Engineering & Mining Journal

JAN 2013

Engineering and Mining Journal - Whether the market is copper, gold, nickel, iron ore, lead/zinc, PGM, diamonds or other commodities, E&MJ takes the lead in projecting trends, following development and reporting on the most efficient operating pr

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BRAZILIAN GROWTH The Capão Xavier mine near Nova Lima uses specially outfitted Liebherr R 964 C excavators (inset) to load iron ore. ore. Before Capão Xavier went into operation in 2004, its capacity was estimated at 81.2 million mt of iron ore, which would be economically depleted by approximately 2014. The Capão Xavier mine is a shallow open-pit mine where iron ore is extracted from seven 10-m benches. Depending on the ore type, it can sometimes be loaded directly from the bench. Harder formations require drilling and blasting. 84 E&MJ; • JANUARY 2013 For the loading process a fleet of 16 Liebherr R 964 C mining excavators is operating on site in the Paraopeba Complex. These machines excavate both waste rock and the iron ore, loading the material into a fleet of 38-mt trucks that shuttles it to a crushing installation. Three units of Vale's Paraopeba Complex R 964 C excavator fleet are allocated to the Capão Xavier mine site. At first glance, this particular model would be considered a standard-size construction excavator. To upgrade this machine for heavy-duty mining operations, Vale's R 964 Cs are equipped with a 7-m gooseneck boom, 2.6-m stick and heavy-duty buckets of 4 m3 capacity. To guarantee maximum security the equipment includes piston rod protection, fall-over protection structure (FOPS), the rear camera monitoring option and fuel coupling safety devices. The R 964 C is powered by a 320 kW (434 hp) Liebherr D9508 V8 diesel engine. With shovel attachment its operating weight varies between 67,900 kg and 78,000 kg. Shovels are available with capacities up to 5 m3. This version of the R 964 provides a maximum digging force of 308 kN (31.4 mt) and a maximum breakout force of 335 kN (34.2 mt). Its maximum reach values are 11.65 m at ground level and 7.7 m at dump height. The R 964 C excavators at Paraopeba Complex have proved their strength and dependability for almost 10 years in severe conditions. This excavator size perfectly matches the 38-mt trucks that are the preferred transport vehicles on smaller mining sites such as Capão Xavier. To ensure maximum availability for the Liebherr fleet at Vale, Liebherr has located a dedicated team of after-sales experts in the state of Minas Gerais. They provide services for nine different Vale mines from their headquarters in Belo Horizonte. Resources allocated there include 30 highly trained technicians. For all customers in Brazil, Liebherr also offers an efficient logistic system for spare parts that ensures maximum agility when responding to every client requirement. www.e-mj.com

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