Haulage and loading are fundamental to both surface and underground mining operations. Miners use mining trucks, loaders and haulage carriers to not only transport the run-of-mine (ROM) ore to the processing area but also remove overburden and waste rocks from the mine site(Marsh, 2024).
Large Mining Dozers are used in the mining sites to move debris. They can also be used for ripping when blasting is not an option. Adding extra attachments allows dozers to reclaim and rake the land around a mining site. Crawler dozers and wheel dozers are the most common bulldozers used in mining(Post, 2024).
Wheel loaders come in compact or large sizes and are used in mining sites to load materials onto trucks. They are also used for earthmoving purposes, including lifting soil, gravel, debris, pallets, etc. The size of the wheel loader determines its bucket and load handling capacity.
truck haulage have established themselves as the primary means by which both ore and waste are moved in large open pit mines. Trucks are being loaded by a shovel, after which they drive either to the waste dump or to the processing site/in-pit crusher. The loading and hauling equipment should be matched to ensure the optimal amount of fill cycles for the shovel(Adams, 2022a).
Truck trolleys systems use dates to 1882, when Werner von Siemens developed the first electrical driven wagon that followed overhead power lines. This system has been evolving since and has been used in the mining industry since 1967, when it was implemented in the Chino Mine in New Mexico(Adams, 2022b).
What’s the biggest piece of hauling equipment you can picture in a mine? Let’s see your mental images!
References:
Adams, T. (2022a, May 3). Haulage systems for open pit mines—3 main types. GRT. https://globalroadtechnology.com/haulage-systems-for-open-pit-mines/
Adams, T. (2022b, May 3). Haulage systems for open pit mines—3 main types. GRT. https://globalroadtechnology.com/haulage-systems-for-open-pit-mines/
Marsh, K. (2024, September 23). Mining Trucks, Loaders and Haulage Equipment for the Mining Industry. Mining Technology. https://www.mining-technology.com/buyers-guide/mining-loaders-trucks-haulage/
Post, N. (2024, March 14). The Top 10 Machines Used in Mining. Heavy Equipment Transport. https://www.heavyequipmenttransport.com/blog/the-top-10-machines-used-in-mining/
