Floating mine equipment: saving costs and adding value

Most surface mining requires the use of heavy machinery and this is something that is generally understood. What is not always obvious is that the mining work front is not always continuous and can occur at multiple locations or be spread far across leases.

To help reduce the cost of ownership, operation and improve efficiency, Lampson Australia has been busy moving heavy components such as excavators, shovels and other mining equipment in central Queensland.

The Hitachi PC8000 excavator is a beast; this mighty machine weighs over 800 tonne and has its own tracks to move around the site. What halts this behemoth is the wear and tear this machine does to its own walking gear – so Lampson Engineering provided a solution to float these heavy units between their work fronts and or shutdown pads.

The company created what is essentially a purpose built taxi or Uber ride for these massive mining units. The rubber tyred platform trailers take away the potential damage from the EX8000 walking gear to provide a faster, more cost effective and safer travelling option for shorter or longer distance travel.

The PC8000 is so large and heavy that it requires two lots of sixteen axle trailers to carry its weight. The excavator is provided shallow ramps to walk onto the trailers and position itself in a central location. To help with load distribution the bucket rests on the rear of the trailer and large steel mats spread out the main house load.

The engine packs are connected electronically, which allows simultaneous control of each self propelled modular trailers (SPMT), from a central operation point.

The coupled trailer has 8 driven axles which delivers huge traction however if the terrain requires additional pushing force this can be applied with external prime movers. The configuration of axles can be varied to suit other types of loads.

The EX3600 is a lighter machine at around 360 tonne and only requires 1 row of axles; the excavator walks up onto ramps and the trailer then lifts the machine using its hydraulic suspension.

The rear of the machine is supported on stands to distribute the load along the trailer and the bucket rests down at the rear. This simple arrangement allows for swift in-pit relocations  where the machine can be back working in a matter of hours.

High Wall Miners and alike are also able to be moved on SPMT. These trailers are ideally suited to moving out-of-gauge equipment that is not compatible with standard trailer or mine site float sizes.

Lampson’s SPMT are also road registered, which can provide further options for moving equipment to nearby properties using the public road system.

Lampson has been providing transport and lifting services to mines across Australia since 1990 and is ready to help with your next big move.

Lampson can be contacted on info@lampson.com.au, phone: 0249410400 or through any of our local state managers.