WIRTGEN Surface Mining Manual.

Applications and Planning Guide

Contents

1 The benefits and applications at a glance  9

1.1 Summary 10
1.2 Selective mining 13
1.3 Extracting and crushing material without blasting 14
1.4 Cutting trenches, surfaces and embankments with precision 15
1.5 Production of tunnel floors 16
1.6 Rehabilitation of haulroads 17

2 Which Surface Miner for which job?  19

2.1 Performance ranges of Surface Miners in easily crushable material 20

2.2 Assesment of rock cuttability 21
2.3 Which Surface Miner for which job? 22

3 The main technical data  31

4 Principle of operation and essential design features  37

4.1 Principle of operation 38

4.2 Machine design 41
4.3 Cutting depth control 44
4.4 Steering systems 47

5 WIRTGEN cutting technology  49

6 Cutting performance as a function of rock properties 61

7 Gradation 75

8 Planning aids for economic operation 80

8.1 Highly selective extraction 84

8.2 Machine dimensions, turning radii, discharge heights and distances, ambient conditions85
8.2.1 Machine geometry 85
8.2.2 Cutting in a bend 85
8.2.3 Ambient temperatures 85
 8.2.4 Working at higher altitudes 85
8.3 Effective performance as a function of the length of the working area 104
8.4 Working methods, manoeuvring methods and times 107
8.4.1 Working in a pit  107
8.4.2 Progressing in longitudinal direction of the opencast mine  111
8.4.2.1 Open cut operation 111
8.4.2.2 Trench construction 112
8.4.3 Progressing in transverse direction of the opencast mine 113
8.4.4 Working on benches 115
8.5 Methods and times for turning 117
8.5.1 Straightforward turning in wide working zone 117
8.5.2 Transverse cutting in front of slopes (turning radius) 119
8.5.3 Turning in working zones of medium width 121
8.5.4 Manoeuvring in narrow working zone 123
8.5.5 Turning times 125
8.6 Cutting of ramps  127
8.7 Transverse and longitudinal slopes 128
8.8 Mixing different grades 133
8.9 Selective extraction from inclined or steep seams 134
8.10 Cutting of embankments 136
8.11 Producing trenches 138
8.12 Tunnelling operations 140
8.12.1 Creating the tunnel floor 142
8.12.2 Cutting benches 144

9 Material loading  147

9.1 Choosing the loading system 148

9.2 Direct truck loading 151
9.3 Indirect loading 154
9.3.1 Sidecasting the material  154
9.3.2 Windrowing 155
9.4 Processing options depending on the various loading methods  158
10 Tips for practical use  162

10.1 Transport and assembly 164

10.2 Preparing the working zone 166
10.3 Working without damage to the machine 167
10.3.1 Cutting along the cutting edge 167
10.3.2 Driving in bends 167
10.3.3 Travelling over long distances 168
10.3.4 Cutting with reduced cutting drum width 168
10.3.5 Conveying capacity 168
10.4 Driving in difficult conditions 169
10.5 Adjustment and control of the cutting depth 170
10.5.1 Forms of adjustment for the rigid axle  172
10.5.2 Levelling surfaces 173
10.5.3 Removing layers of defined thickness  175
10.5.4 Selective mining and creation of defined surface profiles 177
10.5.5 Copying existing surface profiles 177
10.5.6 Final lane of a work section 178
10.5.7 Working on a tall embankment without edge protection 179
10.6 Optimizing cutting performance and grain size 180
10.7 Dust suppression 181
10.8 Effective supply of materials and maintenance 182
10.8.1 Fuel 182
10.8.2 Water 182
10.8.3 Maintenance 182
10.8.4 Tool changes 183
10.8.5 Communication 183

11 Job-site examples  185

Annex  195

Conversion tables 196

Rock testing methods  200
• Point Load Test 200
• RQD value 200
• Mohs hardness scale 201
• Seismic wave velocity 202
• Cuttability and rippability of rock 203
• Specific weights, bulking coefficients and Mohs hardness of selected types of rock  204

Glossary  205
1.1 Summary

WIRTGEN Surface Miner technology yields the > Better quality of the removed material due to
­following essential advantages: highly selective mining processes
(ROM = Run-of-Mine)
> Mining without blasting
> Robust, clean cut edges and benches
> Simplified mining

Surface Miners
Applications

Earthworks and construction

Mining and Quarrying in rock, as well as
road construction

Selective extraction of thin Production of stable

seams embankments

Mining of rock Production of

without blasting defined surfaces

Production of small grain sizes Production and

directly while mining the material rehabilitation of roads

Bulk mining

Main features Main features

High purity of the ore, Production of precise, stable,
simpler extraction and processing, defined profiles in rock
lower price per tonne
 1 | Continuous mining

3 |
2 | Crushed aggregate

3 | Direct loading

4 | Precise cutting depth

5 | Clean, level and stable

surface after cutting

2 |

1 |

4 |

5 |

Surface Miners cut, crush and load the material in a single operation with just one machine

10 l 11
 Drilling Blasting Loading Crushing

Surface Miners simplify the complex process of Advantages:

extracting and processing minerals. It is a produc-
> Higher system availability
tion system that extracts, crushes and loads the
> Lower operating costs
material in a single operation.
> Only one machine is needed for several work
steps; this simplifies coordination and planning
of the mining process, machine use, operation
and maintenance.
1.2 Selective mining

One of the most important features of the Surface ers can be cut precisely and economically, for
Miners is their ability to work selectively. Thin example.
seams interspersed with intermediate rock lay-

Thin coal seams can be mined selectively with Surface Miners

Mining companies throughout the world are Advantages:

exploiting the advantages of WIRTGEN Surface
> Better quality of the cut material
Miner technology with its extremely precise control
> Higher exploitation of the deposit
of the cutting depth to extract high-quality mined
> Improved overburden-to-mineral ratio
material (ROM) in coal mines, limestone mines,
> Less processing required
bauxite mines, phosphate mines and gypsum
mines.

Selective mining with Surface Miners ensures that

thin seams of high-grade minerals and overburden
can be mined separately.

12 l 13
2.1 Performance ranges of Surface Miners
in crushable material

The performance, tool wear and consequently the The maximum cutting performances listed in the
cost-efficient mode of operation of Surface Miners table “Performance ranges” apply for the respec-
are decisively dependent on the mechanical prop- tive unconfined compressive strengths and for
erties of the rock to be cut. highly fissured, crushed materials. The actual
In the following diagram, the performance ranges performance achieved may differ considerably
of the Surface Miners and cuttability of the vari- from the values listed here. Further details on
ous types of rock are plotted as a function of the cutting performance can be found in the diagrams
unconfined compressive strength of the respective in chapter 6. Please contact our specialists at
rock types. WIRTGEN for an estimate of performance and
operating costs.

Performance ranges of the Surface Miners

3,000
Cutting performance (bcm per hour)

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Unconfined compressive strength x 10 (MPa)

4200 SM 2500 SM 2200 SM

2200 SM 3.8
with windrowing
2.2 Assessment of rock cuttability

= can be cut economically in mining operation

= can be cut in special applications and for earthworks as well as construction in rock

= cannot be cut at present

Unconfined compressive strength
Rock MPa 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300
Quartzite
Metamorphic

Serpentinite
Gneiss
rock

Andalusite
Marble
Talc
Basalt
Magmatic rock

Basalt lava
Diabase
Granite
Tuffaceous rock
Tuff
Graywacke
Sandstone
Iron ore
Bauxite
Sedimentary rock

Dolomite
Limestone, marl
Conglomerate,
pudding stone
Clay schist
Phosphate
Gypsum
Salt rock
Bituminous coal
Lignite

This general summary can be used to estimate addressed to WIRTGEN, together with data and
the cuttability of a rock type. Queries concerning information on the type of native rock and the
the cuttability of rock and the cutting performance open-cast mine.
to be expected with a Surface Miner should be

20 l 21
 0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000

0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
27
30
17,000 17,000
54 54
16,000 16,000
51 51

Dimensions in mm

Dimensions in feet
15,000 15,000
48 48
14,000 14,000
45 45

42 42 13,000 13,000

39 39 12,000 12,000

36 36 11,000 11,000

33 33 10,000 10,000

30 30 9,000 9,000

120 t

120 t
(discharge conveyor slewed max. 45°)

27 27
8,000 8,000
24 24
7,000 7,000
21 21
6,000 6,000
18 18
5,000 5,000
15 15
4,000 4,000
12 12
3,000 3,000
9 9

6 6 2,000 2,000

3 3 1,000 1,000

0 0 0 0

3 3 1,000 1,000

6 6 2,000 2,000
9 9
3,000 3,000
12 12
4,000 4,000
15 15
5,000 5,000

0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
27
30
0
Loading material onto trucks when working along embankment steeper than 54°

1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000
 0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
27
30
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000
54 54
16,000 16,000
51 51
15,000 15,000

Dimensions in mm

Dimensions in feet
48 48
14,000 14,000
45 45

42 42 13,000 13,000 Sidecasting material

39 39 12,000 12,000

36 36 11,000 11,000

33 33 10,000 10,000
30 30 9,000
9,000
27 27
8,000 8,000
24 24
7,000 7,000
21 21
6,000 6,000
18 18
5,000 5,000
15 15
4,000 4,000
12 12
3,000 3,000
9 9
2,000 2,000
6 6

3 3 1,000 1,000

0 0 0 0

3 3 1,000 1,000

6 6
2,000 2,000
9 9
3,000 3,000
12 12
4,000 4,000
15 15
5,000 5,000

0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
27
30
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000

94 l 95
 –2 m –1 m
–4 m –3 m
–6 m –5 m
1 –8 m –7 m
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

Harvest mode / working in layers (schematic illustration)

12
13
3 5 7 9
4 6 8 14
15
16
17
18
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
Removal with Cut 1 Removal with
auxiliary units auxiliary units
Cut 2

Cut 3

Cut 4
Cut 12

Cut 10

Turning
without
cutting

Cut 11

Cut 9

Cut 8

Cut 7

Removal with Cut 6 Removal with

auxiliary units auxiliary units
Cut 5

108 l 109
9.3 Indirect loading

9.3.1 Sidecasting

Sidecasting means that a stockpile is produced

by dumping the material removed in one or more
cutting operations on a stockpile via the miner’s di-
scharge conveyor. Depending on the slewing angle
of the discharge conveyor, the material of between
three to five adjacent cuts can be dumped on top
of one another. Depending on the height of the
resultant pile, the material can easily be picked up
again by a front loader.

Advantage:
When sidecasting the material, the Surface Miner
can continue cutting regardless of whether a truck
is available for loading.

2200 SM – Sidecasting

2200 SM – Sidecasting
9.3.2 Windrowing

When working in windrowing mode, the cut

­material is deposited directly behind the machine
without using the discharge conveyor system.
This makes the cutting process independent of
any loading processes (onto trucks). However, the
material must subsequently be re-handled by a
front loader.

2200 SM – windrowing mode

Surface Miner – windrowing mode

154 l 155