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Inbye Provides Its First Longwall System to Carborough Downs
Media Release
30 September 2008
There is a lot of buzz surrounding the new Carborough Downs development. Firstly it is a new longwall. Secondly it is a Brazilian giant, Vale, first foray into longwall mining in Australia. And thirdly, and perhaps most significantly, it is the first complete longwall system contract Inbye Mining Services has won with its new partner and shareholder, Polish original equipment manufacture Kopex.
In addition it is the first commercial installation of LASC (Landmark Automation Steering Committee) - the Landmark ACARP- backed automation technology CSIRO and industry has been working on for a number of years.
The $401 million Carborough Downs mine, owned by Vale (80%), Tata Steel, Nippon Steel and Posco (all 5%) and JFE Steel and JFE Shoji (2.5% each), plans to ramp up to 4.9 million tonnes per annum run-of-mine from the third quarter of 2009.
The longwall equipment will be delivered to Carborough Downs in April next year. Before that, training on the mini-build will begin in February at the new Inbye workshop location in Mackay.
While Inbye Mining Systems is the main and controlling contractor for the Carborough Down's longwall system, several manufactures will supply the equipment. Once a minor player in longwall systems, now Inbye has developed a reputation for providing the Whole Longwall Systems.
The piece that fell into place for Inbye mid last year when it finalised the share structure of the company, selling part of the business to Polish group Tagor / Kopex (50% equity stake) and the Nepean Group of Companies.
Mr Richard Eveleigh, Managing Director, Inbye, viewed these initiatives "as necessity" to be able to take on the big contracts and have the financial backing to see them through. He states:
"This is something we have been working towards and the cards fell into place for us this year. It is the culmination of seven years of planning and strategic decision making,"
"While we are extremely delighted with the contract, we are aware of the responsibility it entails. Accordingly we have restructured the company to focus on the Carborough Downs contract whilst maintaining the same level of service to our existing customers."
The strategic partnership between Tiefenbach, Kopex and Inbye, has given the companies an opportunity to deliver the LASC automation platform to international markets.
Mr Richard Eveleigh explains:
"A primary goal of the LASC platform is to maintain the integrity of the open architecture of the Landmark Information System (LIS), ensuring interconnectivity of equipment without communication protocol converters, a vital requirement in markets where single-sourcing of equipment is not so prevalent,"
LASC has been developed over the past few years at the likes of Beltana, Broadmeadow and Grasstree. The Carborough Downs installation, however, is the first time LASC has been purchased as part of a new commercial installation. The package for the mine includes the Shearer Position Monitoring System (SPMS), shield control Automated Face Alignment module (AFA) and the shearer control INS based automated horizon control module (INS).
LASC will be fitted onto global shearer manufacturer Eikhoff's SL1000 series shearer- the first to be installed in Australia. The high-powered SL1000 series has previously found success in Shenhua's mines in China. The shearer has total power of 2190kW with 2x 900kW cutting motors and top mounted hydraulic arms.
Teamed with the Eikhoff shearer, will be Inbye roof supports. The 2 leg shields, rated at 1238 tonnes, have structural design and hydraulic cylinders by Poland's Tagor SA. The electro-hydraulic control system will be provided by Tiefenbach Control Systems of Germany.
The supports include the proven and unique Tagor leg cylinder stainless steel based Durachrom protective coating. For more than five years this system has demonstrated greater protection and durability than commonly used electroplated coatings.
Tagor has included in its specification for Carborough Downs many design features it has learnt from experience in delivery of supports for thick and inclined seams, including double side-shields, base-pusher and double-articulated flipper.
Inbye will supply the coal clearance system -the equipment arena in which its affiliation with Australia's longwall industry began.
The Carborough Downs armoured face conveyor is a 3000kW 48mm chain conveyor with 1100mm wide raceway and incorporates features specifically designed for high seam mining.
Inbye have designed a stageloader system powered by a 400kW transmission driving 38mm chain and flights in a 1350mm raceway. The new BSL design incorporates replaceable sigma profile sections, economically replaced at overhauls and increasing the overall life of the system, as well as providing improved carrying efficiency. The stageloader incorporates a 400kW high impact crusher with replaceable impact elements and a Matilda style longwall belt bootend controlled by
Tiefenbach hydraulic valves. It has a rating of 4500tph.
The 300m long AFC is driven by Series 65 gearboxes, with Voith soft start couplings and Morley Motors. The tailgate drive has fully automated tensioning system with Inbye unique "hydroslide" sprocket connection system.
Services handling to the face include the Macquarie Manufacturing longwall monorail system incorporating a material management module.
Inbye partner, M.I.Power has been contracted to supply the electrical system for the mine. All FLP enclosures offered will be designed with the option for rating at 1500kpA for arc fault contaminant in accordance with Simtar's model. M.I.Power will supply the transformer, longwall distribution and control box and longwall control and monitoring enclosure.
The lighting system will be supplied by Burn Brite, the gas monitoring system by Trolex/Austdac, the signal and control system by Austdac and the cabling by RCR.
The pump station will be supplied by Inoxihp Australia and includes 4 x Inoxihp PM330M high-pressure emulsion pump assemblies on one-track mounted chassis with emulsion hydraulic tank. A further two Inoxihp PM330M/150 dual pump assemblies are frame mounted and carried on the outbye monorail system for simplified retraction of services.
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2009
Inbye Mining Services Launches the NEW High Capacity Longwall Equipment
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Dec-2008
Australian Longwall Manufacturer Gets The Advantage
Media Release
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22-Oct-2008
Australian Longwall Manufacturer Gets R&D Boost
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30-Sep-2008
Inbye Provides Its First Longwall System to Carborough Downs
» Read More |
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