Earthmoving equipment supplier Avant reports that the underground mining applications that miniature loaders are used for are broad, owing to the attachments available for the machines. The machines are used for cleaning between rail tracks, to support drilling with a 7,5-kW customised drifter, roof bolting, revampingused mini rock crushers price, materials handling, cleaning up box holes, forklift applications on the surface and plant cleanups.
Many new applications are currently in development, such as drain cleaning attachments, shotcreting applications and sweeping in underground mines, the company reports.
The small size and good power-to-weight ratio of miniature loaders make them ideal for working in an underground mining environment. Avant introduced its 400portable crusher crush all construction waste series in 2009, which are even more compact than its predecessors, as well as its 700 series that are used in trackless environments.
A range of the company’s miniature loaders was first introduced to a gold-mining group in South Africa in 2008. These experimental machines were tested in underground environments to determine durability and safety aspects related to cleanup operations. Various custom additions were made to the 528 series loader because a major challenge was to make the machine fit within the profile limitations of an underground mine while maintaining operational excellence.
Within three days of using the machine for crosscut cleaning and the revamping of old sites, it was discovered that the grade of gold obtained from the cleaning made it possible for the capital expenditure to be redeemed on the machine in a short period of time. The miniature loaders are able to handle heavy loads and have sufficient reach to load materials into skips. Further,zenith crusher from china the machines proved to be durable and were found to reduce operational downtime.
The loaders are compliant with the stringent safety requirements of the mines and engine protection systems were retrofitted as part of the changes to make the machines compliant.
Support is provided by service agents in all provinces with a dedicated service fleet and a 24-hour fault report hotline. Parts availability is simplified by adequate stock levels at all the dealers, the company reports.