Stawell Gold Mine, 250km northwest of Melbourne, is no stranger to RCT – Powered by Epiroc. The site has been leveraging our technology to boost safety and productivity for more than 20 years.
So, when the site recently purchased two CAT 2900XE (dieselelectric) underground mining loaders to add to their fleet, they chose RCT to automate them with its multi-machine automation solution, AutoNav.
The decision to employ RCT technology was driven by its agnostic capabilities. Stawell needed to utilise their new CAT loaders alongside their existing Epiroc ST18S underground loaders that are currently equipped with RCT automation.
“Having them operate on the same software was essential for the site. They had existing RCT AutoNav Centres on the surface and underground cabins, and site wanted their operators to control all the machines from these cabins,” said RCT Brisbane Branch Manager, Owen Perrott.
The ability to do so ensures that the site doesn’t have to continuously move work areas and operator stations around the site, which can result in a loss of productivity. “The vast majority of mines operate a single OEM fleet. Very few places operate with different OEM brand machines, which makes this project unique,” he added. It was also the first time the Brisbane branch has installed AutoNav on this particular model of hybrid CAT machine.
“We are constantly hearing from our clients that they have been told these hybrid machines can’t be automated, so it’s a real buzz for us being able to do it. And do it well,” Mr Perrott said.
While the talented team at the Brisbane branch completed the installation of the new machines (one installation took place at CAT OEM William Adams and the other on site at Stawell), the software upgrade required specialised support from RCT’s Technician Dan Peake, who ensured this new project ran smoothly.
The whole process involved in the roll out of this project was appreciated by the client, with Stawell Gold Mine’s Electrical Superintendent, Luke Norsworthy, stating: “We appreciate the efforts put in by all and understand this can be a quite tricky transition to plan and undertake with our mixed fleet,” he said. “This particular job required the Brisbane team to communicate with multiple people to ensure it was delivered successfully and I’m really proud of the job they have done,” said Mr Perrott.
