INNOVATIONS
|
TECHNOLOGY
Smart technology
boosts production and
safety
CRCMining and its partners are
helping Australia lead the world in
mining technology that is transforming
the industry.
tHE CooPERAtivE RESEARCH CEntRE FoR
mining (CRCmining) was recently awarded a five year,
$13 million funding extension from the commonwealth
government. First launched in July 2003, the centre has
played a leading role alongside industry and government
in advancing Australia’s largest export industry.
the commonwealth government’s CRC program was
launched in July 1991 to strengthen collaborative links
between industry, research organisations, educational
institutions and government agencies. CRCmining itself
was formerly known as the Cooperative Research Centre
for mining technology and Equipment (CmtE). As such,
the centre is one of only a handful of CRCs that have been
continuously operating since the inception of the program.
the centre is one of the largest of the 48 CRCs
currently in Australia and is an incorporated joint venture
between most of the world’s largest mining companies,
some large mining equipment manufacturing companies,
other mining service providers and five Australian
universities. the centre recently welcomed Wellard and the
university of Western Australia as members. The universal dig and dump system created at CRCMining.
A number of the centre’s projects have evolved into
fully fledged commercial products. one such product is
the udd (universal dig and dump) system. this system dragline operation and makes bucket control
represents one of the most significant technological difficult. the udd system involves fitting
improvements in open pit coal mining in recent years. the draglines with new lighter weight rigging which
technology has been shown to improve the productivity of is about 13 tonnes lighter than the previous
dragline machines by 13-21%. system. A specially designed computer system
the rigging on a conventional dragline weighs 20 provides precise control over the bucket,
tonnes and has not changed design in 100 years. this enabling the dragline to dig and dump anywhere
conventional rigging system limits the flexibility of the under the boom.
94 MINING & TECHNOLOGY AUSTRALIA 2010
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