incline angle for a given material often motivate bulk handlers to accept loading on the transition to reduce a conveyor’s overall length. Others, in the misguided belief that an initial low price is more important than lower long-term costs, look for ways to shorten the conveyor, even when not necessary. Unfortunately, operations pay for this decision in many other ways, including increased equipment maintenance, additional cleanup time, and potential safety hazards from personnel working in close proximity to the moving belt, as well as long-term health risks from poor air quality due to airborne dust. If a workable solution to loading on the transition could be found, it would open up a large market for retrofitting older conveyors. Unfortunately, due to space restrictions and material flow issues, older conveyors often cannot be re-engineered to load after the belt is fully troughed, allowing the retrofit design to achieve a lower cost of operation.
A new, patented concept has been developed to execute an effective trough transition in a short distance. This new approach is based on a two-stage transition, with the first going from the tail pulley to 20° and then the full loading zone gradually transitioning from 20° to the full trough angle at the exit (see Figure 2). As a result, operators could obtain several benefits, including loading close to the tail pulley, the ability to modify chute angles, reduced skirtboard grooving, and a transfer point that can be effectively sealed.
The transition distance is typically calculated based on the standard Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN 22101), which limits the edge stress of the belt as it goes from flat to troughed. DIN 22101 includes a minimum transition distance calculation based on the vertical rise of the belt on the wing roll of the target troughing angle compared to the top of the tail pulley. This is the reason many installations use partial troughs to raise the tail pulley, shortening vertical rise transition distance without exceeding the allowable edge stress. Another approach to shortening the transition is to lower the tail pulley, which can pinch the belt between the idler roll gaps. However, these techniques are not without their own set of problems, including idler junction failure, belt buckling, and the belt rising off the idlers, which can all lead to belt damage.
With a traditional transition, the belt is twisted from a flat profile at the tail pulley to a troughed profile. This creates a 3D complex surface on the wing portions of the belt and makes it impossible to offset a straight-bottomed skirtboard and wear liner parallel to the belt surface. Designers often use adjustable transition idlers constructed with three equal roll idlers and adjustable wing outer brackets in an attempt to create a straight belt line under the skirtboards in the transition. This practice does not create a flat
belt line, nor does it eliminate the inflection point (see Figure 3). In fact, it often creates multiple inflection points. In attempts by every maintenance shift to ‘tweak’ the wing angles and reduce spillage and belt wear, the transition can quickly get so far out of adjustment that the problems are often made worse.
A new solution is to transition the belt to a picking idler profile, with the length of the centre roll of the picking idler approximately the width that the skirtboards are spaced.
A second transition from the picking idler to a conventional three equal roll troughing idler is constructed by gradually changing the wing roll angle and wing roll centre bracket height. With this approach, the belt is gradually transitioned through the loading zone to a conventional troughing idler at the end of the loading zone.
By transitioning first to a picking idler profile, the transition distance is dramatically shortened. The second transition can be engineered so the belt surface under the skirtboards is a straight line controlled by gradually increasing the trough angle and idler wing roll centre bracket height (see Figure 4). Fugitive material release is significantly reduced, and the inflection point is eliminated, along with the belt damage it causes. Proper skirtboard and wear liners can be installed, and sealing technologies can be applied effectively.
Among the perceived disadvantages of the picking transition loading concept is that each application would require custom engineering. Each idler will need either a special frame or a frame that can be engineered with adjustable angles and roll support heights to handle most applications. This disadvantage is minimised by using standard rollers in the custom frames. For those who have no choice but to live with loading on the transition and the problems it creates, the cost of engineering and fabrication will be easily offset by reducing belt damage and minimising fugitive material.
The ultimate objective is to build a second transition section that extends the length of the transfer point, transitioning from 20° to the final trough angle, and creating a flat belt surface over the wing rolls to which a skirtboard with a straight bottom can be spaced parallel to the belt (see Figure 5).
The basic design criteria for a two-stage picking transition are:
The exposed portion of the centre roll of the 20° picking idler in the first transition is made equal to the chute width.
The first transition from the tail to 20° is governed by DIN 22101 transition design formulas.
The second transition starts at a 20° wing angle and the wing angle incrementally increases to the exit of the load zone at the final design trough angle (i.e. 30°, 35°, or 45°).
The centre rolls are all the same length, and the wing rolls are all the same length. As the second transition progresses, more and more of the wing rolls are exposed until the configuration is the equivalent of the final design troughing idler angle and roller/belt contact.
The centre roll height is the same as the final design troughing idler centre roll. The inside brackets of the wing rollers are gradually increased as the wing angle increases to create the flat belt line under the skirtboards.
The number of idlers in the second transition is determined by the idler spacing. The wing angles are increased in equal steps based on the number of idlers.
The last idler in the loading zone is a conventional three equal roll troughing idler of the final design trough angle.
The nominal skirtboard width should be determined based on a de-rated design capacity, belt width, and the final belt trough angle in the carrying zone. It is recommended that the skirtboard width be determined by the amount of free belt edge required for an effective sealing system installation and the expected belt wander. According to Foundations 4, the free edge distance is at least 115 mm (4.5 in.) regardless of belt width, which includes 50 mm (2.0 in.) of expected belt wander (see Figure 6).1 If more belt wander is expected, the free edge distance in the load zone should be increased. This distance should not be confused with the DIN or CEMA standard belt edge used in determining the design capacity of the carrying idlers outside the load zone.
Determine the length of the transfer point. The first transition to 20° is determined by the DIN 22101 formulas and generally requires only one specially-designed 20° transition idler.
The second transition length is based on the need for: dust control, reducing material slip-back, controlling the turbulence of the material, or other requirements of the application. An additional consideration may be the need
to increase the chute angle for better material flow. Generally, the need for dust control will govern the length of the second transition, therefore the second transition length equals tailbox + loading section + skirtboard extension (two seconds of belt travel times the belt speed for dust control is recommended for the extension).
The final step is determining the idler spacing in the second transition, with a minimum of 330 mm (13 in.), based on the current picking idler design for 125 mm (5 in.) and 150 mm (6 in.) diameter rolls, and designing the custom idler frames. By dividing the length of the transfer point by the idler spacing, the required number of idler sets can be calculated, with the last troughing idler being a standard three equal roll idler. The wing roll angles are in equal increments based on the spacing. If variable spacing is used, it is recommended that it be a multiple of 330 mm (13 in.). For example, 330 mm spacing (13 in.) in the impact area and then 660 mm (26 in.) for the rest of the second transition.
The design of the wing roll brackets involves applying geometry to determine the heights of the wing roll brackets to create the flat belt line under the second transition skirtboards. This is done by creating an imaginary trapezoidal surface with the two bases equal to the belt contact line on the first and last wing rolls in the second transition. Using 3D modelling, the height of the wing brackets necessary to create contact with the
imaginary surface and create a straight belt line under the skirtboards can be determined. The result is each wing idler bracket in the second transition will be a unique design (but the rollers are all identical). The centre roll is always the same length, and the bracket is always the same as the first transition picking idler.
A 1200 mm (48 in.) fabric belt running at 2 m/s (400 fpm) and between 60 – 90% of rated belt tension may require only a 600 mm (24 in.) first stage picking transition before the tail box and load chute begin. The second transition is 4 m (13 ft) long plus the length of the load chute to accomplish the two seconds of belt travel after loading needed for passive dust control (see Figure 7).
Once the transition zone has been designed, the remaining conventional components can be put in place. Typical additions are engineered sealing systems, increased skirtboard enclosure height, and dust curtains for passive dust control or air cleaners for active dust control.
The two-stage picking transition offers many benefits:
Shortened conveyor length reduces construction costs on new installations.
Existing conveyors can be retrofitted to reduce belt damage and spillage.
Chute angles can be increased to reduce flow problems.
The load profile deepens as the material flows through the load zone, reducing pressure on the skirt walls to minimise chute plugging, wear, and spillage.
The individual idlers on custom frames can be removed from the side without lifting the belt.
The offset picking idler design reduces idler junction failure.
Replacement rollers are of standard design.
Precision pulley and idler (PPI) engineers each set of picking idlers based on the trough angles and transfer point length, using CEMA idler load calculation methods. Martin Engineering engineers, installs, and maintains the containment elements of the transfer point.
The added cost of the idler frames is estimated to be approximately 35% more than a conventional offset idler frame. In new construction, the cost is offset by having a shorter belt centre distance. On retrofits, the cost is quickly recovered by reduced belt damage from skirtboard seal grooving and reduced cleanup costs.
1. SWINDERMAN, T., et al., ‘FoundationsTM: The Practical Resource for Cleaner, Safer, More Productive Dust & Material Control (Fourth Edition)’, Martin Engineering, https://www.martin-eng.com/sites/default/files/Foundations/ Book%20Downloads/f4-2012.pdf
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When it comes to your hauling operation, Caterpillar and Cat® dealers are here to help you achieve your emissions-reduction targets. One of our most important goals as a manufacturer is to find new ways to make every mining truck we offer more sustainable. Solutions like renewable fuel options and autonomy help you reduce emissions by decreasing carbon and increasing productivity. And we’ve increased component and fluid life and offer solutions like rebuilding to help you reduce lifecycle waste.
