Heavy equipment used in iron mines is essential for extracting, transporting, and processing iron ore efficiently. Here are the key types of machinery commonly used:
1. Excavators
– Purpose: Digging, loading, and removing overburden (waste rock).
– Types:
– Hydraulic Shovels (e.g., Komatsu PC8000, Caterpillar 6090) – High digging force.
– Electric Rope Shovels (e.g., P&H 4100XPC) – Used in large-scale open-pit mining.
2. Haul Trucks
– Purpose: Transporting ore and waste material.
– Examples:
– Caterpillar 797F (400-ton capacity)
– Komatsu 980E-4 (363-ton capacity)
– BelAZ 75710 (450-ton capacity, one of the largest in the world).
3. Drilling Rigs
– Purpose: Blast hole drilling for explosives.
– Types:
– Rotary Drills (e.g., Atlas Copco Pit Viper)
– DTH (Down-the-Hole) Drills for hard rock.
4. Wheel Loaders
– Purpose: Loading mined material into trucks.
– Examples:
– Caterpillar 994K
– Liebherr L586.
5. Bulldozers & Graders
– Purpose: Leveling roads, clearing debris, and maintaining haulage routes.
– Examples:
– C
rpillar D11T (bulldozer)
– Komatsu GD825A-7 (grader).
6. Crushers & Screens
– Purpose: Crushing and sizing iron ore before processing.
– Types:
– Gyratory Crushers (e.g., Metso Superior MKIII)
– Jaw Crushers
– Cone Crushers
– Vibrating Screens for sorting.
7. Conveyor Systems
– Purpose: Transporting crushed ore efficiently over long distances.
– Used in both open-pit and underground mines.
8. Draglines
– Purpose: Removing large volumes of overburden in open-pit mines.
– Example: Bucyrus Erie 8750 (massive dragline with a
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