Coal Age

NOV 2012

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product news continued equipment at MINExpo. The system fea- tures machine-specific dynamic zones based on worker location and speed, and extended range for faster mobile haulage equipment. Matrix also showcased its Controls & Automation division. The company previewed its MX3 communica- tions, tracking, atmospheric monitoring and belt control system. MX3 combines the best elements of leaky feeder commu- nications, wireless node tracking, conven- tional CO monitoring, and belt control onto a single high-speed redundant infrastructure that is easy-to-use, easy-to- advance, and low cost-per-foot. The sys- tem includes rugged voice and text handsets, two-year battery life tracking tags, wireless Intrinsically Safe (IS) CO, CH4 and Airflow sensors, longwall and low-seam configurations, and compre- hensive software. www.matrixteam.com Water Conservation Innovative seal-based technology from AESSEAL Engineering is saving the equiva- lent of 25-billion gallons of water every year. "This is proven technology using a double mechanical seal and tank system," said Chris Rehmann, AESSEAL Mining business manager. "It eliminates the problems asso- ciated with the traditional sealing process, called packing, which does not fully seal the rotating shafts on pumps and requires mil- lions of gallons of water per pump per year to keep the packing cooled and lubricated." Major mining operations that have deployed this technology report significant drops in water usage and increased opera- Quick-cure Shocrete The University of Kentucky has teamed up with Minova North America to devel- op a spray-on concrete that sets and can sustain loads in less than 15 min- utes. The patented Tekcrete Fast was developed as part of a project by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide a quick-acting solution for stabilizing buildings, bridges or tunnels at risk of collapse after natural disasters or similar incidents. Secured in this manner, emergency services would have safe access to the disaster site and begin to extract survivors and casual- ties. A second type of the new shotcrete, Tekcrete Fast M, guarantees even stronger bonds and less dust during processing, which makes it a great choice for mining safety. The newly developed Tekcrete Fast shotcrete is particularly effective when it comes to stabilizing buildings dam- aged by earthquakes, hurricanes or ter- rorist incidents within minutes. It has also been approved for use in mining and tunnel construction. The material can be used to reinforce tunnel roofs and minimize the risk of loose rocks injuring workers. Fifteen minutes after application, Tekcrete Fast is fully cured and can sus- tain pressures of up to 2,000 lb/in2—a massive improvement over other con- crete materials that need up to two weeks to achieve similar strengths. This compressive strength is the product of a combination of polyfiber and cement. After three years in development, the patent for the innovative material will be held jointly by the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) and Minova North America. The successful cooperation was made possible by combining the expertise of the University of Kentucky's labs with Minova's production facilities and years of experience with developing innovative rock reinforcement systems. Pipes are used to pump the new Tekcrete Fast shotcrete to its destina- tion. www.minovainternational.com tional efficiencies. A Canadian potash mine with 65 pumps switched to this new tech- nology and may save up to $30 million in potash product by eliminating the unneces- sary mixing of water and potash. www.aesseal.com Safety Compliance Software Predictive Compliance, the most innovative MSHA citation management and compli- ance analytics software system has formed a strategic relationship with BROWZ, the leading provider of contractor prequalifica- tion and compliance management services, to provide enhanced support to the mining industry. Under this arrangement, mining companies and contractors will have access to Predictive Compliance's state-of-the-art MSHA citation management, prevention, To demonstrate the impressive quick-curing qualities of the innovative material, the team applies Tekcrete Fast to two girders. Congressman Harold Rogers (U.S. House of Representatives) taking the test: after only 15 minutes, Tekcrete Fast is fully set and ready to bear loads. All nec- essary safety precautions were taken before this picture was made. 58 www.coalage.com November 2012

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