Auto DIAMOND 18/12/07 9:25 am Page 3
OPERATION FOCUS
De Beers Finsch mine operates perhaps the worlds most advanced automated
trackless mining fleet, to great effect. John Chadwick recently visited the world
diamond leaders flagship underground operation
D
ieter Haage, Head of Operations, De
Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM) told
International Mining that to grow its
business beyond 2014 (the current life of the
developed block 4 at the Finsch block cave
mine) the company is focussing on high
volume, high return assets. He noted that
automation had been a great success and key
to the productivity of Finsch. He also noted that
as a result, automation would be a
consideration in building future operations in
order to optimise capital and cashflow.
Finsch exemplifies the leadership achieved by
DBCM and technology supplier Sandvik in
automated ore transport. "Finsch was the first
mine in the world to introduce fully-automated
truck haulage," explains Gerhard van Niekerk,
Operations Manager. Haage further explains
that automation has brought:
Increased safety in underground operations
Reduced capital equipment costs
Cost effective design, maintenance and
operational expenditure
Fewer machines due to higher productivity
Reduced operator induced wear on
equipment. (costs)
The Finsch experience provides a learning
platform for future applications, says Haage.
14 International Mining JANUARY 2008
Automatic
for the
diamond
Sandvik has installed four AutoMine systems
to date (IM, October, pp14-18), excluding its
own test mine, with two now in process. At
Williams mine in Canada two automated trucks
are operating and there are LHDs operating at
Pyhsalmi in Finland (two units) and El Teniente
in Chile (three). An AutoMine system of two
T11 LHDs is due to be installed at Mount Isa in
Australia by April 2008 and a large system of
six T11s at the Nurkazgan mine of Kazakhmys
in Kazakhstan by June that year. However,
Finsch is the leader with its Ore Transportation
System (OTS) of six T50 trucks that started up
in August 2005 and now one T007 LHD,
running since April 2007. Today the OTS is
shifting 16,000 t/d of kimberlite.
The trucks onboard AutoMine package
includes a navigation system that continuously
determines the location of the machine and
controls the autonomous tramming and
dumping operations. The navigation system
uses laser scanners to scan the tunnel wall
profiles to verify machine position. Operating
for well over two years now, these trucks bear
very few of the battle scars that a manned
truck would collect over such a period. There
are very few bumps and scrapes to be seen,
testimony to the ability of the navigation
system to keep the trucks on track and away
from the sidewalls.
The productivity of the trucks is also
extraordinary. Utilisation is about 6,000 h/y,
slightly less on the LHDs. Thats a huge number
of operating hours over the first two years that
Block 4 was producing. Tyre wear has also been
exceptional with the trucks getting about 5,000
hours out of each tyre, compared with a more
normal industry average life of about 3,000
hours. With a truck round trip on the loop of
about 1 km, the trucks are each running about
10,000 km/y.
The machines are equipped with an onboard
video system and a mobile terminal for wireless
communications. The system includes real-time
production and fleet condition monitoring and
traffic control for when several machines are
operating in the same production area.
The automation infrastructure was described
in detail in IM October (pp18-21).
Block 4 design
The Finsch kimberlite pipe, 165 km west of
Kimberley in the Northern Cape Province of
South Africa, is a near vertically sided intrusion
into the country rock. Mining began in 1964
with an open pit which produced some 120 Mt
Auto DIAMOND 18/12/07 9:27 am Page 4
OPERATION FOCUS
of kimberlite ore. Finsch
went underground
during the latter part of
1990. Thus far, the
underground orebody
has been divided into
mining Blocks 1 to 5,
each one bottoming at
different depths below
surface - 350, 430, 510,
630 and 830 m
respectively. Blocks 1
through to 3 were mined
by a version of blasthole
open stoping, with Block
3 depleted in 2007. Block
4 uses mechanised panel
retreat block caving,
utilising advance
undercutting, to extract a
lift of 100 m.
Exploration drilling of the Block 5 continues
but due to the pipes decreasing diameter (it
tapers at angles of 76-86, and therefore
footprint size with depth), the Block 5 drop
down has been set at 250 m. This requires a
significant change in the mining environment,
since no kimberlite pipe has as yet been mined
at these block heights. It seems likely at this
stage that if Block 5 is mined (a huge
investment) an inclined caving layout will be
used.
Block 4s undercut is 61 level (610 m below
surface). The main extraction level, trackless
workshop infrastructure, autonomous truck
haulage tramming loop and primary crusher
and associated infrastructure are on 63 level
(630 m below surface). The average column
height is 80-110 m above the undercut level.
The slot cutting process required to initiate
the undercutting process commenced in April
2004. The Hydraulic Radius required to start
the caving process was achieved in early 2005.
The 4 x 4 m arched-profile undercut tunnels
are spaced at 15 m intervals. They allow the
mining of an inclined 12 m high undercut
profile. The undercutting process is planned to
be completed in 2009.
The layout of the extraction level is a
staggered herringbone configuration with 30 m
spacing of the 4.5 x 4.5 m tunnels (also arched)
and 15 m drawpoint spacing. There are 11
extraction tunnels and five undercut passes,
with 180 drawpoints, currently. Eventually there
will be 299 drawpoints on 63 Level. Undercut
and extraction tunnels run parallel. Loading in
the extraction tunnels is only performed from
one side of the pipe.
Burger et al1 report that based on
geotechnical constraints and associated tunnel
16 International Mining JANUARY 2008
Ore is loaded from the drawpoints by
eight Toro 007 LHDs with operators and
one semi-autonomous 007 on the
stability risks, the mining sequence on the
extraction level is such that all drawbell and
associated infrastructure requires development
in the shadow of the advancing undercut face
with only the extraction tunnels and
drawpoint development allowed to take place
ahead of the undercutting process.
Few block cave mines in the world, if any,
can boast as comprehensive a support system
as is used for the infrastructure at Finsch. For
instance, the standard support of the extraction
tunnels involves a 5 mm layer of tunnel guard
sealant, a 50 mm layer of primary fibrecrete at
40 Mpa UCS, applied in order to ensure a
better initial lining to support the +800-mm
annulus of broken ground. This is applied after
every round. Then 3.8 m, 25-mm diameter roof
bolts are installed with latex-based cementitious
grout. Diamond mesh (100 mm x 100 mm x
3.15 mm) is held in place and augmented by
vertical tendon straps at 1 m spacing; the mesh
and straps are placed footwall to footwall. The
lower 2 m of the
sidewalls is then sprayed
with a cover of
shotcrete to prevent
undercut level
damage to the support
by the trackless
equipment as well as
preventing tyre damage.
There are considerable
options to this basic
design for areas that
need extra support, like
the bullnose
reinforcement where
drawpoints are
developed off the
extraction level, and the
very strong protection
provided at the brows
and sides of the
drawpoints. This entire support placement
including the development of the infrastructure
is undertaken by Murray & Roberts
Cementation under contract.
The daily tonnage drawn has gradually but
successfully built up. A year ago it was around
11,000 t/d and now it is comfortably averaging
the full production rate of 16,000 t/d (3.8
Mt/y). At this stage it is planned that this steady
state production rate be maintained until 2011.
The production from block 4 will then reduce
significantly until by 2014 it is exhausted.
However, the success of the AutoMine system
could allow production to be raised above its
current level, such that Block 4 becomes
depleted sooner. This option depends on
DBCMs consideration of Block 5 and the
economics of bringing that into production.
One significant lesson learned in the
development of Block 4 was to ensure careful
Block 4 layout
Auto DIAMOND 18/12/07 9:28 am Page 5

OPERATION FOCUS

The trucks' onboard AutoMine package includes a

navigation system that continuously determines the
location of the machine and controls the autonomous
tramming and dumping operations

Sandvik Mining and Construction (SMC) was

planning and proper infrastructure
development. While Block 4 was carefully
planned, there was also obvious pressure to
maintain diamond output once Block 3 was
exhausted. With hindsight, the management
believes that Block 4 could have been an even
better operation than it demonstrably is today
with a little more time for refinements. It is
currently felt that Block 5 will have to start full
production during 2011 to ensure sustained
production from Finsch beyond 2020.
The OTS
The OTS collects ore from the various
drawpoints and hauls it to a bin at the
underground crusher. This system also receives
ore from the mining development system and
conveys to the underground crusher bin.
awarded the role of system integrator for the
OTS. Ore is loaded from the drawpoints by
eight Toro 007 LHDs with operators and one
semi-autonomous 007 on the undercut level.
These units are equipped with 5.4 m3 buckets
and have a 10 t tramming capacity. On the
extraction level, they tram buckets of ore to
four designated transfer points located on the
northern perimeter of the pipe.
The transfer points interconnect with the
trucks operating in the dedicated truck loop.
The seven 50D automated trucks are equipped
with 24 m3 rock boxes, capable of hauling 50 t.
The truck loop is completely isolated from any
sections in which humans are present. If
anyone enters the loop, the trucks shut down.
The benefits of AutoMine are readily
apparent. There is the great reduction in
damage to the trucks already noted, and the
long tyre lives. The latter is not only due to the
smooth operation of autonomous trucks but
also the high quality roads, that are currently
repaired every three months or so.

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18 International Mining JANUARY 2008

Auto DIAMOND 18/12/07 9:29 am Page 6
01/08
Monitoring the truck loop from the
surface control room
The speed of the trucks is perhaps the most obvious gain. South
African regulations regulate underground trucks to 16 km/h, but this does
not apply to autonomous units. Currently the Finsch units are averaging
25 km/h, and if dewatering does improve the rough section of the loop,
the trucks could operate at over 30 km/h or more, with consequent
productivity gains.
Other advantages include safety, through removing so many people
from the ore transport operations, and reduced capital equipment costs.
The latter results from the increased productivity reducing the number of
hauling units required.
Ore management
Three interconnected systems provide the management system. First,
there is Gemcoms Cave Management System (CMS), providing daily draw
order. It provides daily production targets (t/drawpoint/d), scheduling and
control. The daily draw order takes the undercut face position and the
drawbell installation schedules into account. Draw orders are controlled
by geotechnical and mining related rules.
The Production Control System (PCS) monitors and controls
t/drawpoint/shift, ranking/tunnel, draw order per LHD and provides
continuous recalculation and recording of data. In other words, it
schedules shift production and manages the execution of the production
by manual and autonomous LHDs and the autonomous trucks. Draw
control in 2007 averages +75%, which is 5% better than target. Indeed
the mine has achieved benchmark draw control performance with its
compliance and geotechnical stability.
The third system, the Mission Control System (MCS), covers all the
autonomous movement of trucks and, currently, the one autonomous LHD,
creating and issuing drive orders. It also issues production orders to the
operators of LHDs.
There is also the Access Control System (ACS) which provides the safety
for the autonomous systems. It controls access to the autonomous areas
and controls the boundaries of those areas. The latter involves
adding/releasing extraction tunnels to and from the autonomous LHD
area, and the same for haulage tunnels in the truck loop.
Dust is a major problem at Finsch. Water cannot be used for drilling or
dust suppression because water and kimberlite form a very unpleasant
and unmanageable slurry. Extractor fans below grizzlies in the floors of
extraction tunnels, sucking dust laden air down to the 650 m level, are
just one of the innovative methods to cut dust.
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Auto DIAMOND 20/12/07 11:55 am Page 7
OPERATION FOCUS
The dust problem affects the guidance
system of the trucks. Once a week a concerted
effort is made to remove dust from the truck
loop. In addition, every day there is a 45-
minute period at each shift changeover to
allow dust to be cleaned from all truck
scanners. This period also allows for the truck
loop to be inspected.
Subsequent to their delivery to the mine,
cow catchers were fitted to the front of the
trucks, below the cab. These push any large
spilt rocks to the side of the roadway, and
these can then be removed during the shift
changeover break. This reduces tyre damage
caused by rocks lying in the path of the trucks.
Foam filled tyres are also being tested to make
the removal of a truck from the truck loop
easier in the event of a flat tyre. With these
tyres, the truck can be ridden out of the
production area unassisted.
The trucks carry rock sizes
up to about 1.9 m across.
However, oversize rocks are
quite a problem, as so often
in block caving. In the
drawpoints, 60-80
secondary blasts are
undertaken each day to
break oversize. A specialised
hang up rig designed and
delivered by Boart Longyear
is used to drill large rocks in
the drawpoints, prior to
secondary blasting. This rig
was supplied as a special
cassette on a UV60/80
carrier. This special rig
Flow diagram for undercut
automation
20 International Mining JANUARY 2008
combined the BL MCE standard roofbolter
feed, the BL MCE standard boom (BDS 20) and
the BL MCE standard HD65 drill. It features a
mist system that provides a no-dust drilling
function and is set up for remote operation
and auto drilling.
Finsch is examining the feasibility of using
mobile rock breakers equipped with hydraulic
hammers.
Mineral Sizer
The 45-minute changeover breaks obviously mean
a loss of production. That is partly compensated
for with an MMD 1500 Series Mineral Sizer facility
that keeps the OTS producing ore and has
introduced considerable flexibility into the system.
This facility could add some 900 t/week to the
output achieved by the OTS, though the Sizers
theoretical capacity is much higher.
Sandvik truck at speed, showing the 'cow catcher'
that pushes rocks to the side of the haulage
The sizer features a robust modular ribbed
mainframe and a sizing chamber lined with
easy to replace wearplates. The deep scroll
design of the sizers teeth means that larger
material is conveyed to one end of the
machine, which helps to spread the feed across
the full length of the rotors. This feature can be
used to reject oversize material from the
machine. The steel shafts are made of high-
strength alloy. The replaceable wear part design
means the sizer teeth can be replaced quickly.
The sizer is fed by LHDs from the undercut
level and the trucks can be diverted to tip here
from 63 Level. It not only provides flexibility for
downtime while house keeping in the truck
loop, but obviously also provides continuing
broken ore flow at times when the main
crusher is down. The sizer works on an
independent ground handling system and will
allow the much needed flexibility to the existing
system.
The undercut also has the facility of an
orepass that feeds into a Sandvik platefeeder.
This gives another option for feeding trucks on
the loop. The other orepasses on the undercut
level (except for the one feeding the MMD
Sizer) require ore to be reloaded at the bottom
of the orepasses and introduced into the OTS
on the extraction level. The platefeeder was
implemented firstly to remove the need for
reloading and to enable direct feed into the
trucks, thus freeing up an LHD for pure
production loading. The other aim was that
haulage in the truck loop can continue
throughout shift changes and at blasting times,
Auto DIAMOND 18/12/07 9:31 am Page 8

OPERATION FOCUS

when no people are allowed underground.

Again this introduces much more flexibility into
the system to improve the tonnage throughput
from underground.
Consideration of these systems continues,
and it is likely that more Mineral Sizers will be
purchased. One problem at Finsch is that there
is currently no ability to stockpile ore anywhere
in the system. If the crusher goes down for any
period, every part of the ore flow, right back to
the drawpoints has to be suspended. A
40,000-t capacity surface under-roof stockpile
is available, which assists the plant when
normal ROM ore is unavailable, for whatever
reason.
The mine is accessed via a spiral decline from
surface to the 680 m level and a 9 m-diameter,
763 m deep shaft equipped with one man and
material hoist and two skips of Koepe hoist type,
which is capable of handling 5 Mt/y of ore.
In 2004, Senet Engineering was awarded the Modern maintenance Operating the semi-autonomous Toro LHD
contract to install the Kawasaki primary crusher It is not for nothing that block cave mines are
at Finsch. The trucks dump into a receiving described as rock factories. Like any good
hopper at the crusher and ore is drawn from factory, the equipment needs to be kept in its its trackless machines at Finsch.
the bin by hydraulically-operated apron feeders, prime. Finsch boasts one of the largest This is indeed a worldclass facility. Its
feeding the 1,200 t/h gyratory crusher. This is underground workshops in the southern cleanliness is exceptional. There is, for example,
capable of crushing the ore to 250 mm. This hemisphere. In all, this facility deals with 160 a central used oil facility. All used oil, including
ore is then transferred by conveyor belts which underground vehicles, of all makes. This shop the product from the oil separation plant, is
feed the main shaft. As with other installations has eight bays, three of which are dedicated to pumped to a central container for collection
at the mine, there is a sophisticated system to Sandvik equipment. Sandvik has a repair and and dispatch to surface. The oil separator is an
remove dust generated at the crusher. maintenance agreement for the large fleet of integral part of the workshops waste

22 International Mining JANUARY 2008

Auto DIAMOND 18/12/07 9:31 am Page 9
management system and separates oil, sludge
and water. Oil reports to the used oil cassette,
while sludge is deposited in a container for
hands-off removal. Clean water goes back
into the mines system, gravitating into one of
the underground water passes.
The design of the workshop took account of
the problems of spillage associated with double
handling. Normal practice for bunded areas
underground would have them all extending
upwards from the footwall elevation. This
meant that unless pumped to a container from
surface, pumping took place between
containers, with inevitable associated spillage.
Double handling also provides more
opportunities for contamination to enter the
system. So, this workshop has its bunding
below surface and allows the oil to be
transported from surface to the connection
points on the distribution system in a single
event.
The workshop has its own dedicated air
supply because underground air networks are
often plagued by either pressure or water
condensation problems. To counter this effect
and insure air quality integrity, the workshop
has a dedicated compressor, dryer and air
receiver system to support its needs. Finsch
reports that an exercise to determine the costs
of independent generation versus the extension
of the mine facilities also proved this to be a
Spraymec 6050
Spraymec 6050 for underground mines and
small cross sections.
more viable option and also allows air to be
delivered at the required pressures, especially
with the high tyre pressures required for the
trackless machines. method has been at the Gaths (Zimbabwe) and
Special care was also taken in the design and
installation of the overhead craneage. There is
a general problem within workshop confines
that the large mobile units can inadvertently
strike and damage any protruding bracing or
steelwork. This can significantly affect the
structural integrity of overhead cranes. For this
reason, Finsch chose self-supporting crane
structures, with all supporting steelwork
contained within the gantry structure. This
ensures that there are no protruding braces as
well as providing significant bollard protection
around each upright column.
And Block 5?
So, Block 4 has progressed through Stage 2 of
the implementation of AutoMine, being:
Seven Toro 50D automated trucks
1 Toro 007 automated LHD on the undercut
Integrated plate feeder
Integrated MMD Mineral Sizer in the system
Stage 3, still being evaluated by Finsch mine
would add to this eight automated Toro 007
LHDs on the extraction level.
Further into the future, if it proceeds, Block
5s likely incline cave method is a combination
of sub-level caving and block caving (low cost -
Normet has the
widest offering of
purpose designed
underground vehicles
01/08
high production in weak rock) but it has never
before been applied in a kimberlite pipe. The
main successful experience of this mining
Cassiar (Canada) mines.
In the early stages of mine planning, DBCM
sees these advantages and disadvantages in the
method:
ADVANTAGES
High productivity due to close drawpoint
spacing
Covering levels from 790 down to 880 m,
making it easier to recover ore from upper
levels
In the event of damage to an access tunnel,
columns can be drawn from the adjacent
tunnel because they are placed in different
levels
More drawpoints covering larger footprint
area more productivity
Stress distribution is improved, especially
during undercutting and reduction in tunnels
support cost
One drawpoint is dedicated to a tunnel on a
level, makes automation more applicable.
DISADVANTAGES
Never applied in kimberlite mining
Long lead time is needed to install most of
the infrastructure in place before the start of
undercutting
Scamec
Utilift
Charmec
Himec
Rock
Transporter
Concrete
Transporter RBO
JANUARY 2008 International Mining 23
Auto DIAMOND 21/12/07 9:32 am Page 10

01/08

Minewide control People are removed from dangerous

More metres to be developed and capital
investment are relatively higher
Multi-tipping level is seen as major challenge
due to ventilation
Supervision not concentrated in one level.
Benefits summary
Finsch1 has found the following benefits from
the OTS:
Effective block cave management and
control through automation (improved quality)
Improved machine fleet utilisation. More
3%
from within the same underground environment
surface control room Improved working conditions: System
that is the controllers sit in a safe and comfortable control
autonomous vehicle room environment which implies decreased
nerve centre occupational injuries
Improved production control and monitoring
(reducing stoppage times which results in
improved recovery rates)
Realtime production followup and
response: Using the MCS interface, the system
controller can easily monitor the production in
real time. IM
efficient utilisation
results in increased
production References
(increased revenue) 1. Burger, Danie et al, The application of new
Lower operating underground mining technology and sound systems
costs: One system controller is able to manage engineering principles to develop a cost-effective
several machines solution for the Finsch mine block 4 ore management
Lower maintenance costs: Smoother system, MassMin 2004, Santiago, Chile, August 22-
operation and reduced damage to equipment 25.
cut down maintenance expenses 2. Paucar, Miguel and Mthombeni, Collin, Incline cave:
Optimised tramming speed: machines are A technical alternative method to mine kimberlite
able to maintain faster optimum speeds deposits at depth, MassMin 2004, Santiago, Chile,
throughout the route in each LHD and dump August 22-25.
truck cycle 3. Wilson, A.D, A review of the support systems being
Increased safety: The ACS protects the applied to the block 4 cave project of De Beers Finsch
automated production area from both Mine, South Africa, MassMin 2004, Santiago, Chile,
unauthorised access and machine escape. August 22-25.

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JANUARY 2008 International Mining 25