Ground Control 14 - Luyckx

Technical focusTHE DRIVE FORELECTRIC POWERGround Control visits one of the largest copper mines in the world to investigate the benefits of the newtrolley assist system for Hitachi dump trucks. The massive Zambian project includes the installation of anew fleet of electric EH3500ACII models as part of a four-year expansion programme for the Kansanshi mineThe new EH3500ACII powers up the 750m test track at the Kansanshi copper mineGlobal investment in mining increased by 40 per cent in 2011,which was in line with the growing demand for preciousmetals, such as copper and iron ore. There is a high concentrationof such natural resources in the southern part of Africa and copperproduction is growing at a particularly high rate.Various economic and political circumstances have curbed pastinvestment in Africa. A good example is the long and expensiveroute to the nearest port from the landlocked nation of Zambia.However, the soaring prices of mineral resources – caused byhigh demand in China and other emerging countries – are helpingthe African market to gain momentum. Hitachi mining machines aresupporting this development and are at the forefront of new andexisting operations.First Quantum Minerals Ltd. (FQM) is an established miningcompany currently operating three mines worldwide to producecopper, nickel, gold and sulphuric acid. The company’s operationsinclude the Kansanshi copper and gold mine in Zambia, whichis located approximately 10km north of the town of Solwezi and180km to the northwest of the Copperbelt town of Chingola.Kansanshi is Africa’s largest copper mine – and the eighthlargest in the world – with 1,635 employees (at the end of 2011)and an estimated lifespan of at least 11 years. It operates 24/7in a three-shift pattern. Eighty per cent of the mine is owned byKansanshi Mining PLC (a FQM subsidiary) and the remaining 20 percent belongs to a subsidiary of ZCCM Investments Holdings, 85 percent of which is owned by the Zambian Government.Mining is carried out in two open pits, which are known as Mainand Northwest. FQM uses conventional open pit mining methodsand employs hydraulic excavators and a fleet of rigid dump trucks.The line-up of large excavators includes a wide range of Hitachimining equipment, including: two EX1200-5s (with over 38,000 and42,000 working hours respectively); four EX1900-5s (27-40,000);one EX1900-6 (over 14,000); and three EX2500-6s (7-20,000).However, the fleet of 11 EH3500ACII trucks is the most recent26 Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV GROUND CONTROL27