Corporacin Nacional del Cobre de Chile (Codelco) will employ Sandvik Tamrock’s AutoMine system at the El Teniente underground mine as part of a plan to double that operation’s market capitalization from the current level to more than US$18 billion by 2006.
The Tamrock system will be used to automate load-haul-dump (LHD) machines in two areas. Both the Pipa Norte and Diablo Regimiento areas will be mined by panel caving — the former at the rate of 10,000 tonnes per day; the latter, at 28,000 tonnes.
Fully automated Toro 0010C LHDs will be operated from a control room outside the mines. The units will be steered to and from the dumping area, and an on-board monitoring system will ensure that each is performing properly.
Three of the units will be used at Pipa Norte, beginning in December 2003. Mining at Diablo Regimiento will follow.
El Teniente is the world’s largest underground copper mine, and Codelco is working to boost annual output to 480,000 tonnes from the current 350,000 tonnes, while slashing direct costs to US40 per lb. from the current US44.
The Sandvik Group of companies is a leading manufacturer of drilling and excavation machinery for the mining and construction industries.
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