The WIRTGEN Surface Miner 2200 SM 3.8 optimizes coal mininig in China

Project support from A to Z

The Yihua Xinjiang Wucaiwan coal mine is situated in the north-west of China near the borders with Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Contractor Xinjiang Jianyun Engineering Co. Ltd. has been mining coal here for about one-and-a-half years, making use of the eco-friendly surface mining technology. Previously, the sought-after fossil fuel was mined using conventional methods, i.e. drilling and blasting. However, this often resulted in fires in the mine, as the coal was highly flammable at the open coal faces damaged by blasting. In order to increase safety at the mine, the mine operator decided to introduce surface mining as the new mining method. This move simultaneously boosted the cost effectiveness and quality of mining.

Good project planning is crucial

However, simply choosing the right machines for the specified mining output is not the sole criterion when planning mining projects. Factors such as the geological properties of the area, sedimentation and on-site logistical conditions are also key factors. This is where expertise and best-practise experience are called for – and with more than 30 years of experience in surface mining, these are qualities that WIRTGEN can contribute to every project.

The mine owner values the partnership-based cooperation and the reliability of the surface miner.

He and WIRTGEN first set out the requirements in preliminary talks. The area being mined is 2 x 300 x 35 m so manoeuvrability was the key factor for the machine in question. Also, the operator wanted to increase production from 3,000 t to 7,000 t per day. This proved to be the only way to meet the enormous demand from the main customers, who operate a cogeneration plant and a fertilizer plant that is currently undergoing construction. What's more, the coal is extremely fragile and fine-grained. Consequently, it produces a great deal of dust. Various requirements on the gradation of the cut material and the coal seam (with a thickness ranging from 1.3 to 10.63 m) had to be taken into consideration during the planning stage.

Selective mining: Top quality with maximum output

The centerpiece of the compact, yet powerful 2200 SM 3.8 is the 3.8-m-wide cutting drum which offers numerous innovative features. It cuts coal or salt with unconfined compressive strengths of up to 35 MPa and deposits the material in three windrows behind the machine. This results in maximum cutting performance with optimum utilization of the engine capacity. Other benefits are its low fuel consumption, the optimized use of cutting tools and minimized content of fines due to the gentle material transport system. The modified drum speed combined with a reduced cutting depth and travel speed enabled the grain size distribution to be additionally optimized on site and the fines content to be reduced by a further 10 %.

The effectiveness of these measures to reduce the formation of dust was already evident during the six-day practical test. The mechanical cutting drum drive system with its three power belts also proved highly efficient on the test site. The virtually loss-free transfer of power ensures maximum efficiency and tremendous daily output rates combined with simple maintenance. Maximum output during selective mining of the coal seam is ensured by three material discharge openings in the scraper plate that allow large quantities of cut rock to be deposited as a windrow. Wheeled loaders subsequently load the material onto trucks independently of the cutting process.

Saving time when it becomes critical

Operating in the confined space of the mine, the 2200 SM 3.8 truly came into its own. The large steering angle of the smooth hydraulically adjustable all-track steering results in a turning radius of just 2.5 m. The crab steering mode allows rapid manoeuvring. Meanwhile, the large ground clearance with individually height-adjustable crawler tracks allows operation on uneven terrain and reversing. What's more, the selectable hydraulic differential lock ensures optimum traction on any surface. The enormous gradability and longitudinal slope of the surface miner allow it to operate in difficult peripheral areas and to produce separate access roads and ramps. The 2200 SM 3.8 is thus also a valuable asset for job site routing.

24/7 On-site service

Surface miners are usually in operation around the clock. In Zhundong coal field, the 2200 SM 3.8 works 24 hours a day for 330 days in a year. Consequently, a reliable supply with original parts and the deployment of excellently trained Wirtgen service engineers are extremely important.