Earlier this month, after Collahuasi mine released the news, Liebherr Mining confirmed that it had put into use a complete overhead power supply solution at this copper mine in northern Chile.
This is the first overhead power supply line to be fully operational in Chile. The solution includes T 284 type trucks equipped with modified pantographs for connection, as well as all related infrastructure. Liebherr stated that all aspects of this overhead power supply solution, from engineering design, component supply to training and technical support, were provided by Liebherr.
The mine is located in the Tarapaca region of Chile, at an altitude of 4,500 meters. When designing the overhead power supply lines, it faced unique challenges due to the extremely harsh environment here, with frequent strong winds and seismic activities.
Currently, four Liebherr T 284 360-ton mining trucks are operating on the 1-kilometer-long overhead power supply line of this project.
Liebherr stated that delivering this complete overhead power supply solution is a major achievement for them. The complete overhead power supply solution encompasses engineering design and manufacturing of infrastructure, power system, and truck-mounted hardware; on-site implementation and commissioning; as well as training and technical support for the employees of the Collahuasi mine.
Oliver Weiss, Executive Vice President of Research, Engineering and Production at Liebherr-Mining Equipment, said: "Although the Collahuasi project is our first delivery of a complete overhead power supply solution, we have extensive experience in overhead power supply technology. We have supplied 38 360-ton overhead power supply trucks in Panama, 15 360-ton trucks in Zambia, and 7 100-ton trucks in Austria. We combined these experiences with our internal expertise and close cooperation with the Collahuasi mine to achieve this outstanding result."
The overhead power supply lines of the Collahuasi mine can support the operation of two T 284 super-large trucks simultaneously. This is due to the two 5.5-megawatt transformers in the power system. The components of the overhead power supply lines are sourced globally, and the on-site management is handled by Liebherr Chile.
Gonzalo Garcia, the general manager of Liebherr in Chile's mining sector, said: "We use our global network to find the best resources for this project. The engineering design of the power poles and contact wire lines for the overhead power supply system is carried out in Chile. The transformers and the electrical rooms that protect them are designed and manufactured in South Africa. The auxiliary components, such as tension wheels, contact wires and suspension cables, come from various places in our international supply chain."
Liebherr stated that although the Collahuasi mine is responsible for completing the civil engineering required for installing the overhead power supply lines, Liebherr Chile provided professional assistance in terms of transportation road specifications and on-site construction.
The pantograph technology was installed on four T 284 type trucks of the Collahuasi mine. This was managed by the Leibheuer sales and service company in Chile - Leibheuer Chile Company, and received support from the truck production factory of Leibheuer located in Newport News, Virginia, USA. To reduce downtime, the installation process was carried out in stages. First, the upper structure of the trucks was modified to enable overhead power supply conditions. Then, when the overhead power supply infrastructure began to be completed, the technicians of Leibheuer Chile Company installed the pantographs on the trucks.
Liebherr stated that extensive training has been conducted for the truck operators at the Collahuasi mine to ensure that the overhead power supply lines can reach their maximum potential.
Now, the Collahuasi mine has taken over the operational control of the overhead power supply lines, and Liebherr will continue to provide additional training for the mine staff and offer technical expertise when needed.
Weiss concluded: "This project is a model of strategic cooperation, fully demonstrating the results that can be achieved through collaboration. We look forward to seeing the long-term results and hope to expand the application scope of Liebherr's overhead power supply solutions in the future."