Investigation of Excavator Performance Factors in an Open-Pit Mine Using Loading Cycle Time

Samwel Victor Manyele

doi:10.4236/eng.2017.97038

Abstract

This study presents the effect of excavator model, loading operation location, shift availability and truck-shovel combination on loading cycle time and productivity of an open-pit mine. The loading cycle time was used to assess the material loading system performance which is one of the key components of the total cycle time for material transportation in an open-pit mine. Loading is among the components of cycle time during which material is being handled. The data analyzed was collected from a computerized dispatch system at GGM from which 62,000 loading dispatches per month involving several shifts, 14 excavators and 49 trucks were loaded. About 4465 dispatches per excavator and 1276 dispatches per truck were assessed using loading cycle time data for each dispatch for a period of four months (between August and December). Under fixed tonnage loaded and waste type (33 t of non-acid forming waste rock), it was observed that loading cycle time depends on excavator model, location and truck being loaded. Average cycle times, PDFS and CDFS of loading cycle time series were used to identify differences in performance under different situations. It was concluded that shift availability for excavators, loading location, excavator model and truck-shovel combinations strongly affect the productivity during loading process in an open-pit mine.

Highlights

During material transportation in an open-pit mine, trucks shunt between shovels located in different loading points and the dump points, while fully loaded and vice versa while empty
This study presents the effect of excavator model, loading operation location, shift availability and truck-shovel combination on loading cycle time and productivity of an open-pit mine
Under fixed tonnage loaded and waste type (33 t of non-acid forming waste rock), it was observed that loading cycle time depends on excavator model, location and truck being loaded

Summary

Introduction

During material transportation in an open-pit mine, trucks shunt between shovels located in different loading points and the dump points, while fully loaded (full haul) and vice versa while empty (empty haul). The truck dispatch problem occurs in several practical situations in the real-world, both in the mining industry and outside it, especially in any industry that needs to manage a vehicle fleet. Such systems are currently computerized, giving signals to truck and shovel drivers for the operations, while storing data on loading, dumping, haul, etc. The data from such a dispatch system in Geita Gold Mine (GGM) was used in this study to assess the productivity of the open-pit mine. Several means of identifying costs exist, including direct financial analysis which uses operational parameters to estimate the cost using the information based on breakdown and maintenance data, fuel consumption, number and categories of employees, material transportation data, operational cycle time or delays, etc

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Conclusion