PERTH - Mining giant Rio Tinto is continuing to buy the Pilbara region of Wa, announcing on Monday a further $518-million investment within the world's first automated long-distance heavy-haul rail network.
The first driverless trains can be launched in 2014, with all the AutoHaul automated train programme scheduled for completion later this current year.
AutoHaul is part on the automation element of Rio Tinto's Mine into the future initiative that also includes driverless trucks and autonomous drills. On its 1 500 km rail network, Rio currently runs 41 trains from mines to ports, comprising 148 locomotives and 9 400 iron-ore cars.
Automating train operations will permit the corporation to inflate Pilbara production capacity while not having to generate a substantial investment in additional trains, the miner said in a very statement. grinder grinding mill
It will drive productivity improvements, with greater flexibility in train scheduling along with the removing of driver changeover times creating extra capacity in the rail network. Other benefits include better fuel use, leading to lower energy costs and a decrease in skin tightening and emissions for each large amount of iron ore produced.
Rio's Australian and iron-ore chief Sam Walsh declared the organization was leading the way in large-scale using automation, with intentions to deploy 150 driverless trucks and its plans for AutoHaul.
"Expanding Pilbara iron-ore production is iron ore crusher plant really a high-return and low-risk investment for Rio Tinto which will enhance shareholder value. Automation will let us meet our expansion targets within a safe, more cost-effective and cost-effective way."
Walsh said that automation also helped the corporation address the functional skills shortage facing that is a, providing a priceless possiblity to improve productivity.
"However, once we expand our business we will have a general increase in job numbers which will provide new opportunities from the rail division and elsewhere. As usual, we'll engage directly with those affected as we gradually make transition to automation in the next 3 years."
Earlier this year, Rio announced who's would be spending a further $3.5-billion in iron-ore investments from the Pilbara, with many $2.2-billion being invested to supply everything of the Nammuldi iron-ore mine, raising the miner's Pilbara production capability 283-million tons a year.
The Nammuldi project would extend the prevailing mining operation to beneath the water table, crusher india improving the mine's life by some 14 years, with a production rate of 16-million tons per year.
A further $1.2-billion could well be invested in the Cape Lambert port and rail early works, essential for the proposed expansion to 353-million tons per year. Rio's share from the Cape Lambert investment would cost you around $700-million.
No comments:
Post a Comment