Following the Zambian government’s challenge to mining companies to increase copper production from 882,000 tons to 2 million tons by 2026, FQM Trident has launched the Komatsu PC8000 hydraulic electric rope shovel along with other drilling and haul truck equipment to ramp up copper production.
Speaking during the launch of the USD15 million equipment, Trident Production Manager Daniel Phiri said with the new rope shovel, the mine site’s productivity will improve and his crew will work easier, safer and economical.
FQM Trident Manager for Mine Maintenance Care Program, Rees Magrath said he was pleased that the equipment was assembled safely without any reports of injury.
He said the machine will be needed to operate for 10 – 12 years and his team has put up measures to take good care of it.
28 people have been trained by the factory from level one to three to ensure the care and maintenance of the rope shovel is top notch.
This particular electric shovel uses over 3MW of electric power, has a bucket size of 38 cubic meters, weighs over 750 metric tons.
The shovel is used to load haul trucks with waste material when gaining access to ore bodies or ore which is sent to crushers and is finally processed into copper concentrate.
Assembly and commissioning of the electric shovel was be done by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Komatsu through the site representative BIA assisted by several Komatsu Engineers.
