If you are in the mining industry, your biggest concern is probably choosing the equipment that has the ability to delivery the most when it comes to reliability and efficiency. The most important factor is to choose the right machine for the applications which is why mining equipment is divided in two categories:
- Surface – designed for drilling, excavation and moving
- Underground – designed for moving material in open spaces.
Although some machines are versatile, each mining equipment is developed for a specific task.
Surface Mining Equipment
Bulldozer – This powerful piece of equipment uses a blade to push large quantities of different types of soil in order to create a smooth surface. It mostly relies on on a heavy metal blade (located on the front of the machine) and ripper (located in the rear section of the machine). Buldozers can either be tracked or wheeled. Track type dozers are known for an excellent ground hold and ability to move through even the roughest terrains, including sandy and muddy grounds.
Haul Truck – This piece of equipment is used strictly off-road and is appropriate for mining and heavy dirt hauling tasks. It comes in two main forms:
- rigid frame (it features abrasive-resistant body which is why these trucks can haul rocky material)
- articulating frame (designed to handle tasks efficiently even under harshest conditions).
Haul trucks are also known as dumpers, primarily because of the way loaded material is discharged. Unlike bulldozers, haul trucks discharge loaded material from the rear.
Scraper – Scraper is a large, heavy-duty motorized piece of equipment primarily used for hauling, digging, and leveling out materials in various mining tasks. There are two types available:
- towed (among the first massive mining machines to be invented)
- pull type (a perfect combination of efficiency and power)
Each scraper model consists of:
- a hopper (bowl) which can be raised and lowered
- an apron which is dropped down over loaded material to literally hold on to it, and
- ejector which pushes out loaded material.
Some scarper models feature an elevator instead of an apron. Elevator is electrically moved with the help of chains and crossbars and is designed to load material into the hopper or bowl and can also help in discharge of the load. Due to its versatility, scraper finds its use in other industries as well, such as agriculture and construction. Thanks to its massive rubber tires a scraper is able to quickly move large quantities of earth around a mining site.
Basic scraper features one engine, however there are models that include two powerful engines (mainly the ones designed for toughest mining tasks). These scarper models offer superior efficiency and can greatly boost the productivity on your job site.
For underground mining tasks, following machines will ensure superior efficiency and timely completion of all tasks.
- Continuous Miner
- Scaler
- Scooptram
- Scissor Lift
