Mining is a challenging and often dangerous industry. Sometimes your staff will be operating in confined spaces. Frequently your operations will be away from sources of main power, and without any obvious means of quickly bringing in extra electrical equipment when circumstances change or your existing equipment fails. This is why it is vital that you have access to all the electrical mining equipment you need from the start, and that you make the right equipment choices the first time. You can't invite failure by using ordinary residential or commercial electrical equipment. You need to invest in electrical equipment that was designed for use in a hazardous environment and is able to withstand the rigours of a mine.

What equipment will you need?

The equipment you choose will obviously depend on the individual circumstances of your mine but you will probably need a combination of power supply points, ring main units, variable speed drives, dry type power transformers and underground master programmable transformers to keep your mine operating. If you are not sure of the most suitable arrangement for providing and powering the electrical mining equipment you need, then talking through your options with a suitably experienced electrician is a good idea. An electrician with experience in the mining industry will be able to suggest ways to efficiently achieve the solutions you need without duplicating resources unnecessarily or running the risk of not having sufficient equipment available to use when you need it.

Invest in a flexible solution

One aspect of mining that will complicate your electrical arrangements is the need for flexibility. Mines change over time with new areas being developed and others being worked out and abandoned. In this situation whatever electrical equipment you use must be flexible enough to be not only integrated into your existing system, but also redeployed into alternative configurations in the future as the mine evolves.

Look for a supply company you can trust

Ideally you want to be able to purchase as much mining equipment as you can from one supplier. If you need to go around multiple suppliers it complicates your supply lines and brings extra expense and delays into the process. Look for a supplier who knows the mining industry well and is able to suggest the perfect kit for your situation. See if you can invite them on to your site to show them what needs to be done, and find out what solution they will suggest for your situation.

Share