Modern Mining February 2018

COVER STORY

speed is needed, the eco-pedal mechanism can be overridden. The next generation Contronic monitor- ing system and digital display incorporate the latest improvements in intelligent Human Machine Interface (HMI). The system monitors operation and performance in real-time, pro- viding the operator with all necessary machine information. To make routine maintenance and daily ser- vice checks quick and easy, the design of the engine hood has been improved, allowing com- plete access to the engine compartment. Engine side hood panels and a platform around the cab also enable operators or technicians to move easily around the machine. The L350H is the flagship of a wheel loader range which includes the L150H, L180H and L220H. “If you ask most people in mining and quarrying what machine Volvo CE is best known for, they will probably say it is the artic- ulated hauler,” says Vaughan. “This has been an iconic product for Volvo ever since it was first introduced in the 1960s. In fact, the com- pany’s history in wheel loaders goes back even further to the 1950s, so there is a vast experi- ence behind the current wheel loader line. “The machines are well-known for their excellent performance and fuel efficiency. Certainly, they have proven very popular in Southern Africa and we have a large popula- tion out in the field. Many of them are working in coal mining and coal rehandling but there are quite a few in diamond mining and hard rock mining applications. Recent orders have included the delivery of L220s to one of Zambia’s biggest open-pit copper mines.” He adds that Volvo loaders are particularly known for their durability (which also con- tributes to the high resale values they typically command). “These machines absorb the hours very well and it is not uncommon for them to do well in excess of 25 000 hours. In fact, we recently traded in an L350, which had around 25 000 hours on it. It required only minimal work to get it into shape for resale and it is now working – very successfully – for a Zimbabwean customer in a tough chrome operation.” While the L350H has a Z-bar linkage sys- tem, the L150H, L180H and L220H all feature Volvo’s unique TP (Torque Parallel) linkage, which delivers high breakout force and excel- lent parallel movement throughout the entire lifting range. The loaders are also equipped with Volvo’s OptiShift technology, which combines the company’s patented Reverse by Braking (RBB) technology with a lockup torque converter to boost productivity and efficiency

in all applications and reduce fuel consump- tion by up to 18 %. The introduction of the new L350H comes hard on the heels of two other major new mod- els from Volvo CE that arrived in South Africa last year – the Volvo A60H articulated dump truck and the 90-tonne Volvo EC950E crawler excavator, the biggest articulated dump truck in the world and the largest excavator that Volvo has ever produced respectively. Both these machines have done extremely well in the marketplace, particularly the A60H, 13 of which have now been sold to customers in the Southern African region. “The Volvo CE range is steadily expanding into the higher end of the mining market with new machines such as the A60H, the EC950E and the L350H being capable of working in even the biggest and most demanding of min- ing applications,” says Vaughan. “Soon we will also be able to supply the Volvo R100E rigid hauler as well – which is particularly significant since trucks in this class form the backbone of many large-scale mining opera- tions. The message to Babcock’s customers is that we now have a Volvo CE line-up that is able to meet virtually all their needs in terms of excavating, loading and hauling in both quarry- ing and mining.” Looking at prospects, Vaughan says that Babcock is very positive. “We’ve enjoyed an excellent 2017 – it surpassed expectations,” he says. “We believe the coming year could be even better. The world economy is doing well, there are strong signs that mining is recovering, and certainly most of our customers are very bullish, with many of them planning to renew their fleets. We definitely see 2018 as a year of further growth for Babcock.” 

The Volvo L350H is a 50-ton class machine.

“We’ve enjoyed an excellent 2017

– it surpassed expectations. We believe the coming year could be even better.”

February 2018  MODERN MINING  21