Spudless Dredge Automation
TiZir Grande Côte Operations SA | Senegal | 2012-2014
10-20%
higher productivity
Largest
mining dredge in the World
Higher
continuous mining capability
Patented
and award winning technology
Challenges
- The project was the first mining dredge in Senegal and required a nominal throughput of 7000tph, significantly higher than any existing mining dredge operations.
- The ore body is situated in a coastal area of Senegal, West Africa with limited local expertise in dredge mining.
- Due to the shallow ore body, the required rate of mining advance would be difficult to achieve when using conventional spud dredging techniques.
- Flexible mine path to maximize efficiency of recoveries and aid in management of infrastructure.
Solutions
- Applying Hatch’s Virtual Spud (HVS) dredging technology achieved a fully automated maneuvering/mining solution that provides consistency of operations and performance across shifts.
- HVS overcame a number of production inefficiencies with conventional spud dredging, including channel relocations, slew reversals and spud movements.
- Higher sustained throughput, mining advance rate and more stabilized feed to improve Wet Concentrator recovery through continuous single block mining.
- Simplify operation through integrated solution that allows automatic execution of mine plan through HVS system.
Highlights
- Dredge achieving design throughput rates.
- 2013 Western Australia Engineering Excellence Award.
- Extended application of the HVS technology to simplify control of the wet concentrator position.
“Hatch’s Maneuvering Control system is a ground breaking achievement for the industry and I see it as the future for dredge mining operations. It is beneficial for all stakeholders from the dredge operators through to the shareholder due to, amongst other things, a higher consistent mining throughput and fully automated maneuvering operation. "
Project numbers
7000tph nominal throughput200m+ continuous mining width
30m mine advance a day
25+ year planned operation
445.7km2 project area stretching 106km
