Local, foreign cos gear up for UG mining equipment supply

by Neha Prasad

December 29, 2008: Coal India Ltd (CIL) has an array of technology and equipment at its disposal in its quest to encourage underground (UG) mining. Domestic suppliers have still to update themselves on the technology as foreign companies have more new methods to offer. This is largely because UG mining has never really gained sway in India.

However, joint working groups have been established with France, Germany, Russia, Canada, Poland, Australia and China to gain in terms of the latest technologies. Modern UG mining technology needs to be bought, along with fire control and mine safety equipment.

Several overseas companies have teamed up with a local unit or another company to supply equipment to CIL. Coal Insights seeks to provide the names of major mining equipment suppliers, with special emphasis on UG miners.

Larson & Toubro

Larson & Toubro (L&T) proposes to invest more in coal mining - along with power production - on the back of expected vibrant growth. The engineering and construction major has forayed into coal mining to support power operations in a big way.

L&T manufactures a variety of crushing machinery - including feeding and screening equipment - for minerals like limestone, granite, coal, coke and iron ore at its Kansbahal Works. The company has tied up with the US-based T.J. Gundlach Machine Company for production of single and double stage roll crushers, breakers and cage pactors used extensively in the coal sector.

L&T's surface miners, soil stabilisers and asphalt millers are used in the mining and road building sectors and provide global benchmarks. According to the company, the surface miner is available in two track-mounted models with cutting width of 2.2 and 3 metres. These strong machines are very productive. They are ideal for open cast mining of coal, lignite, limestone and sandstone, with an output ranging between 600 to 1,200 tons per hour.

BEML

BEML Ltd manufactures a large and comprehensive range of mining machinery, mainly for open cast mines, but recently it ventured into UG segment with side discharge loaders (SDL), load haul dumpers (LHD), winches, winders, granby cars and skips.

BEML has also realised the opportunity in contract mining as demand for coal increases. A joint venture between BEML, Midwest Granite and Pt Sumber Mitra Jaya plans to take up contract mining in Indonesia. BEML-Midwest Ltd is expected to concentrate on coal and other mining contracts in India and overseas.

The equipment major recently showcased its heavy mining equipments - such as the BH100 dumper, BE1000 excavator, BE220 excavator, BEML656 loader, BL15 LHD and BD475 Dozerat - at the International Mining & Machinery Exhibition, 2008 held in Kolkata.

BEML and CIL have also inked an agreement for 12 years for jointly manufacturing off-the-road (OTR) tyres.

The Tata group

Various Tata Group companies also manufacture mining equipments, but they are largely used in open cast projects.

Joy Mining Machinery

Joy Mining Machinery undertakes development, manufacture, distribution and service of UG mining machinery for extraction of coal.

It produces longwall shearers, roof supports, face conveyors, stageloaders, continuous miners, batch haulage vehicles (shuttle cars and battery haulers), continuous haulage systems (continuous chain haulage and flexible conveyor train), feeder breakers and bolting products (mobile, onboard and portable) for use in longwall and room and pillar mining operations.

Joy focuses on continuous mining for the UG mining industry and manufactures machinery accordingly. It is one of the market leaders by virtue of being able to provide equipment that ensures the lowest cost per ton for the customer.

According to the company, its machines use Joy's multi-motor concept with outboard access to motors, gear cases, controllers and other major components. Continuous miners use individual motors with direct drive transmissions to power the cutter, traction, gathering and hydraulic systems.

P&H

Electric mining shovels, rotary blasthole drills and walking draglines form the staple of P&H's product lines.

Bucyrus

Bucyrus International Inc deals with both surface and UG mining equipment, along with original equipment parts. Though its surface equipment is used for mining copper, iron ore, oil sands and other minerals too, the UG equipment is primarily manufactured for mining coal.

The US-based company supplies longwall equipment for UG mining internationally and is considered market leader. Bucyrus focuses on high yielding machinery that works according to client's requirements. Automated plow systems, hydraulic roof supports, conveyors, shearers, automation equipment and roof support carriers are manufactured for longwall mining technology.

Among room & pillar products, Bucyrus offers custom-designed, heavy-duty, engineered belt conveyor solutions and conveyor products to handle the most demanding bulk material handling requirements in both underground and above ground applications. This includes belt starters, alignment free drive, remote discharge, take up sections, hydraulic power units, belt storage units, intermediate and tail loading sections.

Caterpillar

In UG mining, Caterpillar is another name producing underground articulated trucks, Reliable Cat Engines and power train transmissions, among others. These are used for low cost per ton hauling and high production.

The company promises revolutionary electronics and hydraulic controls in its UG mining LHDs. It produces hydraulic systems for digging and lifting operations in UG mining, along with different bucket configurations, depending on the material to be transported.

Ingersoll-Rand

Ingersoll-Rand (India) Ltd, subsidiary of the Ingersoll Rand Company, has an ISO9001 and ISO14001 certified manufacturing facility in Ahmedabad. It had set up its first manufacturing plant in India in 1965.

The company produces screw air compressors of various grades, centrifugal blowers, piston air compressors, diaphragm pumps, diesel engines, gas impact spanners, winches and mini size gas generators, among others.

The US-based parent company has implemented an innovative project in using unprocessed coal mine methane gas directly from an underground source to generate electricity for its Bailey Mine operations with a microturbine. Every year, the 70-KW microturbine generates approximately 500 MW of electricity, consuming approximately 8 million cubic feet of methane.

Atlas Copco

Atlas Copco manufactures a gamut of products for cut and fill UG mining, bench blasting, deep hole drilling or contracting. This includes four-wheel-drive articulated load, haul and dumpers for UG mining and tunnelling projects. Its Diamec UG core drilling rigs are specially designed for the below ground environment. Its design promises versatility and ease of work.

Depending on the ore's density, tramming capacities can be anything from 20 to 60 tons.
Its UG core drilling solutions include skid or track mounted version Diamec drill rigs with a choice of feed lengths and rotation units and in-the-hole products. Diamec drill rigs are suitable for both coring and drilling grout holes.

The other angles

Komatsu, Sandvik, Kennametal, Astec Industries, Boart Longyear Company, Breaker Technology Inc, Howden Group, Schwing America Inc, Cubex Ltd, Allied Construction Products, Mobile Parts, J.H. Fletcher & Co, Jeffrey Mining Products, Getman Corporation, Technicore Underground Corporation, DBT America and Fairchild International are the other names in this field, all of whom can realise much potential in India.

Meanwhile, Australian mining companies are keeping a close watch on the UG mining scene here. Industry observers believe that India is poised to become a major market for mining equipment, according to a media report.

Mintech is planning its first mineral analysis laboratory at Kolkata. Australian coal mining service provider Thiess has also recently begun commercial operations in India. Salva Resources provides mining consultancy services between Australian mining companies and India. Indian Resources, a Perth-based subsidiary of Monark Gold Group, is also looking to set up office in Kolkata to monitor operations. The company has entered into a joint venture with Hindustan Copper Ltd.

With all this activity in the pipeline, UG mining equipment providers are expected to make hay while the sun shines.

Source: Coal Insights