Chris5500
Well-Known Member
Not many of you (if any at all) would of heard of this, but Komatsu's FrontRunner Autonomous Haulage System is fully automated (no operator) and uses 930E-AT's to conduct mining operations. It is only the second instalment in the world (the 1st being at Codelco's Copper mines in Chile)
The second deployment of the FrontRunner system is at Rio Tinto's West Angela's mine site in the Pilbara, WA, Australia.
Here are some articles on it.
http://www.komatsu.com.au/komatsuwo...s/FRONTRUNNERAUTONOMOUSHAULAGESYSTEMINWA.aspx
http://www.komatsu.com/ce/currenttopics/v09212/index.html
http://www.komatsu.com/CompanyInfo/press/2008011815580104227.html
http://www.riotinto.com/media/5157_7039.asp
From what I have heard (and read) it is a great success, Rio Tinto are very pleased with the operations and it was in their intentions that if the concept proved succesfull then they would expand the operation, not just at West Angela's but at the Tom Price mine also. Currently Rio Tinto are in negetiations with PC8000 backhoe's and more 930E-AT trucks.
Here are some photos from West Angela's, the photos are not mine but belong to Dave from Picasa.
The second deployment of the FrontRunner system is at Rio Tinto's West Angela's mine site in the Pilbara, WA, Australia.
Here are some articles on it.
http://www.komatsu.com.au/komatsuwo...s/FRONTRUNNERAUTONOMOUSHAULAGESYSTEMINWA.aspx
http://www.komatsu.com/ce/currenttopics/v09212/index.html
http://www.komatsu.com/CompanyInfo/press/2008011815580104227.html
http://www.riotinto.com/media/5157_7039.asp
From what I have heard (and read) it is a great success, Rio Tinto are very pleased with the operations and it was in their intentions that if the concept proved succesfull then they would expand the operation, not just at West Angela's but at the Tom Price mine also. Currently Rio Tinto are in negetiations with PC8000 backhoe's and more 930E-AT trucks.
Here are some photos from West Angela's, the photos are not mine but belong to Dave from Picasa.