TECHNOLOGICAL PECULIAR FEATURES IN DEPOSIT OPENING OF SOLID MINERALS WHILE USING ARTICULATED DUMP TRUCKS

The paper provides an analysis for production of four-wheel drive dump trucks with an articulated frame and it also describes a practical experience pertaining to operation of dump trucks as mining automotive transport. Technical characteristics for some models of articulated dump trucks manufactured in Russia and Belarus are presented in the paper. The paper gives examples for transportation of run-of-mine ore at enterprises of Russia and abroad. The attention has been focused on specific features concerning organizational, technological and design decision making while introducing and promoting articulated dump trucks. It has been established that articulated dump trucks make it possible to improve an efficiency of mine development during construction period and when ore mining and processing enterprises are put into operation especially in geographically remote and inaccessible areas. The paper proposes technological solutions allowing to expand the scope of articulated dump truck application at mining enterprises while using them for quarry development excavating deep deposits of solid minerals. It has been revealed that reduction in overburden volume can be achieved by transition from a certain depth to lower capacity dump trucks or special dump trucks operating on elevated slopes of roads. The paper shows that one of perspective directions for development of mining technology on kimberlite deposits is an opening of lower quarry horizons by peripheral road tunnels of spiral shape while using articulated dump trucks. The presented technological solutions require further research and design consideration and study and they will allow to ensure resource efficiency and safety of surface mining while extracting minerals at previously uneconomic ore deposits. In order to realize an import substitution program for four-wheel drive dump trucks with an articulated frame it is necessary to carry out marketing research on potential market for machines of this class required for open-pit mining in order to justify prospects for provision of the Russian production market.