Epiroc has won a sizable order worth MSEK 300 for underground mining equipment to go underground at an iron ore mine owned by Shougang Group’s Luannan Macheng Mining in China.

The equipment will be used at the new Macheng iron ore mine in the Hebei Province, northern China.

The OEM said the order, booked in the third quarter, includes several dozen machines with automation features, including loaders and rigs for face drilling, production drilling and rock reinforcement, along with rock drills, consumables and on-site services.

Specifically, the order includes Epiroc’s latest Simba in-the-hole (ITH) drill rig. Scooptram loaders, Boomer face drilling rigs and Boltec rock reinforcement rigs. Some of the loaders are the electrically powered Scooptram EST 1030, and all the machines have market-leading energy efficiency. 

Automation features for many of the machines include Epiroc’s Rig Control System, making them ready for automation and remote control, and ABC (Advanced Boom Control) Total, which enables drilling a sequence of holes (full round) automatically. 

Epiroc President and CEO Helena Hedblom said it and Shougang Group have a productive partnership going back many years: “We look forward to supporting them with highly productive and sustainable solutions at their new Macheng mine.” 

Added Fu Zhen Xue, mine manager at Luannan Macheng Mining of Shougang Group: “China in recent years started the quick move towards consolidation of steel companies and the high-quality development of the steel industry, focusing more on safety and the environment. The equipment will help Shougang Group lead China’s steel industry and the shift towards safety and productivity."

Source: Epiroc