EACON Mining has recently announced significant advancements in its operations within the coal mining sector, securing four new projects in collaboration with the State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) over the first half of 2024. This development has expanded EACON's presence in northern China to five projects across SPIC minesites, highlighting the company's capacity for product scalability and rapid deployment capabilities.
The newly acquired projects, situated in eastern Inner Mongolia, include the Huolinhe North Coal Mine, Huolinhe Zha Coal Mine, Baiyinhua 2 Coal Mine, and Baiyinhua 3 Coal Mine. This expansion follows on from the prior acquisition of the Huolinhe South Coal Mine project in 2023. Eastern Inner Mongolia is characterised by substantial rainfall, resulting in softer road surfaces and deep ruts that can hinder vehicle performance. To combat this issue, EACON has unveiled a feature known as deep rut adaptability, which allows its vehicles to autonomously identify ruts and adjust their operations accordingly, thereby mitigating interruptions to transport.
EACON now boasts over 100 autonomous haulage trucks (AHTs) operational at SPIC sites, with an additional 40 units in the commissioning stage. The fleet predominantly comprises 90-ton class EL100 hybrid trucks introduced in partnership with LGMG, alongside ET100 and ET90 models designed in collaboration with Tonly. These AHTs are tasked with waste and coal hauling and are positioned as a foundational step towards fully autonomous mining operations at these sites, with three already operational and two expected to be deployed shortly.
The foundation of EACON’s operations stems from its extensive hands-on experience as a contractor managing haulage operations, which has equipped the company with critical insights into the practical challenges faced by mining sites. This operational expertise has played a crucial role in the development and enhancement of EACON's product offerings.
EACON is now evolving beyond its initial role as a contractor into that of a solutions provider, particularly evident in its contributions to the projects at Huolinhe Zha and Baiyinhua 2 Coal Mines. This transition demonstrates EACON’s ongoing commitment to increasing mining efficiency through bespoke, technology-driven solutions designed to meet specific operational needs.
In China, open-pit mining predominantly targets coal, and since the rollout of its first proof-of-concept project (POC) in 2019, EACON’s Autonomous Haulage Solution (AHS) for coal mining has progressed rapidly, fostering partnerships with industry leaders such as TBEA, CHN Energy, and SPIC. The firm is now planning to extend its AHS application to include iron ore, copper, and zinc mining as well.
Looking toward the future, EACON has indicated its intentions to continue leveraging its technological expertise and innovative capabilities to broaden its operational scope across a variety of commodities. The company aims to address significant challenges in the mining sector, including but not limited to emissions reduction, efficiency optimisation, and enhanced safety measures. In this regard, EACON believes it is well-positioned to spearhead the next stage of technological evolution, collaborating with prominent mining enterprises like SPIC to deliver transformative solutions tailored to the industry's needs.
Source: Noah Wire Services