PRODUCT News
56
MODERN MINING
June 2014
Index to advertisers
Afrimat
47
Barloworld Equipment
55
Barloworld Power
IFC
Becker Mining SA
30
Bell Equipment
7
Brelko Conveyor Products
49
Cummins SA – Mining
38
DRA Mineral Projects
13
Fractum
54
Horne Group
9
Hosch-Fördertechnik SA
53
Hytec Engineering
51
Jojen
32
Joy Global Africa
44
Komatsu
10
MDM Engineering
IBC
MMD Mineral Sizing
20
New Concept Mining
OBC
Sandvik Mining
OFC
Sandvik Mining Systems
31
Sedgman
33
SRK Consulting
15
Tenova Mining and Minerals
2
The MSA Group
42
Verder Pumps SA
21
WorleyParsons
17
Electronic
m i n e s a f e t y
equipment specialist Booyco
Electronics has introduced one of South
Africa’s first Explosion Protected (Ex) tab-
lets that is Ex ma [ia] Group I certified
for use underground in fiery mines. This
robust, full sized tablet carries an IP54 rat-
ing for ingress of dust and water and is
drop resistant from the standard height of
one metre.
The Booyco IS tablet was designed
Two 3001 cabin dumpers from Wacker
Neuson are proving their worth at a mine
in Tocopilla in the Antofagasta region in
northern Chile, located at around 2 200 m
above sea level. Both all-wheel dumpers
transport material daily for at least eight
hours, in particular stone and rubble from
the underground mine.
The machines have been designed
with safety in mind. Beyond the obliga-
tory FOPS (Falling Objects Protection
Structure) level I, the cabin dumpers also
meet FOPS level II. In addition to ROPS (Roll
Over Protection Structure) and TOPS (Tips
Over Protection Structure), the machines
are offered with options such as an
audible reverse warning device, rotating
beacon and mirror package to significantly
increase the operator safety. An option-
ally available line-of-sight camera for the
larger dumper models 6001, 9001 and
Booyco tablet certified for use in fiery mines
locally, in collaboration with an interna-
tional manufacturer, to suit South African
underground mining conditions. In the
hazardous environment, hard wire con-
nections to the unit can be achieved with
various Booyco-supplied barriers to ensure
safe functionality.
“The Department of Mineral Resources
recently increased the approval require-
ments on coal mines and we recognised
the opportunity to develop an IA device
that is able to be safely used in this haz-
ardous environment,” Anton Lourens, MD
of Booyco Electronics, says. “In the long
term, it is anticipated that most South
African mines could be classified as fiery
mines and when this legislation comes
in, it’s going to require a lot of changes to
the underground electronic environment.
So in developing an IS tablet at this time,
we’re meeting both an immediate need
at coal mines and a future industry-wide
requirement.
“In addition, most vehicles operating
underground in our coal mines are moving
over to electronic management systems.
Computer programs are not always
accessible from the surface, so in order
to interface with the controls of these
machines, there’s a definite and increasing
need for an IS computer device to receive
and transmit data and program systems
underground.”
The Booyco IS tablet has a battery
life of up to eight hours and runs off any
Windows operating system.
Anton Lourens, Booyco Electronics,
tel 0861 BOOYCO (266926)
10001 also provides for improved
all-round visibility and minimises
blind spots.
The off-road capability is
guaranteed by the articulated
pendulum joint, which provides
permanent ground contact and
firm traction, as well as by the high
ground clearance and hydrostatic
all-wheel drive. Particularly impor-
tant in the mining industry is the
gradeability of up to 50 per cent,
because material in northern Chile
is transported up from up to 150 m depth.
The generously-dimensioned cabin of
the 3001 dumper offers the operator maxi-
mum head and leg room. All steering and
control mechanisms are ergonomically
laid out. Both doors of the cabin can be
locked at an angle of 180 degrees so that
it is possible to drive with the doors open.
Cabin dumpers are strong on safety
Maintaining the dumper is also designed
to be easy. Daily checks are kept to a mini-
mum due to the lockable maintenance
accesses attached on both sides of the
cabin. The service access located under
the driver’s seat can be easily reached by
loosening four screws.
Wacker Neuson South Africa, tel (+27 11) 672-0847
A Wacker Neuson 3001 cabin dumper in action at the mine
in northern Chile.
