Modern Mining September 2021

SUPPLY CHAIN News

Underground jib crane to recover spilled ore

complex lifting task within the spilled ore recovery process. The crab itself is jam-packed with equipment, holding not only the 5-ton variable-speed-drive hoist, but also the hydraul ic power pack, two hydraul ic hose reels serving the opening and clos- ing functions of the orange-peel grab, and the cable-reeling drum serving the electromagnet. Slewing action is delivered by power from three swivel drives, and limited by rotary limit switches defining and limiting travel extremities. The crane’s lift, swivel and crab movements, and all hydraulic grab and release functions, can be operated by either remote control or back-up pendant. Commenting on the newly completed crane, Condra’s MD Marc Kleiner says the large size of the machine and the complex task of designing it to achieve optimal productivity, had excluded most crane man- ufacturers from competing for the contract. “The jib crane market is very competi- tive at its entry level or small-machine end, and we do not actively compete in that segment,” he says. “But as crane size and complexity increases, Condra becomes dif- ficult to beat in terms of engineering and design expertise.  equipment in Kazakhstan’s history. The new equipment, boasting 220-tonnes lift- ing capacity, will be used for overburden operations and the transportation of iron ore, and is part of a large-scale reconstruc- tion of the entire Kacharsky site aimed at a considerable increase in iron ore produc- tion volumes at SSGPO. The delivery of the specialised equip- ment will offer remarkable increases in load capacity and provide further advantages when working on a large scale. In addition to delivering specialised equipment, Eurasian Machinery will per- form a wide range of maintenance works, including the construction of service infra- structure and the supply of necessary spare parts over the next 10 years. The supplier will also offer specialised simulator training to ERG’s drivers. As part of the agreement, which will be carried out according to the MARC (mainte- nance and repair contract) principles, ERG will purchase up to 50 units of specialised mining equipment. 

Condra has designed and manufactured a large jib crane for bulk recovery under- ground of ore spilled at an unnamed mine. Delivered this September, the 5-t crane has a lifting height of 9 m, a slewing radius of 5 m, and is equipped with an orange- peel grab and electromagnet combination that allows bulk ore to be gathered, lifted and positioned while simultaneously sepa- rating out the iron ore within it by means of the electromagnet.

After installation and commissioning at surface level for trials, the crane will play a key role in a prototype ore recovery pro- cess. Permanent installation underground will take place after six months of tests. The mine’s surface-level prototype solution comprises five different types of machines working together. Ore spilled along the conveyor lines will first be recovered by small articulated loaders which will place it on dump trucks for depositing in a purpose-built pit. The jib crane will then retrieve the ore from the pit by means of a combined grabbing, magnetising, lifting, slewing and travel functionality, depositing the ore into a feed hopper from where a secondary conveyor belt will transport it to re-join the main ore stream on its way to the crushing plant. The Condra jib crane is the key to this solution, and has been designed and built to withstand a harsh underground working environment with minimal maintenance. It comprises a pillar-supported double- girder beam topped by the crab-mounted hoist, an arrangement that maximises the grab’s lifting height and optimises produc- tivity in the execution of a repetitive but

The crane will be used for bulk recovery of ore spilled at an unnamed underground mine.

Eurasian Resources Group, a leading diversified natural resources group, has signed a cooperation agreement with Eurasian Machinery LLP, the official pro- vider of Hitachi specialised equipment in Central Asia. The agreement will see 12 Hitachi ERG upgrades fleet with specialised heavy-duty Hitachi equipment EH4000 AC-3 dump trucks and two Hitachi EX5600E hydraulic excavators delivered this year to the Kacharsky open pit iron-ore mine, part of ERG’s Sokolov-Sarybai Mining Production Association. This stands as one of the most sig- nificant acquisitions of specialised mining

ERG will purchase up to 50 units of specialised mining equipment.

46  MODERN MINING  September 2021