Successful Wirtgen Surface Mining Around the Globe

Efficient mine operations plus professional service

Large-scale mining of iron ore …

The Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) is one of the larg-

est iron-ore producers worldwide, and in the past few

years its fleet of surface miners – made up of 28 Wirtgen

4200 SM and 15 Wirtgen 2500 SM – has grown to a total

of 43 machines. They guarantee economical and selec-

tive mining of high-quality iron ore in the Pilbara region of

Western Australia. “The Wirtgen surface miners enable us

to separate the ore from the excavated material. The ma-

jority of the ore stock could not have been extracted using

conventional means, making the surface miners decisively

important to our success”, explains Cody Faryna, FMG

Surface Mining Manager at the Christmas Creek mine site.

Enormous cost savings via surface mining

Wirtgen surface miners cut, crush and load material in a

single step thus providing enormous potential savings.

For instance, they lower production costs per tonne of iron

ore by around 40 percent, and even the investment costs

are roughly 50 percent lower than for conventional mining

methods.

15 x 2500 SM and 28 x 4200 SM

Each of the 15 surface miners 2500 SM with 2.5 metres of

cutting width has impressive cutting performances of be-

tween 1,200 and 2,000 tonnes per hour depending on the

28 surface miners of type 4200 SM and 15 of type 2500 SM are efficiently mining iron ore down under.

hardness of the respective material. “It’s admirable how

Wirtgen has managed to deliver such high cutting per-

formance from its first iron ore project,” explains Graeme

Rowley, Executive Director of FMG until March 2010.

Together, Wirtgen and FMG developed an even more

powerful Surface Miner – the 4200 SM, weighing over

200 tonnes and with huge engine performance of 1,194 kW /

1,623 PS. For the mining of iron ore, its cutting depth

lies between 650 and 830 mm, with a cutting width of

4,200 mm.

The high-performance machine delivers double the cut-

ting power of a 2500 SM. Depending on the degree of

hardness of the rock, each 4200 SM produces up to

3,800 tonnes of iron ore per hour.

Loading as required

The iron ore ressources in the FMG mine are partly homo-

geneous and partly inhomogeneous. The surface miners

4200 SM and 2500 SM offer the ideal mining method for

both material types, however. The surface miners load

homogeneous iron ore of constantly high quality via the

high-performance loading conveyor belt directly onto wait-

ing dump trucks. The key advantage here is that mining

and loading happens in a single machine pass, making

it simple and economically efficient. With inhomogene-

ous material, the surface miners mine the iron ore via the

windrowing method, without using the conveyor belt. This

enables the material quality to be better detected and

differentiated. Further benefits at FMG are the optimized

transportation logistics as well as the improved control of

material flow. Wirtgen is the only manufacturer worldwide

to offer its customers both methods.

2 //3

Wirtgen surface miners are advanced mining devices and are in operation 24/7 at FMG.

The incredibly powerful 4200 SM deposites the mined material in windrows behind the machine.

Project dataExtraction material iron ore (extremely abrasive) Average degree of material hardness 60 MPa Annual extraction capacity approx. 80,000,000 t Mining performance of a 4200 SM per day up to 63,000 t Picks per 1,000 t of iron ore production 13 Machines in operation 28 x Wirtgen 4200 SM, 15 x 2500 SM

… thanks to comprehensiveservice structures

Optimised service structures

At FMG the Wirtgen surface miners are in operation around

the clock, and machine availability is a central factor for

success. This is why Wirtgen offers FMG not only surface

mining technology but also a comprehensive service of-

fering. The service products are the result of an intensive

collaboration between the main Wirtgen plant in Germany

and its subsidiary Wirtgen Australia in Perth.

Regular communication with and physical proximity

to the customer ensure fast reaction times. New require-

ments, process changes or machine developments can

therefore be implemented very quickly – directly on-site

in the mine as well as in the plant, as Hedley Quick,

FMG Superintendent for Surface Miners at the

Cloudbreak mine site, confirms:

“Wirtgen incorporates our ideas and practical experience

into the further development of the machines.

The cutting drums and conveyor systems are overhauled at the company‘s own workshop in Perth.

4 //5

They also offer a service that matches our very high

requirements and needs. It’s quite unique at the mine.

Wirtgen takes care of everything we need.” In mid-2012,

for example, a general overhaul of the surface miners in

Perth was added as a new product in the Wirtgen Group’s

service programme. With this strategic changeover to a

proactive maintenance system, both partners are setting

course for the future. The general overhaul sets the pace

for an optimized and far-sighted maintenance strategy.

Wirtgen is investing in personnel and infrastructure

“To further strengthen our position as a reliable mining

partner in Australia, we have made a huge investment in

technical personnel, administrative systems and infra-

structure – in the mine as well as in our subsidiary. On a

site of 4.7 hectares, we are also constructing a factory and

warehouse building specially equipped for surface miners,

in which we can carry out general overhauls or retrofits

of components, as well as training on service and work

procedures” explains Paul Hockridge, General Manager

Mineral Technologies Wirtgen Australia, describing the in-

vestments to expand the Wirtgen Group service structures

in Australia.

The effective Wirtgen service concept guarantees 24/7 operation at FMG.

The logistics centre in Perth guarantees supply of all necessary spare parts.

Many years of cooperation guarantee efficient mining

The Indian mine operator „Sainik Mining and Allied Ser-

vices Ltd.“, the third largest coal supplier in the world,

has a total of 21 Wirtgen surface miners. Ten 2200 SM

are in operation in the 530-square-kilometre Gevra Mine

in the province of Chattisgarh. The local Wirtgen subsidi-

ary‘s excellent customer service has tradition: individually

tailored service contracts have guaranteed planning and

operational security in coal mining for years now.

100 percent surface mining

The vertical coal seams in the Gevra Mine require a selec-

tive mining method. Additionally, 90 percent of the cut coal

has to have a maximum particle size of 100 millimetres.

This is why, since 1999, the mine operators have gradu-

ally switched mining activities from drilling and blasting

to Wirtgen surface mining. At present 80 percent of the

coal is being mined via surface mining and 20 percent via

conventional methods.

The mine operators are planning however to shift to

100 percent surface mining of coal within the next two

years. Here, too, surface mining has proven to be clean,

safe and more environmentally friendly.

The 49,000 kilo heavy Wirtgen surface miner 2200 SM, with 708 kW / 963 PS, ensures efficient coal mining.

6 //7

Efficient windrowing

In the mine, windrowing has proven to be an optimal min-

ing method. Thanks to this method the material quality

can be better detected and coal can be mined in the most

economical way. With the windrow method the cut coal is

placed directly behind the machines, between the crawl-

ers, without the use of a loading conveyor. This allows

material to be cut independently of the loading process

– although the coal has to be loaded separately via front

loader. As a result, each 2200 SM – with a cutting width

of 3.8 meters and a cutting depth of 300 millimetres – can

mine roughly 15,000 tonnes of coal. The annual capacity

of the coal mine is the huge amount of 80 million tonnes,

90 % of which is used as thermal coal for electric power

stations. To mine the huge seam of over 10 billion tonnes

as efficiently as possible, surface miners from Wirtgen are

the ideal solution.

Tailormade service contract

The service contract especially tailored to the Gevra Mine

guarantees that two experienced Wirtgen engineers are

available there nonstop. They provide support for all main-

tenance activities relating to the surface mining fleet that

arise, including machine defects, preventive maintenance

measures, inspection of certain machine parts, training

of machine operators, etc. The Wirtgen experts also take

care of the spare parts stock.

In two years’ time, coal at the Gevra Mine will be mined 100 per-cent with the surface mining method.

Thanks to windrowing, lower-quality coal can be detected and rejected more effectively.

Project data Extraction Material coal (class F) Degree of material hardness 30 – 35 MPa Annual extraction capacity approx. 80,000,000 t Mining performance of a 2200 SM per day 15,000 t Picks per 1,000 t of coal production 0.5 – 0.6 Machines in operation 10 x Wirtgen 2200 SM

Selective limestone miningwithout drilling or blasting

A member of the Eurocement Group, the mine ZAO Kavka-

zcement is located near the Black Sea in Russia and is one

of the largest cement producers in the Northern Caucasus.

In the selective mining of limestone, Wirtgen surface min-

ers guarantee constantly highly daily rates without drilling

or blasting.

Excellent experience with Wirtgen surface mining

Since 2005, operations at ZAO Kavkazcement have relied

on mechanical mining using the surface mining method.

The mining performance of the two 2200 SM – the smallest

surface miners from the broad Wirtgen range – that were

initially ordered impressed Eurocement so much that, in

2008, the next larger size was ordered – the 2500 SM. De-

cisive for Eurocement was that the surface miners should

deliver the required mining tonnage with high productivity

and at low operating costs, that the material should be reli-

ably crushed within the prescribed gradation, and that the

miners should suit the existing mine structures optimally.

Three 2500 SM are currently operating in the mine.

Various different loading options

One of the main advantages of surface mining over drilling

and blasting is that the limestone can be loaded directly

onto trucks by means of a powerful transfer system.

Eurocement makes use of further loading methods,

however.

In the mine the 2500 SM cuts limestone with a working width of 2.5 metres and a working depth of between 450 and 500 millimetres.

8 //9

If, for example, material is required for a temporary em-

bankment stabilization, the surface miners discharge the

cut limestone sideways onto a pile. One benefit here is that

the cutting process is always entirely independent from the

truck loading. A further possibility for material loading is

to deposit the limestone as a windrow behind the surface

miner without the use of the loading conveyor.

Effective spare part concept

High machine availability requires an equally effective

spare part concept. Wirtgen has developed a special

spare part concept for ZAO Kavkazcement: a subsidiary of

Wirtgen operates a separate spare part store in Moscow

as well as another in the mine. This guarantees availability

of spare parts in a very short time as well as long operating

times for the surface miners.

Environmentally friendly surface mining

With Wirtgen know-how from highly developed cutting

technology, limestone is mined at ZAO Kavkazcement in

a highly environmentally friendly manner without drilling or

blasting. Victor Gustov, the Mining Director at Eurocement,

sums it up: “The use of surface miners takes a huge strain

off the environment during limestone mining in the regions

affected – while increasing safety in the mine at the same

time.”

Surface mining leaves precise and stable slopes behind as well as flat, easily manoeuvrable areas.

After the successful use of two 2200 SM, three 2500 SM were purchased to extend capacity.

Project data Extraction material limestone Degree of material hardness 35 - 70 MPa Annual extraction capacity > 3,000,000 t Extraction capacity of a 2500 SM per hour 515 - 580 t Picks per 1,000 t of limestone production 1.0 Machines in operation 3 x Wirtgen 2500 SM

Intelligent technology and logistics for economically efficient bauxite mining

In the far north of Brazil, in Paragominas, a Wirtgen surface

miner type 2500 SM is revolutionizing bauxite mining. The

machine – the first of its type in Brazil – has been in opera-

tion at the “Mineração Paragominas” mine since 2011.

2500 SM: Pure economic efficiency

With a cutting width of 2.5 metres and a cutting depth of

up to 650 millimetres, the Wirtgen surface miner can mine

around 800 tonnes of bauxite per hour. The 100-tonne

machine is driven by a 783 kW / 1,065 PS engine. The

11-meter discharge conveyor transfers the material directly

to the dump truck – with no other mining equipment, such

as excavators or wheel loaders, required. “The 2500 SM

produces as much as two to three conventional mining

sets”, explains Cláudio Morgado, Maintenance Manager at

Mineração Paragominas. That not only lowers production

costs but also makes working in the mine safer.

Surface mining: Environmental protection and sustainability

Surface mining not only saves time and money but also

energy. In addition, the material extraction is also vibration-

free. The low noise and dust development in surface min-

ing mean a further advantage over conventional methods.

“Naturally we want our work to be profitable, but our cor-

porate goals also include bringing good business together

with sound environmental practice and sustainability.

783 kW / 1,065 PS of power drive the surface miner 2500 SM, which can mine around 800 tonnes of bauxite an hour.

10 //11

We can achieve exactly that with the Wirtgen surface

miners”, says Agnus Delagado, General Manager Mining,

Mineração Paragominas.

Wirtgen Group: Tailored service solutions

The remoteness of the Amazon region, plus the 24-hour

use of the machine, demand a seamless local service

infrastructure. This is why the local Wirtgen Group dealer

Deltamaq operates a service support center directly in the

mine. Service technicians, warehouse specialists and ap-

plication experts all ensure that the machine runs smoothly

around the clock. All service technicians are regularly

trained at Wirtgen’s main plant in Germany.

Working to expand capacity

Thanks to the success of the Wirtgen Group customer

service concept and the impressive performance of the

surface miner, the decision was made to use two more

type 2500 SM Wirtgen surface miners in Paragominas.

Since mid-2012 a total of three Wirtgen surface miners

have been in use for Mineração Paragominas. Surface

mining is thus completely replacing the previous conven-

tional extraction methods.

The local Wirtgen Group dealer Deltamaq offers 24-hour on-site service at the mine plus technical support.

The bauxite is loaded directly onto trucks via the 90-degree slew-ing, height-adjustable conveyor.

Project data Extraction material BauxiteDegree of material hardness up to 50 MPa Extraction capacity per annum (2010) 7,500,000 t Planned mining capacity per annum up to 15,000,000 t Picks per 1,000 t of bauxite production 0.1 Machines in operation 1 x Wirtgen 2500 SM

Wirtgen GmbHReinhard-Wirtgen-Str. 2 · 53578 Windhagen · Germany

Phone: +49 (0) 26 45 / 131-0 · Fax: +49 (0) 26 45 / 131-242Internet: www.wirtgen.com · E-Mail: info@wirtgen.com

Illustrations and texts are non-binding and may include customized fittings. Subject to technical changes. Performance data depend on operational conditions. No. 2321784 43-31 EN-04/13 © by Wirtgen GmbH 2013. Printed in Germany