With several new underground utility vehicles, German machine manufacturer GHH is now supporting the world’s largest copper producer Codelco at its Chuquicamata Underground mining operation. Codelco had previously acquired a GHH branded BVK-05 articulated crane truck manufactured in Turkey.

The Chuqui Underground project started in 2019 and should be completed by 2023. With a slightly reduced production rate from the surface mine of 315,ooo t of copper per year, the deposit is not expected to reach its limits until 2057.

The project has a 7 km long TAKRAF conveyor belt, which covers an elevation distance of 1 km from the extraction site to the earth’s surface. There, a 6 km long conveyor belt then runs again to the interim storage facility.

Codelco is a launch customer with its newly developed HG16 maintenance vehicle at the new mine. The first vehicle was recently shipped, three more will follow. The HG16 will be used to maintain the powerful conveyor belt. During the development process Codelco’s requirements were taken into account – a real plus the company says for other customers who will benefit from it.

The HG16 is a four-wheeled crossover, converyor belt maintenance vehicle equipped with loading platform, working platform and loading crane. The crane lifts almost 1 t. The working platform, which can be extended to a length of 4.5 m, can be slewed through 95 degrees, thus covering a large working area. The four-wheel drive vehicle weighs 9.35 t and measures 6,750 x 2,400 x 3,100 mm (LxWxH).

It is driven by a 4.4 litre four-cylinder diesel engine with 85 kW output. It complies with the EU Stage 3A/US EPA Tier 3 emissions standards. The enclosed cabin for two persons is certified for underground use in accordance with ROPS & FOPS Level 2. The operator’s seat can be swivelled through 180 degrees.

Other newly developed vehicles were delivered to India, Kazhakstan and Russia. Among them were the IS-26 concrete spraying machine, the new BKPT7 Material Transporter and  the new articulated emulsion charger truck BEC100 with 17.5 t operating weight, which will be used in a gold mine in the Amur region. Here, too, GHH has incorporated the customer’s requirements to a large extent.

At the beginning of 2020, GHH also announced the formation of the GHH Group as a merger of several manufacturers of the Schmidt Kranz Group. GHH sees itself as a ‘Total Solution Provider,’ supplying almost everything in the field of rock logistics on wheels under the GHH brand.