Optimising the application of modern and conventional trackless mobile machines in chrome smelting operations

Abstract

South Africa has one of the largest chrome ore deposits worldwide, providing ferrochrome through furnace production. Internal movement and bulk material handling is a specialised service rendered within the greater value chain. This market is ever-changing, demanding, and competitive; constant growth and development are required to ensure efficiency throughout the value chain. To be competitive on a global scale, the chrome smelting industry in South Africa needs to adopt new technology in its bulk material handling operations. However, most of Almar’s clients have not optimised the application of conventional and modern TMMs in their haulage operations, which can be detrimental to mine productivity, client satisfaction and the quality of service delivery. The unproductive application of conventional and modern TMMs in chrome mining's bulk material handling operations poses a competitive challenge to the industry. This study investigates how a blend of conventional and modern TMMs can be optimally applied to increase the productivity of on-site bulk material handling in South African chrome mines. To this end, a TMM fleet optimisation approach is proposed using client-specific internal data from the Almar Investments (Pty) Ltd (Almar) database. It also focuses on future technological TMM developments: how emulators, remote control TMMs, and electric-powered vehicles could change the industry's future and improve efficiency. Organisations increasingly depend on partners within their supply chain to improve business processes and minimise costs to achieve and maintain a competitive advantage. The aim is to evaluate optimisation to stay relevant within the supply chain. The primary objective of this study is to find the balance between conventional and modern TMMs for on-site bulk material handling, optimise current business operations, and investigate new advances in solutions to stay relevant. Several secondary objectives were applied and reached; the study applied cost-benefit and data analysis techniques to determine the feasibility of the optimisation. Data from Almar’s database were used to determine when using an increased number of modern TMMs in the client’s haulage operations is advantageous. Factors such as breakdown frequency, standing time per TMM life cycle and TMM category, as well as availability and utilisation of TMMs occurring over periods ranging from 5 000 - 10 000 hours to 20 000 - 25 000 hours, were considered to determine when it becomes advantageous to use more modern TMMs than conventional ones. It was established that after two years of operation, more modern TMMs than conventional ones should be employed in the haulage operations of the company investigated. Calculations using the PI index at an increment of one year up to seven years show that at 6.5 years and a total profitability index of 1.408, the contributions of conventional and modern TMMs to the PI are the same. Over long periods (years six and seven), using more than 50% up to 90% modern TMMs in hauling operations is an advantageous investment strategy for Almar's client. The contribution of this study would be to determine the optimisation of conventional and modern TMMs for increased efficiency to ensure future sustainability for an established organisation.