Mineral Resources’ (MinRes) Ken’s Bore mine site is now home to Western Australia’s first third-generation electric hybrid wheel loader, which will undertake load and haul activities at the Onslow Iron operation.
MinRes’ Executive General Manager Asset Management, Dale Blyth, said the Komatsu E1850-3 is the biggest loader MinRes has acquired and will bring a host of environmental and productivity benefits.
“MinRes is committed to investing in the latest technology to power our transition to net-zero operations, while still achieving operational efficiencies.
“Our new Komatsu wheel loader does exactly that, producing substantially less carbon emissions compared to mechanical drives while still delivering higher payloads.”
The machine features the fully regenerative SR hybrid drive system, which during braking or retarding causes electrical motors to become generators, feeding power back into its Kinetic Energy Storage System (KESS).
This helps deliver up to 45 per cent less fuel consumption than comparably-sized mechanical drive wheel loaders.
Loader fit-out was completed at the Komatsu workshop in Welshpool, with MinRes subsidiary CSI Mining Services constructing the loader bucket.
The machine was transported to Ken’s Bore mine site by a 13-line platform and trucks with a combined length of 55m, along with a 50t and 100t float and four semi-trailers.
Image credit: Mino Surkala/shutterstock.com
