Characterization
- Effective in restricted mining areas
- Long truck spotting and exchange time
- Driver skill requirement is reduced compared to double-sided
- Loading must be stopped during dozer clean-up
Challenges with Load Cycle Optimization
An ideal load cycle is one that minimizes shovel hang time, optimizes shovel swing angle, maximizes trucking capacity, and allows for greater compliance to plan.
But accomplishing this ideal load cycle is not an easy task, as the efficiency and safety of haul truck manoeuvring at shovels, crushers, and dumps varies dramatically with operator skill. Increasing employee turnover and the lack of available and recruitable skilled operators further complicates the variability of operator capability across a mine site.
As a result, mines often employ standard operating procedures geared toward the lowest level of capability to ensure a safer production. Traditional practices such as bucket spotting and single-side loading can reduce the risk of truck-shovel impacts, but at the cost of productivity, as the resulting increase in shovel hang time reduces the productivity of both shovels and trucks (Greg Lanz).
