Heavy Equipment Used in the Mining Industry
Large trucks are used for moving ore and other heavy materials. These trucks must perform well in conditions such as high altitudes and steep slopes. Some mining trucks can carry 400 tonnes of payload. Another common piece of equipment is the mining shovel, which is also known as an excavator. These machines evolved from steam shovels and often employ hydraulics to move the material from the mine to storage facilities.
Front-end loaders are large, tyre-mounted vehicles with a large, deep bucket mounted in the front. These heavy machines are used for digging, moving rock, pushing overburden, and managing stockpiles and refuse areas. Similarly, trucks are often used for moving ore from the mine site to dump sites. The haulage roads are often shared with passenger and pickup trucks.
Mine structures are necessary to run operations. They may house management offices, workshops, power generation, and storage. Generally, mines will have a repair and maintenance facility on-site. Some mining sites may also have overland belt conveyors that carry large volumes of material over long distances, often miles, to the processing area. They are used to move materials from pits to loading areas and processing areas. Stackers are also used to move large volumes of material.
Drills are an essential piece of industrial mining machinery. They enable miners to drill holes and place explosives in open mines. To protect from erosion, consider HVOF from www.poeton.co.uk/standard-treatments/plasma-coatings
Another essential piece of mining machinery is the roof bolter. It secures the roof of the mining tunnel to prevent cave-ins. Its installation also creates a safety net for the miners, catching debris in the event of the ceiling falling. Aside from drills, there are blasting tools that are used in mining.
Wheel-tractor scrapers are another type of mining equipment. These machines are used to dig into the ground surface and then transport material to different locations. These machines are similar to grader machines, but they have a hopper piece at the front. They are common in open-pit mining operations. The mining industry uses several types of mining equipment, including rotary drills, buckets, and more. These machines are essential to mining operations and need specialized knowledge.
Dragline excavators are huge machines that are used to clear enormous loads from the mining area. These heavy machines feature a bucket that can hold 30-60 cubic meters of material and can move 450 tonnes of rock in a single cycle. They start the excavation process by swinging their bucket upwards, then unload the material in a designated area. These machines are also used to haul ore to the surface.