Lincom was seemingly able to pull off the impossible for a WA mining company.
When a mining company urgently needed a high-capacity mining radial telescopic conveyor for an operation near Kalgoorlie, it faced a challenge that at-first seemed unachievable. The required equipment was not available in stock in Australia, and the timeline to get it ready was razor thin.
Enter Lincom Group, known for its resourceful material handling solutions and fast turnarounds, who delivered the project through a mix of innovation and sheer determination.
Lincom national product manager Alan Dunbar played a key role in mobilising the Thor Global LPT 130 conveyor for the mining company.
Despite the intense pressure, Dunbar and the Lincom WA team successfully converted a stocked quarry-specified radial telescopic conveyor into a mining-specified solution, an achievement made possible through strategic adjustments, rapid prototyping, and close collaboration with international partners.
“The reason our customer moved forward with Lincom was because we could deliver within the timeframe,” Dunbar told Australian Mining. “The customer had a strict deadline because they wanted to capitalise on the soaring gold price.”
Within 34 days, the Lincom WA team dismantled the original machine, re-engineered it to meet mining standards and delivered it to Kalgoorlie, beating the client’s already-tight deadline by a day.
Dunbar said transforming the conveyor from quarry to mining spec was no small feat, with quarry machines typically containing a stone box instead of a hopper.
Fortunately, the customer’s stock machines already featured impact idlers, heavy-duty head and tail drums and included a storage bay for a genset designed into the lower chassis.
The team had to remove the stone box and replace it with a custom fabricated hopper lined with abrasion-resistant AR400 wear plate. The conveyor also required upgraded motors, rewiring and an upgrade of the electrical system, along with the fabrication and fitment of a heavy-duty head chute with similar AR400 lining.
The time constraints made the task difficult, but Lincom had some tricks up its sleeve and was able to call on Thor Global’s engineering expertise.
Based in Canada, Thor Global provided the necessary design and engineering support, helping to boost the machine’s capacity from 725 tonnes to 950 tonnes per hour.
Image: Lincom Group
The Thor LPT 130 conveyor delivered to Kalgoorlie was designed to be multifunctional, a critical requirement for the client’s heap leaching operations.
With a versatile programmable logic controller (PLC) system, the conveyor could operate both as a mobile grasshopper and a stacker for stockpiling.
“The customer wanted a short, nimble machine, which is exactly what our LPT range was designed to be,” Dunbar said.
The LPT range features a static feed area, with the hopper remaining at a fixed angle regardless of the extension or elevation of the conveyor. A self-powered Thor TRAX mobile track unit is fitted under the tail of the machine, allowing the stacker to move itself across the site and offer greater flexibility.
Operating in Kalgoorlie’s harsh mining environment posed its own challenges. Handling sticky materials in dusty, dry conditions required additional modifications.
“We removed the standard urethane primary scrapers and fitted tungsten carbide primary and secondary belt cleaners,” Dunbar said.
Before the Thor LPT 130 was mobilised, Lincom ensured the machine met all Australian safety standards prior to delivery.
The importance of meeting Australian standards was a recurring theme in the project. From guarding to electrical systems, every aspect had to comply with stringent local regulations.
“Surprisingly, a lot of equipment used in Australian mining doesn’t even come close to these standards,” Dunbar said.
Lincom doesn’t just provide on time, but the company also delivers extensive aftermarket support to ensure smooth operations. The customer opted to purchase a comprehensive set of spare parts, nearly enough to build a second machine, ensuring minimal downtime if any issues arose.
“We hold major components such as rollers, head drums, gearboxes and motors in stock in both Brisbane and WA,” Dunbar said.
After the LPT 130 was installed, Lincom dispatched a service team to Kalgoorlie to oversee its initial setup and provide on-site assistance.
“We have a full-service crew in WA that can respond quickly if needed,” Dunbar said.
The Kalgoorlie project showed Lincom’s capacity to deliver a high-capacity mining conveyor in record time, an accomplishment that’s already earning the company recognition across the industry.
While the LPT 130 conveyor wasn’t at the right spec initially, Lincom’s swift response and engineering ingenuity ensured the client’s needs were met.
“We always try to meet customer needs and think outside the box to find the best solution,” Dunbar said.
In a sector where time is money, Lincom’s ability to deliver ahead of schedule was a game-changer for this Kalgoorlie gold operation.
This feature appeared in the October 2024 issue of Australian Mining.
