Ground Control 14 - Luyckx

Job site“If a part weighs over 200kg for example, then it is not possibleto use air freight. That means that it would take seven days to reachMoatize over land due to the paperwork required and otherproblems, such as those encountered at border crossings. So, wehave to determine how many parts are required for each machineand keep a good stock of the key items on site.”Training is not only required for looking after the huge Hitachimining machines, but also for operating them. This is a long andcomplicated process, and the best trainees graduate with a highlevel of concentration and knowledge of the stringent safetyprocedures in place.The man responsible for training at Moatize is Leonam Cancela.He’s been an operator with Vale for a decade and has beentraining new recruits for the past three years. Having operated anEX2500 in Brazil and the EX5500-6 and EX8000-6 since arriving inMozambique, he is certainly well qualified for the role.“It takes six months to fully train an operator from novice status,although it depends on his natural ability of course,” Leonam says.“The training includes an induction on Vale, health and safety issues,the importance of the environment and technical procedures. Theymust understand how everything works, because this can be ofinvaluable assistance to the support crew.”Arlindo Sitoe is one of the fortunate few who have made it to theunrivalled status of EX8000-6 operator. The 24-year-old Mozambicancompleted his training programme with some distinction andalready had one year’s experience operating the EX5500-6 beforeprogressing on to the EX8000-6.“It gives me a lot of pleasure to work with the EX8000-6 and I amstill very excited when I go to work every day,” enthuses Arlindo.“I’ve had invaluable training from Vale and Hitachi, and I was luckyto be selected as one of the best operators to work on these hugemachines.“I find that the EX8000-6 is very fast and of course comfortable,especially with the air conditioning in these conditions. It’s verystable, incredibly powerful and strong. The best feature for me isthat it offers a quiet working environment, which is so importantwhen loading dump trucks in the pit.”Recent investments in mining and infrastructure for huge projectssuch as Vale’s Moatize coal mine have had a positive effect onMozambique’s economy. Although it will take many years of sustainedgrowth to complete its recovery process, the country has theopportunity to dig deep into its natural resources with large-scalesupport from companies such as Hitachi.To see a movie of the EX8000-6 giantexcavator working in Mozambique, please visitwww.youtube.com/user/HitachiConstruction.To receive a digital version of Ground Controlwith new movies, please register online atwww.igroundcontrol.com/subscribe/englishA rare species: the EX8000 world map123Muskeg River oil sands mine,Alberta, Canada (four)Horizon oil sands mine,Alberta, Canada (two)Jackpine oil sands mine,Alberta, CanadaThe first EX8000-6 was assembled in 19 daysThe installation team on the second EX8000-6543231456Brule coal mine,British Colombia, CanadaWolverine zinc mine,Yukon, CanadaMoatize coal mine,Tete, Mozambique (two)The EX8000-6 is such a rare piece of equipment that there is evenmore emphasis placed on the dedicated support of Hitachi to helpmeet production targets than with any other machine. “The high levelof on-site support is an extremely important aspect of operatingHitachi excavators,” adds Mário. “The conditions in Mozambique areso tough that the maintenance and service are crucial to our operation.“Hitachi supplies the parts and service for the excavators. AsMozambique doesn’t have a good infrastructure or people with therequired experience and expertise, this places even more emphasison the relationship with the manufacturer. If we didn’t have a goodsystem in place with Hitachi, then it would be very difficult to maintainour production levels.“The availability of both models has been excellent as a result of thissupport. The interface with the Hitachi team is second to none andwe enjoy a good level of communication. Also, if you compare Hitachimodels with other excavators, the design and layout are good, whichis especially useful for replacing parts and general maintenance.”Mr Sales echoes these comments: “We are also using Hitachimachines in Brazil and therefore know about their high quality. Thesupport service for this mine is also particularly good. We can obtainparts and components within a short time frame, and we are verysatisfied. The operating rate exceeds the guaranteed level of 89 percent, and thanks to this, the whole project is going well.”Hitachi Construction Machinery (Mozambique), Ltd.’s MaintenanceSupervisor Sergio Campos manages the support team of 20personnel at Moatize. He has worked in the mining industry for morethan a decade and with Hitachi for the past two years. The key roles ofsupervisor, technician and electrician are covered across the four shiftsto cover mainly preventative and corrective maintenance procedures.“It’s a huge challenge because the machines are of course workingnon-stop,” says Sergio. “We therefore have to inspect the machineson a daily basis at every available opportunity, such as when there isa shift changeover.“The extreme heat at Moatize can cause some issues, for instancewith the air conditioning. Overall, the working conditions dictate thatthe radiator and cooler need to be kept as clean as possible. The coaldust particles are very small and can get everywhere.“I’ve worked in other countries and the main issues in Mozambiqueare with logistics and personnel. So, we need to make sure that weprepare well, plan ahead and prioritise our training procedures.678910Jellinbah coal mine,Queensland, AustraliaCallide coal mine,Queensland, AustraliaLiddell coal mine,New South Wales, AustraliaBulga coal mine,New South Wales, Australia7 89 1016 Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV GROUND CONTROL17