Patent Grant
9976419
The present invention relates to apparatus, method and system for extracting ore from block caves. In particular, the present invention relates to automated guided vehicles and associated apparatus, for a block caving mining operation.
Block and panel caving is an efficient technique that uses gravity to extract ore from an ore body. Caverns of broken rock are blasted at an upper level beneath the ore body to be recovered, extraction tunnels are formed at a lower level there below and a series of relatively narrow drawbells are blasted between the upper and lower levels to allow broken cavern rock to fall through the drawbells into the underlying extraction tunnels, through which the rock can be removed. A description of block caving is found in the background of International Publication NO. WO2011/100808 by Technological Resources Pty Limited entitled “Underground Mining” and the method of rock blasting is described in the background of US Patent Publication No. 2012/0242135 by Thomson et al. entitled “Method of Underground Rock Blasting”.
The extracting of the ore from the draw points and its delivery to a crusher is conventionally carried out by an autonomous guide vehicle (AGV) known as Load Haul Dump (LHD) unit. These units are typically semi-automated and remotely controlled by an operator. The problem with this method is that each load carried by an LHD unit takes several minutes due to the travel distance between the draw point and the crusher. To achieve high tonnages many LHD units are required and because they are large machines, traffic management becomes an issue and “bottlenecking” around the crusher and shared drives limits production.
Each LHD unit typically has a front bucket for loading and carrying ore, and the size of this bucket generally determines the width of the vehicle. In many block caving operations the tunnels have a width of about 5 m, and two LHD units cannot readily pass each other. Typically an LHD will be brought into a branch tunnel or park bay in order for another LHD to pass.
The present invention seeks to overcome at least some of the abovementioned disadvantages by providing apparatus, method and system for extracting ore from block caves.
According to a first aspect the present invention consists in a combination of a loader unit and haul unit for use in a block caving mining operation, each of said loader unit and haul unit comprising a removable bucket which can be used for loading ore, wherein in use said bucket carrying a load of ore can be transferred from said loader unit to said haul unit so that said haul unit can transport said ore from a loading site to a crusher.
Preferably each of said loader unit and said haul unit have a respective longitudinal axis extending from the fore end to the aft thereof, and said bucket is elongate with a longitudinal axis, and in use when said bucket is mounted to the said loader unit the longitudinal axis of said bucket is disposed orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of said loader unit, and when said bucket is transferred to said haul unit said bucket is placed upright on said haul unit with the longitudinal axis of said bucket parallel to the longitudinal axis of said haul unit.
Preferably the width of said haul unit with said bucket mounted thereon is substantially narrower than said loader unit with said bucket mounted thereon.
Preferably with said bucket removed said haul unit is substantially smaller than said loader unit with said bucket removed.
Preferably in use said bucket carrying a load of ore can be transferred from said haul unit to a handling mechanism able to manipulate said bucket so that said load of ore is emptied into a dump station of said crusher.
Preferably said bucket has at least two female attachment members, each female attachment member at opposed ends of said bucket.
Preferably said loader unit has two spaced apart male attachment members each of which is adapted to slidably engage with a respective said female attachment member.
Preferably said haul unit has two spaced apart recesses each of which is adapted to engage with a respective spaced apart male projections projecting from the base of said bucket.
Preferably both said loader unit and haul unit are AGVs.
Preferably in alternative embodiment said loader unit is an AGV and said haul unit is an AGV mounted on a suspended mono-rail system.
According to a second aspect the present invention consists in a bucket for use in a block caving mining operation, said bucket being removably attachable to a loader unit and a haul unit, said bucket capable of being transferred from said loader unit to said haul unit and vice versa.
Preferably each of said loader unit and haul unit have a respective longitudinal axis extending from the fore end to the aft thereof, and said bucket is elongate with a longitudinal axis, and in use when said bucket is mounted to the said loader unit the longitudinal axis of said bucket is disposed orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of said loader unit, and when said bucket is transferred to said haul unit said bucket is placed upright on said haul unit with the longitudinal axis of said bucket parallel to the longitudinal axis of said haul unit.
Preferably the width of said haul unit with said bucket mounted thereon is substantially narrower than said loader unit with said bucket mounted thereon.
Preferably with said bucket removed said haul unit is substantially smaller than said loader unit with said bucket removed.
Preferably in use said bucket carrying a load of ore can be transferred from said haul unit to a handling mechanism able to manipulate said bucket so that said load of ore is emptied into a dump station of said crusher.
Preferably said bucket has at least two female attachment members, each female attachment member at opposed ends of said bucket.
Preferably said loader unit has two spaced apart male attachment members each of which is adapted to slidably engage with a respective said female attachment member.
Preferably said haul unit has two spaced apart recesses each of which is adapted to engage with a respective spaced apart male projections projecting from the base of said bucket.
Preferably both said loader unit and haul unit are AGVs.
Preferably in an alternative embodiment said loader unit is an AGV and said haul unit is an AGV mounted on a suspended mono-rail system.
According to a third aspect the present invention consists in a method for ore extraction in a block caving mining operation, said method comprising the use of at least one removable bucket capable of being removably attached to a loader unit and a haul unit, wherein in use said removable bucket when mounted on said loader unit can be used for loading ore at a loading site, and said removable bucket carrying a load of ore can be transferred from said loader unit to said haul unit so that said haul unit can transport said load of ore from a loading site to a crusher.
Preferably each of said loader unit and haul unit have a respective longitudinal axis extending from the fore end to the aft thereof, and said bucket is elongate with a longitudinal axis, and in use when said bucket is mounted to the said loader unit the longitudinal axis of said bucket is disposed orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of said loader unit, and when said bucket is transferred to said haul unit said bucket is placed upright on said haul unit with the longitudinal axis of said bucket parallel to the longitudinal axis of said haul unit.
Preferably the width of said haul unit with said bucket mounted thereon is substantially narrower than said loader unit with said bucket mounted thereon.
Preferably with said bucket removed said haul unit is substantially smaller than said loader unit with said bucket removed.
Preferably in use said bucket carrying a load of ore can be transferred from said haul unit to a handling mechanism able to manipulate said bucket so that said load of ore is emptied into a dump station of said crusher.
Preferably said bucket has at least two female attachment members, each female attachment member at opposed ends of said bucket, and said loader unit has two spaced apart male attachment members each of which is adapted to slidably engage with a respective said female attachment member.
Preferably both said loader unit and haul unit are AGVs.
Preferably in alternative embodiment said loader unit is an AGV and said haul unit is an AGV mounted on a suspended mono-rail system.
According to a fourth aspect the present invention consists in a system for ore extraction in a block caring mining operation, said system comprising, a plurality of buckets, each of which capable of being used to load and carry ore; a plurality of loader units, each capable of having one of said buckets removably attached thereto; a plurality of haul units, each capable of having one of said buckets removably mounted thereto; and at least one handling mechanism associated with a dump station of a crusher is able to receive and manipulate said buckets, wherein in use at least one of said loader units with a first of said buckets attached thereto can be used for loading and carrying a load of ore at a loading site, and said first bucket can be transferred from said at least one loader unit to at least one of said haul units so that said at least one haul unit can transport said load of ore from the loading site to a crusher.
Preferably said at least one loader unit and said at least one haul unit have a respective longitudinal axis extending from the fore end to the aft thereof, and said first bucket is elongate with a longitudinal axis, and in use when said first bucket is mounted to said loader unit the longitudinal axis of said first bucket is disposed orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of said loader unit, and when said first bucket is transferred to said haul unit said first bucket is placed upright on said haul unit with the longitudinal axis of said first bucket parallel to the longitudinal axis of said haul unit.
Preferably the width of said at least one haul unit with said first bucket mounted thereon is substantially narrower than said at least one loader unit with said first bucket mounted thereon.
Preferably with said first bucket removed said at least one haul unit is substantially smaller than said at least one loader unit with said first bucket removed.
Preferably in use said first bucket carrying said load of ore can be transferred from said at least one haul unit to said handling mechanism so that said load of ore is emptied into said dump station.
Preferably each of said buckets has at least two female attachment members, and each of said loader units have two spaced apart male attachment members each of which is adapted to slidably engage with a respective said female attachment member of one of said buckets.
Preferably both said loader units and haul units are AGVs.
Preferably in an alternative embodiment said loader units are AGVs and said haul units are AGVs mounted on a suspended mono-rail system.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Both loader unit 1 and haul unit 2 are preferably autonomous guide vehicles (AGVs) that are semi-automated and remotely controlled by an operator.
Bucket 2 has two female attachment members 4 at opposed ends thereof and scoop 8. The bucket also has to spaced-apart male projections 13 projecting from its base 16.
Loader unit 1 is provided with a hydraulically actuated linkage assembly 5 having two spaced-apart prongs 6 adapted to engage female attachment members 4. When bucket 2 is attached to load unit 1, a cross member 7 of linkage assembly 5 is disposed near or abuts a lip 9 of bucket 2.
In use, a loader unit 1 with bucket 2 attached thereto is able to scoop up a load of ore 10. By means of manipulating linkage assembly 5, bucket 2 is oriented such that it can be placed on haul unit 3 in an upright position. The projections 13 engage with recesses 18 in haul unit 3 to ensure bucket 2 is correctly seated.
Haul unit 3 may then be used to transport load of ore 10 through a tunnel 11 to a dump station 12 associated with a crusher. Dump station 12 has a handling mechanism 14 for removing bucket 2 from haul unit 3 and manipulating it so that bucket 2 is overturned and emptied into dump station 12.
Loader unit 1 and haul unit 3 have respective longitudinal axes LL and LH extending from the fore end to the aft thereof. Bucket 2 which is elongate, has a longitudinal axis LB In use when bucket 2 is mounted to loader unit 1, longitudinal axis LB of bucket 2 is disposed orthogonally to longitudinal axis LL of loader unit 1. When bucket 2 is transferred to haul unit 3, bucket 2 is placed upright thereon with its longitudinal axis LB parallel to the longitudinal axis LH of haul unit 3.
With the bucket removed, haul unit 3 is substantially smaller than loader unit 1. Also, with bucket 2 mounted (or supported) by haul unit 3 in an upright position, the width WH of haul unit is substantially narrower than the width WL of loader unit 1 with bucket mounted thereon.
In use, the system preferably relies on a plurality of loader units 1 being used to scoop up loads of ore 10 using removable buckets 2, and a plurality of haul units 3 to transfer ore 10 through tunnel 11 to dump station 12.
Because haul units 3 are smaller and narrower than loader units 1, and because of the manner in which each bucket 2 is mounted on a respective haul unit 3, it is much easier to navigate haul units 3 within a tunnel 11. This means that loader units 1 can be used in and around the draw point 19, and haul units used to more easily navigate through tunnels 11. Because of the narrower width of haul units 3, and the way a bucket 2 is supported on a haul unit 3, it is possible to more readily have two haul units 3 pass each other in tunnel 11 as shown in
The plurality of like buckets 2 used in the system are able to be picked up by any loader unit 1 for scooping up ore, and able to be transferred to any haul unit 3 for transportation to dump station 12.
In an alternative embodiment, a mono-rail 100 is employed. Loader unit 1 and removable bucket 2 of the first embodiment are still used at the draw point 19 to scoop up ore. However in this alternative embodiment a haul unit 103, in the form of a mono-rail carriage, is able to have bucket 2 transferred and secured to it from loader unit 1. Preferably haul unit 103 is also an AGV. Once bucket 2 is supported by haul unit 103, it may be transported along mono-rail 100 through tunnel 11 to a dump station 12. In this embodiment, bucket 2 does not need to have projections 13 of the first embodiment. Dump station for this alternative embodiment may have a handling mechanism 14 for removing bucket 2 and manipulating it so that it is overturned and emptied into dump station 12. However, in another not shown embodiment, a handling mechanism could be provided for overturning and emptying a bucket 2 into a dump station, whilst bucket remains 2 suspended from haul unit 103.
In both of the above described embodiments traffic management can be improved and “bottlenecking” around the dump station 12 for the crusher can be minimized or eliminated.
In the abovementioned embodiments loader unit 1 and haul unit 3 are shown as AGV's having four wheels, however it should be understood that in other embodiments they may have other wheel or track arrangements.
Whilst in the abovementioned embodiments the loader unit 1 utilises prongs 6 of linkage assembly 5 to engage with female members 4 on bucket 2, it should be understood that in other not shown embodiments some other method of attaching or engagement could be used between loader unit 1 and bucket 2. Similarly, whilst bucket 2 utilises projections 13 to engage with recesses 18 on haul unit 3, it should be understood that in other not shown embodiments some other method of attaching or engagement could be used between haul unit 3 and bucket 2.
The terms “comprising” and “including” (and their grammatical variations) as used herein are used in inclusive sense and not in the exclusive sense of “consisting only of”.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013901182 | Apr 2013 | AU | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/AU2014/000375 | 4/7/2014 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2014/165903 | 10/16/2014 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3081894 | Osgood | Mar 1963 | A |
| 3235983 | Wilson | Feb 1966 | A |
| 3520432 | Henriksson | Jul 1970 | A |
| 3679078 | Wetzel | Jul 1972 | A |
| 3752334 | Robinson, Jr. | Aug 1973 | A |
| 3809267 | Knight | May 1974 | A |
| 3844617 | Kostman | Oct 1974 | A |
| 3887091 | Buck | Jun 1975 | A |
| 4007693 | Desourdy | Feb 1977 | A |
| 4200330 | Scott | Apr 1980 | A |
| 4709541 | Broman | Dec 1987 | A |
| 5082082 | Hvolka | Jan 1992 | A |
| 5120182 | Hvolka | Jun 1992 | A |
| 5147011 | Hvolka | Sep 1992 | A |
| 5221173 | Barnes | Jun 1993 | A |
| 5338140 | Ekdahl | Aug 1994 | A |
| 5515624 | Beatty | May 1996 | A |
| 5944471 | Smith et al. | Aug 1999 | A |
| 7014411 | Westendorf | Mar 2006 | B2 |
| 7284777 | Kraemer | Oct 2007 | B1 |
| 8708383 | Roberts | Apr 2014 | B1 |
| 8915505 | Plesh | Dec 2014 | B2 |
| 9057179 | Kubas | Jun 2015 | B1 |
| 9243879 | Thomson et al. | Jan 2016 | B2 |
| 9446777 | Umbro | Sep 2016 | B2 |
| 20060175779 | Zak | Aug 2006 | A1 |
| 20120292868 | Goellner | Nov 2012 | A1 |
| 20130049435 | Graham | Feb 2013 | A1 |
| 20140367934 | Ludlow | Dec 2014 | A1 |
| 20150071747 | Deahl | Mar 2015 | A1 |
| 20160237820 | Kodama | Aug 2016 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 4316677 | Nov 1993 | DE |
| WO 1989006207 | Jul 1989 | WO |
| WO 2011100808 | Aug 2011 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report dated Jun. 25, 2014 based on PCT/AU2014/000375, 3 pages. |
| European Supplementary Search Report dated Jan. 5, 2017 for European Patent Application No. 14782820.6-1610/3008288. |
| Australian Examination Report dated Mar. 20, 2017 for Australian Patent Application No. 2014252755. |
| PCT/AU2014/000375, Apr. 7, 2014, WO 2014/165903. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20160245083 A1 | Aug 2016 | US |
