availability is key 6/aedq0049_viewpoi… · c cat global mining / viewpoint / 2010: issue 6 i’m...

GoinG underGround To CREaTE ThE SECond LaRgEST goLd mInE

in china

Making mine sites safer by

reducing blind spots

CaTERPILLaR PRoduCES 50,000Th TRuCk

modERn SySTEmS dEmand CLEan FuEL

Film showcases companies that aremining right

Fleet management: getting ready for the upturn

a publication of caterpillar Global Mining

2010: issue 6

CC&V demands Consistent produCtion

From haulage Fleet

availability is key

c Cat global mining / Viewpoint / 2010: issue 6

I’m pleased to present this edition of Viewpoint magazine— the first issue in this new decade.

Chris CurfmanPRESIdEnT, CaTERPILLaR gLobaL mInIng

Tony Johnson, Editor. Glenn Morrison, australia; Matt Turner, Canada; June Tian, China; Martin Gill, CIS; david Mohr, Europe, africa and the middle East; John Bergin, Southeast Asia; Keith Malison, Latin america; Brad Beyer, united States; david rea, Large mining Trucks; Mel Busch, Large Track-Type Tractors; randy aneloski, Large Wheel Loaders; Yon chong, underground machines; Kent clifton, Support; Ken edwards, Safety & Sustainability; Tim Siekmann, Product Support; Greg Gardner/dan hellige/andy Trent, global accounts; renee Balaco/charlie Zimmerman, mining marketing; roschelle Mccoy, Technology; converse Marketing, Publisher.

Viewpoint is a publication of cat Global Mining, producer of one of the mining industry’s broadest lines of equipment and technology. Caterpillar serves the worldwide mining community through its vast dealer network and a single division called Caterpillar global mining, headquartered in Peoria, uSa, with additional offices worldwide.

We’ve heard from a number of readers in the past

few months who find it a valuable resource for

information about the mining industry and who

eagerly await each new issue. Every day we get new

subscription requests from all over the world.

Like everyone in the mining industry, we have

been dealing with challenging times in the past year.

We hope you’ll find information in this issue to help

you be successful today and in the years ahead.

We address the industry’s response to the reduced

demand for commodities in an article about

fleet management, where we not only discuss

activities in the downturn, but also focus on the

ways manufacturers and mining companies are

preparing for the upturn.

In this issue, we feature Cripple Creek & Victor Gold

mine in Colorado, which recently completed a six-

month evaluation of new trucks for its haulage fleet.

We’re grateful for this mine’s participation in a field

follow on our new 793F trucks and we appreciate

their valuable feedback.

We take readers to China’s Jinfeng mine, a gold-rich

site that has moved underground and is now the

second largest gold mine in China.

This issue’s safety feature focuses on operator

visibility and how a new object detection system will

help enhance vision and protect against collisions

involving large mining trucks.

Our best practices story highlights the importance

of clean fuel and showcases a mine in Armenia that

realized outstanding results from the installation of

a fuel filtration system.

We also feature “Ground Rules: Mining Right for

a Sustainable Future,” a film that is the cornerstone

of a new educational program designed to help

improve public opinion about mining. It includes

a set of 75 lesson plans to help educators further

examine the themes and concepts presented in

the film.

We’re always looking for new ways—like

Viewpoint—to add value beyond the products and

services we provide to our customers.

ediTorial Board:

Cat global mining / Viewpoint 1

GATE VALVEShuts off flow during service or removal of unit.

INLET SAMPLING VALVEProvides access for unfiltered fuel samples.

OUTLET SAMPLING VALVEProvides access for

filtered fuel samples.

WATER METERContinuously measures and

records volume of water removed.

SLUG CONTROL VALVESlows down or shuts off fuel flow if

the amount of water in the fuel exceeds the flow capacity of the

water drain valve or if particulate or coalescer filters start to plug.

4-MICRON PARTICULATE FILTERRemoves abrasive particles.

COALESCING FILTER ELEMENTSFibers attract water into large droplets that fall to the bottom. (view is simplified for illustration.)

COALESCER UNIT

SEPARATOR CANISTERRepels smaller water droplets

suspended in moving fuel flow and prevents them from escaping.

AUTOMATIC WATER DRAINAllows excess water to drain.

FUEL WITH DIRT AND WATER

CLEAN, DRY FUEL

Port for optional heating element.

Gauges indicate filter restriction.

aVaILabILITy IS kEy 8nEWS FRom CaTERPILLaR 29

table of Contents

object detection: makIng mInE SITES SaFER by REduCIng bLInd SPoTS 26

Film showcases companies that are

mInIng RIghT 22

CaTERPILLaR PRoduCES

50,000th off-highway Truck 28

CC&V demands consistent production from haulage fleet

going underground to Create the seCond largest gold mine in China: JInFEng mInE 16

gETTIng REady FoR ThE uPTuRn 6












COALESCER UNIT





CLEAN, DRY FUEL



modern systems demand Clean Fuel

ThE dangERS oF ConTamInaTIon 2

2 Cat global mining / Viewpoint / issue 6

While mines can’t always control the condition of

the fuel they receive, they can have an impact on

how clean it is when it enters the machine. Mines

around the world are taking steps to reduce fuel

contamination—extending the life of components,

improving machine performance, maintaining fuel

economy and increasing machine availability.

“There’s no question that the use of contaminated

fuel in modern fuel systems can cause a host of

problems with machinery,” says David Barker, a

product support consultant in Caterpillar’s Global

Mining Division. “But there are things sites can do

to control the cleanliness of the fuel they use.”

the Cost oF Contamination

Cleanliness is critical to minimizing cost-per-tonne

through better care of machines. “Aside from the

cost of tires and fuel, and the wages of machine

operators, about 70 percent of total machine

operating cost is the life cycle costs of powertrain

components,” explains Barker.

On a typical large mining truck, the cost

distribution is:

Engine 40%

Transmission/Torque Converter 10%

Final Drive & Differential 40%

Miscellaneous 10%

Modern fuel systems use electronic unit injectors,

a component that delivers precise amounts of fuel

and controls injection timing to within thousandths

of a second. Electronic unit injectors control the

performance and fuel economy of the engine and

are expensive to replace when worn.

Component life cycle cost is roughly defined as

cost to rebuild the component divided by actual

component life in hours. Extending the life of

a component is the most important factor in

reducing its life cycle cost. This does not mean

simply extending overhaul intervals and allowing

components to wear more severely. It means

implementing a strategy to reduce the rate of

wear and achieve longer component life without

incurring excessive wear.

“Contaminated fuel can cause an unacceptable rate

of injector wear and resultant failure—and, as a

result, unnecessary repair costs,” says Barker.

Fuel Contaminants

The two most common contaminants in fuel are

excessive dirt and water. These contaminants

are typically introduced into fuel during the

transportation, mixing or storage process.

Water, the most common contaminant, may be

introduced when warm, moist air condenses on the

fuel tank walls and condensation builds up.

Excessive water can reduce the lubricating qualities

of the fuel and cause injector seizure and contingent

engine damage. In addition, fungus and bacteria

live in water. When they get into a fuel system, they

can plug fuel filters, reducing their life and causing

premature injector wear-out, all of which affect the

life of the machine.

tHe DanGeRs oF ContaMInatIon: MODERN SYSTEMS DEMAND CLEAN FUEL

Mine sites purchase, store and consume millions of liters of fuel each year—a major expense and a leading contributor to machine performance. today’s increasingly complex fuel injection systems require fuel to be of a higher quality—especially when it comes to cleanliness—than ever before.

aside from the cost of tires and fuel, and the wages of machine operators, about 70 percent of total machine operating cost is the life cycle costs of powertrain components.

Cat global mining / Viewpoint 3Cat global mining / Viewpoint 3

Particles of dirt, sediment and other solids have

a similar effect on fuel injectors, causing them to

wear out prematurely and leading to unnecessary

failures.

Clean fuel does more than just reduce problems,

however. Added benefits include improved fuel

economy and longer component life. In addition to

reducing the replacement frequency of fuel filters

and injectors, clean fuel prolongs injector life.

“What it really boils down to is availability of the

machine,” says Barker. “When machines are not

in for repairs, they are at work on the site. Less

downtime means greater productivity.”

improVing Cleanliness

The two critical factors leading to fuel quality are the

cleanliness of the fuel delivered to the site, and the

storage and handling practices used after it arrives.

“Fuel suppliers, of course, indicate to mine sites

that the fuel they deliver is clean,” says Barker. “And

many times it starts out that way. But that fuel isn’t

going directly into machines; it’s going into bulk

storage tanks that may be contaminated or have

high levels of condensation built up.”

In order to maximize engine life, diesel fuel

supplied to the fuel tank should have a maximum

particulate level of ISO 18/16/13 with a maximum

water content level of 0.1 percent (1,000 ppm).

In some geographic areas, fuel suppliers to mines

have the infrastructure and discipline to deliver

relatively clean fuel. However, in the majority of

mining applications, that is not the case. Fuel

leaving the refinery is transported to remote

locations through ships, pipelines, barges and

trucks, and is often stored in intermediate storage

tanks. Each time the fuel is stored or moved, it

has the opportunity to attract contaminants. In

some cases gross amounts of water and/or dirt can

contaminate the fuel. Much of this can be removed

through proper storage and handling.

Fuel storage CapaCity

Given adequate storage time, much of the dirt and

water in fuel will settle to the bottom of the storage

tank if the fuel is left undisturbed. Fuel storage

capacity on the site should be adequate to let new

fuel deliveries settle for two to three days before

drawing the supply fuel from the tank.

“The most common problem on mine sites is lack

of tank capacity,” says Barker. “Mine capacity and

haulage fleets often grow faster than their fuel

storage facility. This usually results in fuel being

added to tanks while it is being consumed. This

practice stirs up contaminants and keeps them in

suspension in the delivery fuel.”

storage tank design

Regardless of size or shape, best practices

recommend that fuel storage tanks have the

following:

Sloped tank floor. Water which settles out of the

fuel will flow to the lowest spot in the sloped tank.

Tanks should have a drain at the lowest point and

be drained frequently to minimize the presence

of water.

Well-located suction pipe. A suction pipe located well

above floor level will ensure that only clean fuel is

drawn in, and water and dirt that have settled to the

bottom of the tank remain undisturbed.

Desiccant vent filters. These filters remove any

moisture from air entering the tank.

Non-corrosive tank lining. At a minimum, the tank

floor and the bottom 1 meter (3 feet) of the tank

should be epoxy coated to resist corrosion from

trapped water.

Fuel handling

Once the proper steps have been taken regarding

storage, it’s important to also have a fuel

maintenance policy, with adequate personnel in

place responsible for proper fuel handling. This

includes using particle counters and water detection

tests to measure cleanliness and sampling incoming

shipments and outgoing fuel.

supplementing With Filtration

The fuel filters on machines are designed to provide

final filtration for moderately clean supply fuel.

Machine filtration is not intended to clean fuel

contaminated with large amounts of dirt and water.

Fuel leaving the refinery is transported to remote locations through ships, pipelines, barges and trucks, and is often stored in intermediate storage tanks like the ones above. Each time the fuel is stored or moved, it has the opportunity to attract contaminants. In some cases gross amounts of water and/or dirt can contaminate the fuel.












COALESCER UNIT





CLEAN, DRY FUEL




If contaminated fuel is used, the capability of the

onboard filtration is overwhelmed and injectors

either wear out prematurely or seize.

One way to reduce the burden on machine fuel

filters is to install a bulk fuel filtration system. Bulk

fuel filtration consists of high capacity filters that

remove both excess dirt and water from the supply

fuel before it is put into the machine.

Caterpillar has engineered a packaged system

to remove both dirt and water. The Cat® Bulk

Fuel Filtration System is intended for use in any

application where users store fuel for machines

or engines. It requires very little maintenance and

contains safeguards to prevent contaminated fuel

from passing through the unit.

hoW it Works

The self-contained unit is mounted on a skid,

and is placed between the fuel storage tank and

fueling station.

The 4-micron, beta 200, full synthetic particulate

filter elements remove dirt in a single pass and

effectively hold large volumes of debris. Filter

change intervals are about once a month, depending

on the level of contamination. Filter elements may

be quickly and easily replaced without the need for

hand tools.

The coalescer unit contains multiple elements

capable of removing up to 3 percent water by

volume to 1,000 ppm (0.1 percent) or less at the

rated flow. Water removed by these elements falls to

the bottom of the coalescer unit and is automatically

drained to an external water storage vessel. A float

mechanism in the bottom of the unit monitors the

water level. The coalescing elements do not plug

and usually require changing only once a year.

An automatic flow control valve slows down or stops

fuel outlet flow if particulate filters plug or there are

massive amounts of water in the fuel. This ensures

only clean fuel leaves the unit.

The maximum fuel flow rate of the user’s fuel

supply system determines the size of the coalescer

filtration system. Four different units are available.

The smaller units are sized at 190-liters-per-minute

(lpm) (50 gallons-per-minute) (gpm) and 379 lpm

(100 gpm) units. They are intended for day tank

applications or for portable use on a fuel truck

where fueling is done manually. The 757 lpm (200

gpm) unit is intended for fuel stations using fast-

fill, where maximum flow does not exceed 757 lpm

(200 gpm). This unit will handle truck sizes up to

“ bulk fuel filtration has been used in the aviation industry for more than 50 years to address these same problems. now, Caterpillar has adopted this proven technology to help our mining customers.”

– daVid Barker, produCt

support Consultant












COALESCER UNIT





CLEAN, DRY FUEL




the 218-tonne (240-short-ton) Cat 793. The largest

unit, 1136 lpm (300 gpm), is intended for fast-fill of

327-tonne (360-short-ton) Cat 797 size trucks.

Permanent installation is simple, says Barker. “All

you need is a small concrete pad downstream of the

fuel storage tank and supply pump. And a water

container is required nearby to store the wastewater

removed from the fuel.” The system doesn’t require

electric power unless it’s used in extremely cold

climates. An optional electric fuel heater is available

for cold climates where water removed from the fuel

may freeze.

seeing results

“You might wonder why, if mine sites could see

the value of fuel cleanliness, they aren’t all using

filtration systems,” says Barker. “Truth is, they are

now beginning to understand how important it is—

and what a difference it makes in the life of their

components and their equipment.”

For example, Zangezur mine in Armenia had faced

ongoing problems with injectors and engines in

all types of equipment on site. The installation of a

Cat Bulk Fuel Filtration system has had a dramatic

impact at the mine, which is operated by Zangezur

Copper and Molybdenum Mining Company and

owned by German company Cronimet.

Zangezur mine, established in 1952, is the largest

mining enterprise in Armenia and is the site of one

of the biggest deposits of molybdenum in the world.

In 2009, the site produced an estimated 41000

tonnes (45,000 short tons) of copper and about

8200 tonnes (9,000 short tons) of molybdenum

concentrate. The site operates about 30 machines,

including Cat 785 trucks, 992 and 993 wheel loaders,

several track-type tractors and an excavator.

Injector problems have a negative impact on any

mine site, but that impact is even more significant

in a remote location like Zangezur. The mine

operates at an altitude of 2200 meters (7,217 feet)

and is surrounded by mountains.

“Replacing parts is a challenge in Armenia,” says

Ivan Glushankov, a Caterpillar mining product

support specialist based in Moscow. “Not only is

it costly to replace parts, it’s also a challenge to

get them. It can sometimes take 30 days to repair

a machine—and when that machine is down,

productivity is down.”

Caterpillar and Zeppelin Armenia representatives

visited the site, evaluated the problem and

recommended the site install the bulk fuel filtration

system. The results were impressive.

“All the problems disappeared,” says Rubik

Abramyan, head of the mine’s transportation

department. “I have recommended to every mine

site that they install this system. The impact it had

on our site was immediate and significant. We have

seen improvements in every machine we operate.”

Glushankov estimates that the improved

performance and longer component life resulting

from using clean fuel has allowed Zangezur to pay

for the fuel filtration system in just a few months.

“They’re relatively inexpensive, especially when

compared to the cost of a mining machine,” says

Barker. “If you eliminate the need to replace a

couple sets of injectors, you’ve paid for it.”

Sites in the United States have seen similar results,

says Barker. “These customers are no longer dealing

with plugged fuel filters. We had one mine manager

tell us that he had been replacing a fuel filter every

day prior to installing the bulk fuel filtration system.

In the 10-day period after that, he didn’t make one

replacement. Customers are also reporting that

they’re not forced to replace injectors at the half-

life of the engine. And as always, less downtime

translates to higher productivity.”

Barker predicts bulk fuel filtration will become a

more common process on sites throughout the

world. “We have one customer that is so impressed

with the benefits of clean fuel that they’re filtering

the fuel when it goes into the storage tank, and

again when it comes out,” he says.

Injector problems have a negative impact on any mine site, but that impact is even more significant in a remote location like Zangezur. The mine operates at an altitude of 2200 meters (7,217 feet) and is surrounded by mountains.

“ the impact it had on our site was immediate and significant. We have seen improvements in every machine we operate.” – ruBik aBramyan,

zangezur mine, armenia


“The mining industry was significantly impacted by

the economic downturn that hit in 2009,” says Chris

Curfman, president of Caterpillar Global Mining.

“Since then, we’ve continued to work alongside our

dealers and our customers, making adjustments

to weather tough economic times. However, a lot

of our focus has been not on the current situation,

but on the future. We believe the upturn is going

to be just as severe as the downturn. And when

it happens, we want to make sure our customers

and dealers have the right equipment, in the best

condition, ready to go to work. And we want to

make sure we’re ready to support them.”

dealing With the doWnturn

When the downturn hit, mining companies around

the world responded in different ways in regard to

their haulage fleets. Some took trucks completely

out of production; others reduced their number of

shifts, yet continued to use their entire fleets for

fewer hours. In some cases, parked trucks were

used to supply parts for the active fleet.

Empire Machinery is one of the many Cat dealers

whose customers were impacted by the tough

economy. The dealership has been supplying

equipment to mines in Arizona, USA, for more

than 50 years. “Some of our customers used parked

equipment to meet their need for parts,” says Larry

Kitto, Empire’s director of mining. “Another method

to reduce costs was to leave trucks idle while they

are waiting for a component.” In times of high

production, dealers use “exchange” components

so the truck is down only long enough for the

component to be installed. Cost reductions are the

driver when commodity prices are low, he explains,

so customers have chosen to stand the trucks down

and repair components instead of immediately

replacing them with another pre-built component.

The downturn had an effect on dealerships as well.

“When customers stop purchases and cancel orders,

it’s very painful for us,” says Kitto. “But in the long

run, if they ignore the situation, we will all be in

worse shape. Our approach is long-term. We are

partners with our customers in this business. Our

job is to help them be successful. And when they

succeed, they buy our products and services. It’s a

win-win.”

meeting eQuipment needs

From offering do-it-yourself maintenances tips to

promoting cost-effective rebuilds, Caterpillar also

looked for ways to help customers deal with their

equipment fleets during the downturn. “Given

that more machine owners were taking on routine

maintenance of their machines, Caterpillar put

together some on-demand videos that provide

practical, detailed advice on various procedures,”

says Tim Siekmann, a Caterpillar product support

manager. “The videos cover topics like proper

replacement of air filters, identifying hose-

As mines around the world adjusted their production levels to meet the reduced demand for commodities,

mining companies continued to make a number of important decisions that impact their equipment fleets. Whether machines were idled completely, operated less

frequently, used for parts or moved to other locations, it’s important that equipment managers think about

the future while dealing with the downturn.

FLEET MANAgEMENT:

gETTiNg READY FOR ThE UpTURN


abrasion points, battery maintenance or preventing

contamination.” Videos are available at www.cat.

com/maintenance-and-support.

“A downturn isn’t the time to stop taking care of

machines,” Siekmann continues. “In fact, it’s a good

time, while production levels are reduced, to do

some of those routine maintenance items or safety

enhancements that you haven’t wanted to take the

truck out of production for.”

The need for work-ready machines is a pressing

concern no matter the economic climate. “To

address that concern, Cat dealers provide an

excellent starting point—Technical Analysis

inspections that assess the health of a machine and

identify potential problems,” says Siekmann. These

inspections give machine owners an objective look

at machine condition and allow them to balance

machine capability against impending work.

Economically restoring existing machines to reliable

condition is one “other-than-new” option, but that

option can be complemented with used equipment

and rental equipment. Cat dealers offer a wide range

of used machines for purchase or rent.

improVing perFormanCe

Another way to reduce costs is to become more

efficient—getting more performance out of the

equipment and people on site. “Continuous

Improvement activities are a service Caterpillar

and Cat dealers have provided for a long time, but

their importance was even more apparent when

the downturn occurred,” says Curfman. “Over the

past several years, we’ve invested millions of dollars

in these activities at mines around the world, and

we’re continuing to fund this vital work through the

downturn.”

Activities cover every aspect of a mine’s operation,

from maintenance and repair to applications and

component life management. These projects can

have a significant impact on a site’s productivity.

Helping employees work more efficiently is another

cost-cutting objective. Caterpillar Equipment

Training Solutions offers a practical means to help

achieve these goals by equipping machine operators

to perform their jobs competently and confidently.

Today, the method for teaching operating skills can

be tailored to the individual operator’s situation—

whether class-room instruction, on-site training,

“e-learning” or simulators.

preparing For the upturn

There’s no question that the mining industry has

faced some difficult times. But when asked to pick

one word to describe his company’s outlook on the

situation, Curfman chose “ready.”

“We and our dealers are moving forward with

confidence and optimism,” he says. “We’re

planning, organizing, preparing and executing.

We’re working together with a sense of urgency to

help make sure our mining customers are ready.

Ready to overcome today’s challenges—ready to

capitalize on tomorrow’s opportunities. “

Mining companies adjusted their workforces,

inventory and support levels for the current

economic conditions. As they prepare for an

upswing, Siekmann suggests it’s time to begin

evaluating the status of their fleets, forecasting the

need for service and components and evaluating the

skill sets of their employees.

Caterpillar, too, has developed a plan for the upturn.

“We’re working with mine sites to confirm we’re

going to be ready with what they need from us,”

says Siekmann.

“We don’t want long delays from the factory to

stand in the way of anyone’s success,” Curfman

says. “So we have fine-tuned our forecasting

systems, evaluated inventories, took waste out of

the supply chain and identified leading indicators

that will serve as trigger points for our production

processes and systems.”

Curfman says Caterpillar is confident in the mining

industry’s ability to overcome these difficult times

and not only survive, but flourish in the years to

come. “Commodity prices are relatively strong and

still at investment thresholds, and we’re starting

to see signs of life again in the mining business,”

he says. “The message here is clear: We’ll not only

survive this particular downturn, but we will be

better than before.”

as mine managers prepare For inCreased demand, here are some Questions they haVe Considered:

> What is the status of my fleet?

have idled trucks been used for parts? how do I make sure they are ready to be put into production again?

> Should I be planning rebuilds?

> do I have my Planned Component Replacement Forecast updated?

> how can I use the Caterpillar Future dated order (Fdo) and Committed Planned Repair order (CPRo) to make sure my parts and components are available when I have scheduled needed repairs?

> am I forecasting and placing orders so I can match them with my capabilities and capacities?

> have I reviewed my personnel and their skill sets? have I cut employees in the downturn and lost some of the skill sets I’ll need in the upturn?

aVailaBiliTY iS KeY

CC&V DEMANDS CONSiSTENT pRODUCTiON FROM hAULAgE FLEET

The ability of these employees to meet their

production targets is largely dependent on the

availability of the mining machines they operate.

The site relies heavily on consistent production

from its haulage fleet and work can come to a

standstill if a machine breaks down. The mine

operates a fleet of Cat 793D trucks, and as it

began looking to expand its fleet,

agreed to be a field follow

site for the new

Cat 793F.

a historiC gold mine

Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining

Company mine (CC&V) is a joint venture

majority owned and operated by AngloGold Ashanti

(Colorado) Corp. The current mining operation,

started in 1994, is called the Cresson Project. The

site south of Denver, Colorado, USA, had been

mined using underground methods since the late

1890s and into the 1950s. The area is famous for the

great gold find of the district, the “Cresson Vug,” a

cavity in the rock, lined with crystals somewhat like

a geode, where gold was essentially picked from the

walls of a room-sized void encountered about 366

meters (1,200 feet) below the surface in 1914.

Engineering for the modern Cresson mine began

in 1993. Obtaining the various permits necessary to

mine was completed in 1994. The first Cresson gold

was poured in 1995, and an expansion construction

began in 2000. In late 2003, CC&V reached its

planned expansion capacity of 18.1 million tonnes

(20 million short tons). The mine poured its two

millionth ounce in 2004.

Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company operations run around the clock on every day of the year. About 300 full-time employees and 50 contractors work 12-hour shifts to produce 163000 tonnes (180,000 short tons) of ore per day. Four crews in each department are required to provide coverage throughout the year.

9Cat Global Mining / Viewpoint 9

10 Cat global mining / Viewpoint / 2010: issue 6

As of December 2009, the mine reported a proven

ore reserve of about 112.5 million tonnes (124

million short tons), containing approximately 1.6

million ounces (45.5 million grams) of recoverable

gold. The annual gold production rate from the

Cresson Project varies somewhat with about 250,000

troy ounces produced in 2008. Currently, the mine

life is estimated to last until 2016.

This low-grade, open-pit operation produces doré

that is 70 percent gold and 20 percent silver. CC&V

processes about 22 million tonnes (24 million short

tons) of ore per year. The ore is treated using a

valley-type, heap-leach process with activated carbon

used to recover the gold. The resulting doré buttons

are shipped to a refinery for final processing.

eValuating haul truCks

Buying a mining truck is serious business. Not only

is there the substantial outlay of money to consider,

but there are also the myriad ways that truck will

impact operations on the site. From matching with

shovels, to fitting on the haul road, to handling high

altitudes—many variables combine to determine the

right truck for the site. And it’s imperative to strive

for the lowest cost-per-tonne possible to succeed in

the competitive gold mining business.

When it was time to add some new trucks to the

CC&V fleet, the site began an evaluation process

that lasted nearly six months. “We did extensive

studies on a number of manufacturers’ trucks,” says

Vivien Hui, a senior engineer in mine operations

for AngloGold Ashanti (Colorado) Corp.

“ We looked at everything you can think of—from evaluating the engine block material to gauge its ability to handle our site’s rough terrain, to evaluating the ease of maintenance on the drive system.”

The site evaluated dozens of variables, including

how the truck options matched the site’s current

shovels and how the truck fit with the site’s

infrastructure, which requires travel from the shop,

to load-out, to bin, to crusher. The site considered

the overall capital cost for each truck, the costs for


planned maintenance and major components, and

the cost for labor required to maintain them.

The mine looked at all variables first by cost-per-

hour, then used a modeling program called Q’PIT

to measure each option on a cost-per-tonne basis.

“We fed the details into the model and it told us

the cost-per-tonne over the life of our specific

mine,” says Hui.

Considering size options

One might think that in order to get the most

production from a site, the haulage fleet should be

the largest size trucks possible. That wasn’t true in

the case of CC&V.

“We evaluated the ultra class trucks over 360 tons,”

says Hui. “And we found that for our mine, the

larger trucks would actually result in a higher cost-

per-tonne than a smaller truck.”

There are a number of reasons why:

Haul profile. The site has both uphill and downhill

loaded haul roads and judged the trucks by the cost-

per-tonne based on both of these profiles.

Infrastructure. Going with a large truck would have

made it necessary to expand the road width in order

to meet the CC&V standard requiring roads that are

just over three times the width of the truck.

Dilution. Considering the dilution in its average ore

grade, it was determined that the additional waste

material would reduce the advantages gained from

using a larger truck.

Tires. As trucks get larger, exponentially the tires get

more expensive. CC&V considered its relationship

with tire manufacturers and the allocation of

available tires.

Shovels. Shovels currently on site were not the right

size to be the most productive with larger trucks.

testing a neW model

When Caterpillar approached CC&V to consider

being a field follow site for its new F-Series trucks,

the timing couldn’t have been better. The site was

able to evaluate this new and improved truck in

the midst of its search for new trucks to add to its

haulage fleet.

The site was happy with its existing fleet of

227-tonne (250-ton) 793D trucks and agreed to

test two of the 793F trucks. The fifth generation

of the 793 has a powerful new engine, choice

of power train options, choice of body systems

and a completely redesigned operator station.

Serviceability has been updated with more ground

level service points and 1,000-hour hydraulic filter

service intervals. Other changes promote safe

operator and technician access—wider walkways,

flat upper deck, rear access ladder and three-way

lock-out tag-out box mounted on the bumper.

“We short-listed down to three trucks that we

were considering, and then we narrowed it even

further to the Cat 793 trucks,” says Hui. “We had a

combined 15,000 hours to study the new F-Series,

and after the field follow we purchased both trucks.”

Hui reports that the F-Series met the site’s cost-per-

tonne criteria and the capital cost comparison was

favorable. While all of the F-Series enhancements

are important, there are several that are of particular

importance to CC&V.

PERFoRmanCE

The 793F’s new engine is a great match for the

environment in the Cripple Creek mining district,

reports Bruce Neldner, parts and service manager at

Cat dealer Wagner Equipment, which is responsible

for the Cat equipment at the Cresson Project.

“ This mine is on the side of a mountain, and there is a huge elevation change from top to bottom,” he explains.

“ They’re working at 3048 to 3350 meters (10,000 to 11,000 feet) altitude. The less air there is, the less fuel you can use, which means less power. But with this engine, you don’t have to cut the fuel in the higher elevations.”

Hui agrees that it’s very important that the engine

doesn’t derate at the mine’s altitude. “We get the

same horsepower at 2 miles high as we do at 1 mile

high,” she says.

below/ Vivien hui, a senior engineer in mine operations for anglogold ashanti (Colorado) Corp., championed a six-month project to evaluate new mining trucks.

12

The 16-cylinder, 1976-kilowatt (2,650-horsepower)

Cat C175-16 diesel engine displaces 5.3 liters (323

in3) per cylinder, for a total displacement of 85 liters

(5,187 in3). The 793F delivers 174 kilowatts (234

horsepower) more than its predecessor, the 793D.

The engine redesign was done in part to meet Tier 2

emissions requirements; however, CC&V has found

a number of additional benefits. “We found that,

yes, they redesigned the engine to be better for the

environment,” says Hui. “But we’ve also learned that

the new block material is stronger, which is great for

our hard rock environment. And performance went

up in the process.”

The 793F delivers more power to the ground,

explains David Rea, a product marketing specialist

in Caterpillar’s Global Mining division.

“It’s faster on grade, and because mining trucks spend the majority of their time on grade, it can travel faster, move more tonnes, and deliver a lower cost-per-tonne,” he says.

Hui reports the truck is a good match for the site’s

haul profile. “It goes fast uphill and fast downhill.

It has great retarding going down and good torque

and speed going up. This reduces our cycle time.”

Operator Vic Hines, who has been an operator at

CC&V for eight years, is impressed with the truck’s

performance. “The new engine and torque converter

are super,” he says. “It takes the hills great and

takes off good on the grades. The throttle locks and

retarder set are really nice—I use them every round.

It works like a cruise control going downhill.”

Cat uses oil-cooled multiple disc brakes on all four

wheels. They provide immediate, fade resistant

braking and retarding and with proper attention

to oil temperatures, the brake discs and plates

experience virtually no wear. Four-wheel balanced

braking improves handling and machine control.

Another advantage is that unlike some trucks,

the Cat engine and truck are made by the same

manufacturer. “They’re designed to work well

together and we only have one manufacturer to

deal with if there is an issue,” Hui says.

SaFETy and ComFoRT

The new cab in the Cat F-Series trucks features

a number of improvements to make it a more

comfortable working environment, including

controls and gauges that are positioned to maximize

productivity and minimize fatigue.

Hines says he appreciates the smooth, comfortable

ride and the improved visibility due to more window

area. “The cab is roomy and all the controls are

reachable,” he says. “The comfort is great.”

The safety enhancements of the new truck, such as

improved access and eggress, are also appreciated

by the operators. “Caterpillar definitely thought

about safety when they designed the F-Series,” says

Hui. “It’s a number one goal for us and they are

helping us achieve it.”

1 / The operator environment in the Cat F-Series trucks has been improved to be more comfortable, with ergonomically designed controls.

2 / The Cat high-strength frame is designed to last in rugged mining applications like the hard-rock environment at CC&V.

3 / making service points easy to access, like these gauges, means less downtime for maintenance.1 1 2


SERVICEabILITy

A number of the changes in the 793F were done to

make it easier to service—a welcome improvement

for the dealer and site technicians who work on the

trucks. The operators also appreciate that walk-

around inspections are easier.

“The oil checks and hubs are nice and the air bleed

system is easy to access,” says Hines. “The sights on

the tanks are also improved.”

Wagner performs most of the maintenance

on the Cat equipment at the Cresson Project,

although CC&V does much of their own planned

maintenance on site. “Overall we’ve found the new

truck easier to service,” says Neldner. “A lot of the

improvements are concentrated on the service

points. Having as many at ground level as possible

makes them easier to access. It’s also safer because

the less you crawl around on the machine, obviously

the safer you are.”

duRabILITy

CC&V also was impressed by the new frame on

the 793F. Cat frames use a high strength, low alloy

(mild) steel with castings in highly stressed areas.

A key advantage of mild steel frames is that they can

be easily welded in the field. They’re designed to last

in rugged mining environments.

“The percentage of castings went up, so the

frame has more durability,” says Hui. Frame life

is important because it dictates the long-term

economic life of the machine. “We know we can

3

Field follow program tests new trucks in real applications Companies that purchase a new Cat F-Series truck may be buying a new model—but they’re

getting a truck that has been tested for thousands of hours. And it hasn’t just been tested

in a controlled environment. It has been put to work in a real-life environment on an actual

customer mine site.

The Caterpillar Tucson Proving Ground is a one-of-a-kind testing facility for Cat trucks.

But there’s nothing quite like the real-world environment, where different altitudes and

climates, haul profiles and operator skill levels all have a different impact on a truck.

“We want to put trucks in all applications and run them in a variety of environments—

the cold of Canada, the coal fields of Wyoming, the high altitudes of South America,”

says Jeff Lester, Caterpillar service engineer. “From deep pits to shallow grades, high

speeds to high temperatures. We want the complete story of the performance before

we go to production.”

The answer is Caterpillar’s field follow program, during which Cat dealers and customers

test developing trucks in real applications.

“Caterpillar benefits by getting a truck that is validated in a real-world application with a real customer,” says Lester. “We are able to tell the marketplace, ‘Yes, this is a new product. But it has been validated on a customer site.’”

The program is a benefit to customers as well, as they get an early look at new technology

and an opportunity to train operators and

maintenance people on the new trucks. And those

that participate in a field follow program are able

to use the truck for actual production for a low fee,

then get a good deal on the truck if they choose to

purchase it.

“Customers also get the advantage of giving their

input about new models directly back to Caterpillar,”

Lester says. “The operator is in the cab 12 hours a

day and he knows if he is fatigued or if he has good

visibility. We give his input back to the factory and

that can influence change. Field follow customers are

impacting the future of our trucks. When customers

make comments, we look at every single one.”

Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company (CC&V) in Colorado, USA, has partnered

on several field follow programs with Caterpillar and recently tested the new 793F. While

it can be a challenge to operate a truck that is still being proven, the benefits outweigh the

negatives, says Vivien Hui, a senior engineer in mine operations at AngloGold Ashanti

(Colorado) Corp., majority owner and manager of CC&V.

“We do field follow as part of our good neighbor policy,” she says. “We agree to show

other mines what has been learned, and to show Caterpillar how the trucks are performing.

It’s good for us and it’s good for the industry.” (continued on next page)


keep rebuilding this truck and its components as long as the frame lasts,”

she says. “This new frame gives us confidence that we can run the truck to

or even past the life of our mine.”

TEChnoLogy

Technology also weighed heavily on CC&V’s decision to purchase the

F-Series field follow trucks—in particular, the upgraded VIMS technology.

VIMS collects and transmits machine data and turns it into valuable

information used to track productivity, machine performance, service

scheduling, trends, diagnostics and equipment condition monitoring.

“ There were third party technologies that do the same thing, but we like that it’s integrated into the truck,” says Hui.

The third generation of the system—VIMS3G—offers enhanced

convenience and functionality, along with updated communications

capabilities. A real-time browser allows users to view machine data on up

to 10 machine parameters in an easy-to-access Web browser. “Plenty of

technologies can capture the data, but this is realtime, which makes it much

more useful,” says Hui. CC&V partners with Wagner to analyze the data,

review trends and develop predictive maintenance plans.

guaranteeing aVailaBility

Many variables are weighed when considering the purchase of a new truck,

and one of the most important is availability. “We need our trucks to be

running in order to meet our production goals,” says Hui. CC&V counts

on Wagner’s existing support structure to make sure the fleet delivers

high availability.

“Our mine superintendent would agree that the support of the dealer is one

of the most important things in our decision to purchase Cat trucks,” says

Hui. “This consistent support—from both Caterpillar and the dealer—helps

us stay on budget. We could maybe buy products with a slightly lower cost-

per-tonne on paper, but if we can’t count on them, then they’re not giving us

that consistency we need to meet our targets.”

Wagner’s Neldner says the dealership has worked hard to earn the mine’s

trust. “They have to know that their trucks are going to be supported,” he

says. “We have a lot of Cat equipment there and our support is proven to

them. We have a good, healthy relationship.”

Hui says the support the mine receives from Wagner is second to none.

“We’ve built a relationship where we are working together to make things

happen and to fix problems,” she says. “There’s no finger-pointing when

something goes wrong. It’s Caterpillar, Wagner and us, working together.”

2

3

1


(continued) Cat dealers see benefits in participating as well. During the field follow process,

they are responsible for the trucks just as they would be if they sold them to the site. They

do inspections and updates, gather the truck feedback on performance, keep parts working

and develop preventive maintenance processes.

“We like it because it involves us with the process,” says Bruce Neldner, parts and service manager at Wagner Equipment, a Cat dealer in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas, USA. “We can be a part of the changes to make it not just a good truck, but a great truck.”

hOw FiELD DEVELOpMENT wORkS

Caterpillar has field follow engineers on every new product team. They are responsible

for a certain location and have daily contact with the dealer about the performance of the

machine. They travel a minimum of one week a month to visit the site, ride along with the

operator and gather feedback from everyone who interacts with the truck.

Internal reports are issued every day and are included in an online diary called the Pre-

Production Reliability Database (PPRD). ”Any time the dealer technicians touch the truck,

perform an inspection, do maintenance, deal with an operator performance issue, gather

operator comments—everything goes into this database. Engineering groups responsible

for every component or part have access to PPRD and can see exactly what is being done.”

What is learned in the field directly affects the development of the truck and its

components. “For example, operator input has influenced design enhancements for

production,” says Lester. “The seat goes back further than it used to and there is greater

head room. If operators tell us they need a little more power when pulling out from under

the shovel, or when they are traveling fully loaded up a grade, we take that information back

to the factory and work with our software or engine group to resolve the problem.”

Dealer feedback is also important. “Their service work ultimately affects the customer

because it has an impact on reliability and availability,” says Lester. “Say there are hoses

rubbing, or the routing of a tube could be better. All these little things add up to affect the

time necessary for service and maintenance. More reliability means greater production for

the customer.”

A VALiDATED TRUCk

Caterpillar will not put a truck into production without adequate testing, but the real-life

operation of the field follow program goes a long way to convince customers that these

trucks are ready to go to work.

“The Proving Grounds are great, but real life helps sell the truck,” says Hui. “We wouldn’t

want to be first to buy a truck. But if these trucks have 48,000 hours at three or four real

mines, that would put me more at ease. The reputation of these trucks will be proven

over time. I hope we have helped with a big chunk of that—working together to get this to

be a reliable truck.”

1 / CC&V has both uphill- and downhill-loaded haul roads, which require trucks with good retarding as well as good torque and speed.

2 / The site counts on service and support from Wagner Equipment to keep its fleet running around the clock.

3 / CC&V’s leach pad is used to treat about 22 million tonnes (24 million short tons) of ore per year.

Until recently, the Jinfeng mine in Guizhou

province was an open pit gold mine. Today, mining

has also moved underground, making the gold-rich

site—which resembles the Carlin mine in Nevada,

USA—the second largest gold mine in China.

mining in China

The Jinfeng gold deposit is located within the

Qianxinan Prefecture, Guizhou Province, about

240 kilometers (150 miles) southwest of the capital

city of Guiyang, at an elevation of 750 meters (2,460

feet). The project area is lightly populated (mainly

the Bouyei minority group) and has a subsistence

farming economy.

Mining activity in the region has been ongoing from

at least the latter part of the Qing Dynasty—more

GoinG underGround To creaTe The Second larGeST Gold Mine in china

JinfenG Mine:

A mining model developed in Australia and Canada is being reproduced with successful

results at a mine in China whose geology resembles a site in the United States—a true

example of the global nature of the mining industry. An industry where mines learn from

past experiences and the best practices of one another in a never-ending search

to become more productive.


JINFENG

The golden Triangle region of China represents one of the world’s great remaining under-explored gold regions. Recognized for its gold potential relatively late in the latest gold cycle and suffering from a lack of exploration funding or application of modern exploration techniques over the last decade, the region presents one of the few remaining genuine opportunities to discover significant gold deposits within a relatively low-risk environment. The region has the potential to become one of China’s most important gold producing areas.

than 100 years—when mercury and arsenic mining

of the central section of the main Jinfeng deposit

was recorded.

During the mid-1980s, renewed interest in gold

resulted in the completion of large government

sponsored stream-sediment geochemical programs

across China. This work resulted in the detection

of 14 significant gold anomalies in the Jinfeng

region, and follow-up in 1984 and 1985 defined

22 discrete prospects, one of which was the

previously inspected arsenic occurrence on the

main deposit at Jinfeng.

Intense exploration activity by a local exploration

group commenced, and from 1986 to 1993 some

15 kilometers (9 miles) of diamond drilling and

8 kilometers (5 miles) of underground aditing

were completed. This work successfully defined

more than 50 tonnes (55 short tons) of gold and in

1992 the deposit was listed by the Central Chinese

Government under the 892 National Plan because

of its likely impact to the economy.

Despite the deposit’s significance, exploration and

development work was curtailed in 1993 due to

a lack of funding and metallurgical challenges,

and Jinfeng was offered to a number of large

foreign gold companies. However, aside from a

limited drilling program in 1997, activity remained

subdued, and it wasn’t until Sino Gold Mining Ltd.

commenced negotiations in late 1999 that interest

in development was reinvigorated.

disCoVering a signiFiCant deposit

The largest known Carlin-type deposit in China,

Jinfeng lies within Triassic clastic sedimentary

rocks overlying the Permian and Carboniferous

limestones of the Laizhishan Dome. The Jinfeng

orebody is a structurally controlled gold deposit

with some replacement style mineralization.

The deepest drilling at Jinfeng has intercepted

strong gold mineralization and intense alternation

at more than 1000 meters (3,280 feet) depth. This

deep, down-lunge zone has now been followed

to near the contact of the Triassic sediments

and underlying Permian limestones, which is

considered very prospective for gold deposition.

Several gold

deposits in

China’s Golden

Triangle region are

located in a similar

stratigraphic position

near the Triassic-Permian

contact.

The Golden Triangle region of China represents one

of the world’s great remaining under-explored gold

regions. Recognized for its gold potential relatively

late in the latest gold cycle and suffering from a lack

of exploration funding or application of modern

exploration techniques over the last decade, the

region presents one of the few remaining genuine

opportunities to discover significant gold deposits

within a relatively low-risk environment. The region

has the potential to become one of China’s most

important gold producing areas.

Much has been written about the deposits of

the Golden Triangle and their affinities (and

differences) to the Carlin deposits of Nevada, USA.

Chinese academics and their American colleagues

have long recognized that the deposits in general

share many distinct characteristics to Carlin and,

in a direct sense, represent the Chinese analogy of

this important class of mineralization. Recent work

has not only strongly reinforced this concept and

confirmed the key characteristics for Jinfeng, but

also significantly added to the exploration appeal

of the area.

Jinfeng is a significant deposit, with ore reserves

containing 91000 kilograms (3.2 million ounces)

at an average grade of 5.2 grams per tonne (0.16

ounces per short ton) of gold. This world-class ore

body has an underground grade of 5.7 grams per

tonne (0.18 ounces per short ton), and the mine has

a potential life of 15 to 20 years.

Drilling of this deep zone from surface was

completed in early 2008. A 600-meter (1,970-foot)

hole targeting the down dip extension of the main

mineralization is currently under way. Testing for

further down plunge extensions to the orebody

is planned to resume in 2010, possibly from an

underground drive.


aCCelerating deVelopment

In April 2001, Sino Gold Mining, Ltd. earned an

82 percent interest in the project for the staged

payment of US$800,000 and a commitment to bring

the deposit into production. In late 2009, Vancouver,

Canada-based Eldorado Gold Corp acquired

Sino Gold to form the leading international gold

exploration and mining company in China. With

the acquisition, Eldorado now has three operating

mines in China: the Tanjianshan, Jinfeng and White

Mountain mines.

Eldorado is active in exploration and development

in Brazil, China, Greece, Turkey and surrounding

regions. The company has set a goal to produce over

28300 kilograms (1 million ounces) of gold annually

by 2013. As one of the lowest cost gold producers—

one with a strong balance sheet—analysts say the

company is well positioned to grow in value with the

creation and pursuit of new opportunities like those

in China.

Initial mining of ore was from the Jinfeng open pit,

with 0.7 million and 1.4 million tonnes (0.8 and 1.5

million short tons) of ore mined in 2007 and 2008

respectively. Ore is now being sourced concurrently

from the open pit and the underground mine, with

1.2 million tonnes (1.3 million short tons) of ore

mined in the first nine months of 2009.

In 2007, Jinfeng produced 56,981 gold ounces

and in 2008 it produced 150,928 gold ounces at a

cash operating cost of US$400 per ounce. In 2009,

Jinfeng produced 166,828 gold

ounces at a cash operating cost

of US$405 per ounce. Ore is

currently being mined from the

Jinfeng open pit with the use of

a mining contractor and the new

development of the underground

mine. Jinfeng’s production is

planned to increase as higher-grade ore from the

underground mine increasingly supplements ore

from the open pit.

When working at full capacity, the underground

mine is expected to operate on three main levels,

with each level providing approximately 400000

tonnes (441,000 short tons) of ore.

aCCessing the underground mine

Eldorado Gold has used an Australian/Canada

mining model at other sites, and has reproduced it

at the Jinfeng underground development. This is

the first example of this type of mining in China,

with the company’s White Mountain underground

development being the second. The model’s main

feature is the use of a large haulage decline.

The mine is accessed via a 5.5-by-5.5 meter (18-by-

18 foot) haulage decline and its gradient is averaged

at 1 in 8. To date, 1.7 km (1 mile) of the decline has

been developed and it will be extended to over 5 km

(3.1 miles). Traditionally mines in China prefer the

shaft hoisting ore handling method. While decline

haulage is common in many underground mines,

it is not common in China.

Chief mining methods at Jinfeng underground

are overhand and underhand cut-and-fill methods.

When fully developed, the underground production

capacity will reach 1 million tonnes (1.1 million

short tons) per year.

“We’ve been able to consistently achieve a decline

advance rate of over 150 meters per month,” says

Dr. John Chen, manager of mining technical

services for Eldorado Gold. “We give credit to our

efficient mobile fleet for helping us meet this high

production target.”

OPEN PIT OPEN PIT

SHAFT

ORE BODYORE BODY

HOIST

RAMP

DRAWPOINT

VENT VENT

long haulage Vs. hoisting

The Jinfeng mine uses the decline haulage method,

shown in the left illustration. a downward spiral tunnel

circles either the flank of the deposit or circles around the

deposit. This newer method of access may eliminate the need

for hoisting shafts because workers, equipment and ore can

be transported via trucks and/or conveyor belts. The more traditional hoisting method,

shown at right, uses a shaft—a vertical excavation sunk

adjacent to the ore body. The hoist and cage provide access to the shaft station, where workers, equipment

and ore are transported.


Both the Jinfeng and White Mountain mines use

Cat underground equipment. Jinfeng operates Cat

R2900G and R1700G Load Haul Dump loaders and

AD45B trucks, purchased from China Cat dealer

ECI-Metro Engineering Machinery Co. Ltd.

The AD45B and R2900G were delivered to the

Jinfeng site at the beginning of March 2008 and

started work March 5. At the end of January 2010,

both units had clocked over 10,000 hours, averaging

nearly 458 hours per month. The site also took

delivery of an R1700G and AD45B in early 2009 and

another R1700G in late 2009. Another AD45B will

be delivered to the site this year.

“This fleet is on target to reach 5,500 hours for

a 12-month period,” says Ron de Haan, a senior

product specialist for Caterpillar Global Mining,

based in China. “For a mine that is currently

undergoing development, this is a great example

of best practices.”

The AD45B trucks were selected to help meet

production targets, while the R1700G is used to

muck horizontal development and ore headings.

“ We have really benefited from buying Cat equipment—in particular due to the support of our dealer,” says Chen. “From training to parts availability, the partnership with Caterpillar and our dealer has truly helped make this venture a success.”

With warehouses in Singapore, Shanghai and a

number of cities in China, spare part availability

and services have met or exceeded the mine’s

expectations, Chen says.

A Caterpillar team provided on-site operator

and service training for both the dealer and

customer as the machines were the first Caterpillar

Underground units in China. This training was also

followed up in June with a site study, production

study and Fleet Production & Cost (FPC) Analysis

and an operator review.

improVing CyCle times

Continuous Improvement is an aspect of every

relationship between Caterpillar, Cat dealers and

their customers. A variety of processes are use to

identify, implement, track, measure and replicate

value-added activities.

“We don’t just build machines,” says de Haan.

“Along with the dealer, we do all we can to make

sure our customers get the most from their Cat

equipment and get their cost-per-tonne to the

lowest level possible.”

For example, during an operator review, a team

from Caterpillar, ECI-Metro and the mine conducted

a study of operator performance and provided

additional training where required. Their goal was

to lower cycle times.

“We spent several days traveling underground and

viewing the operators working,” says de Haan.

“Trainers from the mine owner also accompanied

us and gained a firm understanding of how the

machines should be operated.”

The study showed that operator skill was good,

with only a few small improvements needed to

get the optimum cycle time. The team suggested

a small improvement in the decline and also first

bucket readiness to reduce loading times and truck

cycle times.

a team from Caterpillar and Cat dealer ECI-metro spent several days evaluating operator performance in an effort to reach the optimum cycle time at Jinfeng’s new underground site.


“ All the areas we visited were new developments, which makes it difficult to have consistent cycle times,” says de Haan. “Now that the mine is in full production, the operation can be fine-tuned to get the optimum cycle times. The first key items to review would be truck placement and loader efficiency.”

Sites can achieve faster cycle times in a number

of ways, including improving floor conditions and

material condition, correcting the orientation to the

face and truck placement, and ensuring the proper

tram distance to and from the truck.

“We found load placement was good and material

sizing was excellent,” says de Haan. “The load cycle

time was increased by about 20 seconds by the

operator patting the load down on the final load—

a practice that we pointed out was not required as

the haul road has plenty of clearance.”

The team found the haul roads were in good

condition but suggested cycle times could be

improved by removing any uneven areas in the

main decline, changing the camber on some of the

corners so that they are slightly banked, and putting

down a firm aggregate base where there is tire

penetration of more than 25 mm (1 inch).

“Now that the mine is in full production, we’d like

to conduct another site study to see how we can give

them even more value from their Cat equipment,”

says de Haan.

proCessing the gold

Both the open pit and underground ores are

stockpiled at the ROM pad near a surface crusher

station. A loader is used to muck ore from the

stockpiles to the crusher.

Jinfeng ore is refractory in nature, with the majority

of gold encapsulated in sulfide minerals. As such,

the gold is not readily amenable to dissolution

in a conventional CIL circuit. In order to extract

gold at economic recovery rates, the Jinfeng gold

processing plant was designed and constructed

using BIOX® technology, a process that has been

available commercially for more than 15 years.

Rights to the technology are currently held by

Biomin Technologies SA, a subsidiary of Gold

Fields Ltd.

The BIOX process, which pre-treats refractory

sulphide gold ores such as pyrite, arsenopyrite and

pyrrhotite, was developed to increase gold recovery

rates during the metallurgical extraction process.

The gold in these sulphide ores is encapsulated

in sulphide minerals which prevent the gold from

being leached by cyanide. The process destroys

the sulphide minerals and exposes the gold for

subsequent cyanidation, increasing recovery rates.

Caring For people and Communities

As foreign companies like Eldorado move into

China, they take great care in recognizing the

impact they will have on the communities there.

Eldorado Gold recognizes that its existence

as a company depends on the goodwill of the

community within which it operates. The company

is committed to seeking any opportunity to bring

benefit to communities—from exploration to

INCORRECT LOADING

CORRECT LOADING

CORRECT LOADING

INCORRECT LOADING

INCORRECT LOADING

CORRECT LOADING

CORRECT LOADING

INCORRECT LOADING

CorreCt loading

over-loading, or off-centered loading, can cause spillage from the sides as the truck

goes around corners and from the back as it climbs grades.


development, to construction and training, to

mining and processing and finally reclamation

and closure.

Site development includes infrastructure initiatives,

such as improving roads, building sewage systems

and building water wells, according to the needs

of the communities. Eldorado makes it a priority

to hire local residents, training all employees and

instructing construction contractors in the best

environmental, health and safety practices.

Eldorado Gold provides on-the-job training and

works with local technical schools and universities

to enhance their mining-specific programs to help

increase employability. Safety is also a priority, with

a focus on making sites safe, buying equipment

with a strong safety record, and making sure

employees are trained in safe practices on an

ongoing basis.

Competitive salaries and benefits paid to

employees and contractors improves their families'

standard of living. In addition to job creation,

Eldorado promotes many sustainable economic

development initiatives. Since the life of any mine

is limited, the company encourages and works

with local communities to create new opportunities

for economic development, even after the mine

is closed.

Eldorado is also committed to protecting the

environment. Activities like continually monitoring

the quality of air, water and soil at Jinfeng are a high

priority. The company also implements programs to

preserve biodiversity, monitor noise and dust levels

and adopt waste reduction and recycling programs.

The commitment continues once a mine is no

longer profitable to operate. The mine is closed

and reclamation activities are conducted so that the

physical environment can successfully transition to

a productive ecosystem.

looking toWard the Future

Jinfeng’s gold production is planned to increase

as higher-grade ore from the underground mine

increasingly supplements ore from the open pit.

When working at full capacity the underground

mine is expected to operate on three main levels,

with each level providing approximately 400000

tonnes (441,000 short tons) of ore. Developing

the underground mine will provide the capacity

to deliver in excess of the nominal 1-million-tonne

(1.1-million-short-ton) annual design capacity of

the plant. Jinfeng operates Cat R2900g and R1700g Load haul dump loaders and ad45b trucks, purchased from China Cat dealer ECI-metro Engineering machinery Co. Ltd.

As the demand for mined minerals increases, everyone—from students to miners, governments to global corporations—must understand how to work together to meet those

needs while protecting the world in which we live. Caterpillar and Science North recently produced a new film to raise awareness of all that the mining industry is doing to operate

sustainably and to highlight the importance of mined materials in everyday life.

filM ShoWcaSeS coMPanieS ThaT are

MininG riGhT

“Ground Rules: Mining Right for a Sustainable

Future” features mines in countries on almost

every continent—Australia, Canada, Chile, Ghana,

Indonesia and the United States. It follows the

development of new and operating mines as

geologists, engineers and mine managers tackle

complex problems and draw on the experiences

and achievements of other mine sites to illustrate

creative and core concepts of sustainable

development and social responsibility.

“We’re proud to be part of an industry that is

making such great strides environmentally and

socially,” says Philip Kelliher, the Caterpillar

regional mining manager in Latin America. “This

new generation of mining professionals is doing

impressive work, and it has been our privilege

to capture their stories and share them with the

world. We’re also excited by the opportunity to

educate school children about the importance

of mining to our world and the steps mining

companies take to preserve the environment and

help the communities where they operate.”


EXPLORATION In PaPua, IndonESIa: ChaPTER 1

Years of systematic groundwork led geologists

for PT Freeport Indonesia to the remote

highlands of Papua, where they are engaged in

a classic treasure hunt in search of a deposit

of precious minerals. Advanced imagery

tools allow them to “see” inside the rock by

examining its magnetism, chemistry and

structure. Piece-by-piece, a picture of the

geology beneath the jungle is revealed.

MODERN MINING In ChILE’S aTaCama dESERT: ChaPTER 2

Chile’s Atacama Desert is one of the driest

places on earth, and home to some of the

planet’s greatest copper deposits. BHP Billiton

extracts this copper at Minera Spence, a

mine that is a model of how a modern mine

should be run. The mine produces about

200000 tonnes (220,462 short tons) of copper

every year, destined for markets around

the world, where it will be used in wiring,

pipes, electronics, and thousands of other

applications.

An important contributor to the worldwide

demand for copper, Minera Spence is

equally important to the people of the nearby

community of Sierra Gorda. The mine focuses

on sustainable operations that protect the

environment and has developed a culture of

safety and teamwork for the workers, many of

whom were born and raised in Sierra Gorda.

MINING AND THE MODERN WORLD In a TyPICaL homE: ChaPTER 3

A quick glance around a typical home in any

developed city reveals just how many minerals

are used in our everyday lives—all of them

extracted from mines around the world. From

wallboards and paint, to plastics, electronics

and even toothpaste—nearly everything is

connected to mining.

1/ a geologist in Indonesia uses core samples to explore new areas.

2/ minera Spence in Chile’s atacama desert is a model of modern mining.

3/ The typical home is filled with mined materials.

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3

2

1

ENGINEERING CHALLENGES In PaPua, IndonESIa: ChaPTER 4

As Grasberg mine in Papua, Indonesia, continues

to tackle the engineering challenges of this remote

part of the world, owner Freeport McMoRan is

also committed to developing the local human

resource—the Papuans themselves. At the

Nemangkawi Mining Institute, Papuans receive

the skilled training required to operate the mine,

particularly at extreme elevations. New operators

train on custom simulators that teach them the

techniques needed to be more productive and keep

themselves and other workers safe.

GOING UNDERGROUND In SudbuRy, Canada: ChaPTER 5

Workers at the Creighton mine in Sudbury, Canada,

know all about the challenges of underground

mining. Since the first deposit of nickel was

discovered there over a century ago, hundreds of

underground mines have been dug into the hard

rock of the Sudbury Basin, creating a community

that is founded on the nickel beneath its feet.

Creighton is now one of the deepest mines in the

world and one of the most modern.

Yet, even after a century of mining, geologists

believe there is still more ore to be found. At

an advanced underground exploration station,

geologists and geophysicists are using sophisticated

tools to look deeper into the rock. If all goes

according to plan, the new underground expansion

will double the amount of ore in the mine, adding

many more years of productivity.

MINING AND THE COMMUNITY In ThE bRong ahaFo REgIon oF ghana: ChaPTER 6

When Newmont Mining introduced mining to the

Ahafo region of Ghana, the company knew its most

important job was to show the local people how they

would benefit from the mine. Newmont learned that

the key to a successful project was to communicate

regularly with the community, to be transparent,

and to listen to the peoples’ concerns.

To make sure locals could qualify for work at the

mine, Newmont established training and education

1/ operators receive comprehensive training to prepare them to work in the challenging elevation of grasberg mine in Indonesia.

2/ The discovery of additional ore has led to an expansion of the Creighton underground mine in Canada.

3/ newmont mining is committed to creating immediate opportunities and lasting benefits to the people in the ahafo region of ghana.

1

1

2

2

33

24


programs. At the same time, Newmont and the

community started working on a way to foster long-

term benefits that would outlast the mine itself. In

partnership with Ghanaian and non-governmental

organizations, the Livelihood Enhancement and

Empowerment Program called LEEP was created.

At LEEP, people learn skills not directly related to

mining, with the goal of diversifying the economy.

The health of the community was also an important

consideration. HIV/AIDS and malaria are very real

concerns in this area, so projects that help bring

resources to local health clinics, malarial nets

into households and educational resources into

communities create lasting benefits.

MINING AND THE ENVIRONMENT In noRTh auSTRaLIa’S RuggEd ouTbaCk:

ChaPTER 7

Around the world, mining companies like Xstrata

are going to extraordinary efforts to evaluate,

monitor and minimize the impact of mining on

the environment. The zinc deposit at its McArthur

River mine in Northern Australia’s rugged outback

lies directly below the riverbed. When the river

re-channeling was first proposed, the biggest

issue was whether it could be done in an

environmentally responsible way. Many

aboriginal groups live along the river, and

there were concerns about the effects of

teaChing neW generations

In addition to co-producing

Ground Rules, Caterpillar

commissioned a set of 75 lesson

plans to help educators further examine the themes

and concepts presented in the film.

“We’re encouraging everyone in the mining industry

to view the film, then share it with their communities

and encourage teachers and schools to take advantage

of the free curriculum,” says Charlie Zimmerman, a

Caterpillar marketing representative.

A series of hands-on classroom activities introduce

students to a number of mining topics, including the

phases of mining, different types of mines, how ore is

processed, how mineral deposits are formed, how

modern mines can operate safely

and sustainably, and why minerals

are important to our everyday lives.

This material also introduces students to a wide

variety of mining careers.

All of the lesson plans have strong links to the

earth science curriculum, but many of the activities

incorporate additional connections to math, chemistry,

data management, mapping, environmental studies,

electricity, magnetism and problem-solving. Materials

were developed for three age ranges, 11 to 13, 13 to 15,

and 15 to 18.

Visit www.cat.com/groundrules to view the film

online, request a free DVD, or download the free

educational materials.

4/ a new river bed at mcarthur River mine in australia was carefully sculpted to create the unique ecosystems found in a natural river.

5/ Site reclamation was planned even before the opening of black Thunder mine in Wyoming, uSa.

5

5

4

4

the mine on the water, the surrounding land, and on

the spirit of the river itself.

Xstrata studied the biodiversity of the river so that

the new channel would be as close as possible to

the river’s natural state. Working with local experts,

native plants and seeds were collected and cultivated

for planting in and around the new channel. The

new river bed was carefully sculpted to create the

unique ecosystems that are found in a natural river,

including snags made of boulders and tree trunks.

The water is monitored constantly by Xstrata and by

governmental and non-governmental agencies, and

the results communicated to the public.

RECLAMATION In WyomIng’S PoWdER RIVER baSIn: ChaPTER 8

In Wyoming, USA, Arch Coal’s Black Thunder

operation is mining some of the largest coal seams

in the world. The scale of the operation is huge;

in fact, this one mine produces almost 9 percent

of America’s coal. The seam that Black Thunder is

mining is buried under nearly 60 meters (197 feet)

of earth and rock that must be removed to access

the coal. That overburden is eventually used in the

restoration process, carefully planned out before the

mine was even opened, and future

generations will barely know a

mine was ever here.


Visibility is always an important topic on a mine site. and when you’re a machine operator—sitting three stories high in a large mining truck—the importance becomes a matter of life and death.

objectdetection:

MAkiNg MiNE SiTES SAFER bY REDUCiNg bLiND SpOTS

Using a combination of site design and

available technologies, mining companies

take advantage of every option for increased

visibility for operators and others on site.

One of the primary scenarios where lack

of visibility can be a dangerous problem is

stopped trucks, such as when they are at

the dump site or just beginning start-up.

That’s why operator visibility is high on

the list of safety initiatives for mining

companies. In fact, visibility is one of the

top 15 priority areas identified by the Earth

Moving Equipment Safety Round Table—

a group of leading mining companies that

joined forces to encourage equipment

manufacturers to improve the design of

equipment in order to minimize health

and safety risks.

Limited visibility is a potential cause for

many types of collisions—a truck hitting

another from behind, a vehicle moving into

an oncoming lane, sideswiping or turning

into the path of a machine while passing,

and one of the most common: slow speed.

Slow speed collisions occur when a

machine is in a loading area, maintenance

area or fueling station, and it reverses,

turns or pulls forward into a light vehicle,

heavy equipment or structure.

“When you’re starting up a machine, it’s

what you don’t see that should concern

you the most,” says Ken Edwards, Health,

Safety, Environment and Community

Manager in Caterpillar’s Global Mining

Division.

Large machines, like mining haul trucks,

have equally large operator visibility blind

spots. Once an operator climbs into the cab,

he or she may be unable to see if another

machine, vehicle, or a person on foot enters

one of these blind spots, creating potential

safety hazards.

To date, one of the only ways to protect

against collisions in the blind areas of a

truck has been procedural barriers—like

no-go zones for light vehicles, standard

parking and start-up procedures, and

audible reversing alarms that warn those

nearby. But even with these procedures in

place, the problem of slow speed collisions

has not been eliminated.

An improved approach is to provide

enhanced driver vision supplemented by

an automatic detection system that looks in

all high-risk directions at once, identifies

potential problems and attracts the driver’s

attention to those areas where potential

collisions could occur.

looking For a teChnology solution

“Every year we interview our mining

customers and every year that tell us that

safety is their number one priority,” says

Edwards. Several years ago, Caterpillar

brought in four of its mining customers

and gathered data on over 300 accidents

from their mine sites. The data showed that

over half of those accidents could have been

avoided by the use of technology to help

operators see what’s in their blind spots.

“Our customers want to make sure

operators and all personnel on their sites

go home safely at the end of every shift,”

says Edwards. “As a leading manufacturer

providing equipment to them, it’s our

challenge to work with them and help

them to deliver on that goal.”

So Cat engineers set out to determine what

technologies could be developed to help

avoid slow speed collisions. After reviewing

a number of possibilities, including

RFID tagging and sonar technologies,

the company determined that the use of

cameras and radars would provide the


best solution. The result is the new Cat®

Integrated Object Detection System™.

The system enhances haul truck operators’

awareness during the critical period when

they are starting their truck and during the

first several seconds of movement. The

system consists of a touch screen display,

short range radar (up to 7 meters / 23 feet),

medium range radar (up to 20 meters / 66

feet) and cameras on the front, rear and

sides of the machine.

“Our goal was to take advantage of multiple

technologies integrated with each other

and the mining machine to provide as few

inputs to the operator as possible,” says

Steve Rieker, marketing supervisor in the

Electronic and Machine Systems Division

of Caterpillar. “Radar and cameras were the

best choice in our opinion.”

Radar is considered the most robust

technology to address the greatest number

of scenarios because it works at night

and can see through rain, dust and snow,

says Rieker. “By partnering the radar with

cameras, we have vision and detection

functionality in one. And unlike RFID

systems, our technology does not require

the object being detected to be tagged—an

issue our customers told us they didn't

want to manage.”

The system was introduced at Caterpillar’s

Tinaja Hills Demonstration and Learning

Center in Tucson, Arizona, USA, in fall

2009 and is available now as a retrofit

system for existing Cat 785-797 mining

trucks. In mid-year 2010, the system will

also be available as a retrofit for the new

F-Series large mining trucks, and will come

factory-fit for D- and F-series large mining

trucks in early 2011. The future could see

the system offered for other large trucks,

wheel loaders, motor graders, articulated

trucks, large track-type tractors and

hydraulic excavators. Under consideration

are similar systems for drills, shovels and

competitive trucks.

hoW it Works

The Cat Integrated Object Detection System

consists of an interactive, color, touch

screen display in the cab; four short-range

radars in the front and rear of the machine;

medium range radars on all four sides; and

cameras on all four sides.

At startup and whenever a truck stops for a

set period of time, the touch screen display

alerts the operator when objects have

entered critical areas around the machine.

The radar view provides a visual indication

of where the objects are relative to the

machine. Objects in the front, rear or side

critical zones, or the truck’s turn radius, will

cause that zone on the display to blink red.

An audible alarm sounds when an object

has been detected and if the operator has

not acknowledged it when the machine is

placed in gear.

The system remains active through 20

meters (66 feet) of start-up travel; the

system is always on when the truck is

traveling in reverse. Once the truck is safely

moving, the radar system enters standby

mode while the cameras remain active.

“Of course, using the system does not

replace the basic safety precautions that

operators should follow every day,” says

Rieker. “But we believe this can have a

significant impact on making mine sites

safer for everyone.”

Caterpillar considers object detection one

of the building blocks for what it sees as the

future of mining—autonomy. That vision

goes beyond haulage to bring together

various mining systems to create a fully-

integrated, autonomous mine site, where

every piece of equipment “knows” the

location and status of every other—and

where mine managers can see and control

the entire site.

FEATURES OF ThE CAT iNTEgRATED

ObjECT DETECTiON SYSTEM

Durability. The Cat system was built for mining

customers and the rugged environments in

which they operate.

integration. The self-contained Cat system

is integrated into the machine onboard

system and tied into Cat data link. This allows

the machine system and electronics to pick

up and feed information into the Object

Detection System.

Ease of use. The system starts up when the

machine starts up, so no operator interaction

is required. The intuitive touch-screen display

can be customized in multiple languages.

Operator quick-reference cards and online

tutorial make learning the system easy.

Convenience. There are multiple operator

display mounting locations—in the head liner

or instrument panel. The display is dimmable

and adjusts brightness automatically.

Multiple alert levels. The Cat system provides

multiple alert levels to give operators flexibility

and to ensure that detected objects are indeed

recognized.

The “Caution Zone” warning is active when an

object has been detected in the caution zone.

The audible warning alarm is not active and the

operator is not required to acknowledge this

warning in order to avoid an audible alarm.

The “Critical Zone” warning is active when

an object has been detected in the critical

zone. The audible warning alarm is not

active; however, the operator is required to

acknowledge this warning in order to avoid

an audible alarm.

An audible alarm will become active in the

event the operator has not acknowledged a

Critical Zone warning, places the machine in

gear, and attempts to move in the direction of

the detected object.

Scalability. The system allows the user to start

with a vision system and later upgrade to the

full detection system.

Cat support. The system will be sold, serviced

and supported by the Cat dealer network,

with parts available through the global parts

distribution network.

For more information visit cat.com/objectdetect

In 2009, Caterpillar produced its 50,000th rigid-

frame off-highway truck out of its facility in Decatur,

Illinois. Representatives from Prodeco group, which

purchased the truck, and Cat dealer Gecolsa were

on hand to celebrate as the truck was completed.

Today, the 91-tonne (100-short-ton) capacity 777F

is hard at work at Prodeco coal operations in

Colombia. This was the 112th 777 truck delivered

to Prodeco, which recently expanded its haulage

fleet with 61 new 777F trucks and 22 new Cat 789C

trucks. Colombia’s fastest growing coal exporter, the

Prodeco group produces high quality steam coal.

The group’s all Cat fleet receives full support from

Cat dealer Gecolsa.

777F AT wORk iN COLOMbiA

caTerPillar ProduceS 50,000th off-hiGhWaY TrucK



NEw ENgiNE TEChNOLOgiES wiLL MEET TiER 4 STANDARDS

Caterpillar recently unveiled its Tier 4 Interim/Stage IIIB engine technology, which includes an integrated system design built upon the success of the company’s ACERT technology. Additional technologies, including powertrain innovation and after-treatment devices, will be specifically tailored and applied to products to meet the stringent emission requirements required by law. The project is one of the most aggressive product development initiatives in Caterpillar history and is necessary to meet new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and European Union standards that require emissions of particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen to be reduced by more than 90 percent. Caterpillar estimates the new engine technology will accumulate nearly one million hours of testing by the end of 2010.

NEw COMpANY iN ChiNA TO pROViDE REMANUFACTURiNg

Caterpillar (China) Investment Co., Ltd. And China Yuchai International Limited, through its main operating subsidiary, Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Co., Ltd., have signed a joint-venture agreement to establish a company that will provide remanufacturing services for Yuchai diesel engines and components and certain Cat diesel engines and components. The new company will provide remanufactured engines and components to its customers worldwide by leveraging remanufacturing technology through the Caterpillar Remanufacturing and Sustainable Solutions Division, Cat Reman. The joint venture will be the first remanufacturing joint venture for Caterpillar in China.

R&D FACiLiTY wiLL SUppORT OpERATiONS iN ASiA pACiFiC

Caterpillar recently opened a new multi-functional research and development center in Wuxi, Jiangsu province to support growing operations in China and the Asia Pacific region. The Wuxi R&D center will focus on engine and component product and process development, validation, localization and technological training. Among its many functions, the new center will have an engine test facility with performance and emissions development capability, an advanced materials laboratory, an electronics laboratory, a system and machine integration facility and validation capability.

SpECiALizED ChASSiS DESigNED FOR wATER TRUCkS

Caterpillar recently began offering specialized chassis to improve performance and customer satisfaction for customers in the water truck market. The first Water Truck (WTR) models to be offered are the Cat 773F WTR and 777F WTR Off-Highway Trucks and the 785D WTR Mining Truck. Caterpillar supplies a table of suggested sizes for water tanks, which are available from various tank manufacturers around the world.

MiNESTAR™ FLEETCOMMANDER FEATURES UpgRADES

Caterpillar recently released FleetCommander 3.0, which includes software and hardware updates that expand capabilities for improving day-to-day mine site operations. This comprehensive surface mine monitoring and control system uses technology to improve productivity and lower costs. Real-time interaction with mobile field equipment allows mine managers to improve machine utilization, manage operators, track material movement and monitor production in near real-time. Operations that have switched from manual control to FleetCommander typically have experienced a 10- to 15-percent productivity improvement. FleetCommander 3.0 builds on these proven results with an additional 5 percent productivity improvement compared to previous versions.

gATELESS COAL bODY bOOSTS pRODUCTiViTY

A new gateless coal body designed for the Cat 777F mining truck significantly enhances performance in coal applications, while eliminating the many disadvantages of bodies that are field-modified to increase capacity. This body joins a family of coal-specific bodies available for the Cat 785, 789 and 793 mining trucks. The gateless body combines a robust understructure with a floor that angles upward toward the rear for nearly two-thirds of the body length. The precise geometry of the floor positively retains the load and results in hauling target payloads consistently with minimal spillage. In addition, the relatively low height greatly increases loading efficiency for faster cycles.

SiMFORMOTiON™ TO DELiVER SiMULATOR SOLUTiONS

Caterpillar has reached an agreement with Simformotion LLC to deliver operator training simulator solutions to heavy equipment owners and training organizations. The company will develop, manufacture and distribute Caterpillar branded operator training simulator products through its Morton, Ill., USA, headquarters. Simformotion is an affiliate of CSE Software, which offers integrated Information Technology services for clients worldwide. Caterpillar Equipment Training Solutions has been developing and building personal simulators for heavy equipment training since 2004. This agreement will result in an expansion of the Cat simulator product line.

CATERpiLLAR jOiNS CLEAN-COAL pARTNERShip

Caterpillar recently announced its intent to join the FutureGen Alliance, a public-private partnership established to build a first-of-its-kind coal-fired, near-zero emissions power plant in Mattoon, Ill., USA. The facility is designed to be the cleanest coal burning plant in the world and will integrate advanced technologies for coal gasification, electricity production, emissions control, carbon dioxide capture and permanent storage and hydrogen production on a commercial scale.

MiNiNg TRUCkS TRAVEL ACROSS gObi DESERT

After a journey of thousands of kilometers across the United States, the Pacific Ocean and China, two Cat 785C mining trucks reached the border of Mongolia, where they then began the most difficult portion of their trip: across the wilds of Gobi desert. Wagner Asia, the Cat dealer in Mongolia, assembled the trucks upon their border crossing into Mongolia. It then took 48 hours of driving across the desert to deliver them to Ukhaakhudag, a coal mining project near Tavan Tolgoi in Mongolia. A month later, three other trucks followed the same route, and more are slated to follow.

neWS caTerPillar

froM

» For more Caterpillar news, visit www.cat.com

777F AT wORk iN COLOMbiA

caTerPillar ProduceS 50,000th off-hiGhWaY TrucK


www.cat.com

© 2010 Caterpillar | All Rights Reserved | Printed in USA

CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow” and the “Power Edge” trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

AEDQ0049

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