36
MODERN MINING
June 2014
EQUIPMENT
W
eighing 211 tonnes when ful-
ly assembled, the 4200 SM
will have to be transported
to Tete in several sections
because of certain con-
straints on the route (such as bridge capacity).
Once on site, it will be assembled and com-
missioned and then maintained by a 14-strong
Wirtgen team – drawn from both the South Af-
rican company and Wirtgen Germany – over an
initial six-month period.
Wirtgen introduced its first surface miner
over 30 years ago and now has close to 500
units operating worldwide, the majority work-
ing in soft-rock applications – including coal,
Mozambican
coal mine to
use
Wirtgen surface miner
The Wirtgen team (Mike Newby, second from right) with the 4200 SMmachine ordered by a coal mine in Mozambique.
In what is seen as a breakthrough for the concept of using
surface miners in coal mining in the Southern African
region, Wirtgen South Africa, in conjunction with its
German parent, is supplying its top-of-the-range model,
the 4200 SM, to a coal mine near Tete in Mozambique.
According to Wirtgen South Africa’s Mike Newby, the
machine will be the first surface miner to go into permanent
operation at a Southern African coal mine – and is also the
first 4200 SM to be sold into Africa. As this article was being
written, the unit was already in Johannesburg, awaiting the
final stage of its journey to Tete.
