Caledon Coal CEO Brett Garland said: “Through the support of our new owners, GRAM [Guangdong Rising Asset Management Co], Caledon has been able to invest in the modernisation of Cook Colliery.
“The Great Wall Project will include the installation of a longwall, the upgrade of the continuous mining equipment along with the purchase of a new mobile diesel fleet and the installation of new infrastructure. The coal processing plant will also be modified.
“This is a clear vote of confidence in the team at Cook. The expansion will target an output of 3.5 million tonnes per year and creates a great opportunity for the employees at the mine.”
The contract for the supply of the longwall equipment has been awarded to Nepean Longwall and includes the shields being supplied by BMJ (China), the shearer from Eickhoff and the AFC, BSL, crusher, bootend and power infrastructure from Nepean.
The control system will be supplied by Nepean/Tiefenbach.
Garland said: “We are extremely pleased with the outcome of the equipment selection process and look forward to a strong partnership with Nepean and the component suppliers in the operational phase of the project.”
Nepean Longwall managing director Adam Gledhill said: “This unique longwall system solution cocreated with our customer Caledon Coal combines Australian based engineering and system design from Nepean Longwall and Nepean Power with German technology, premium Chinese manufacturers and naturally the NEPEAN product range.
“It is designed to safely and reliably control the expected mining environment, including operating with a narrow 700mm cutting web and utilising 1200-tonne rated roof supports with features to tightly control the tip to face distance.”
The 150m longwall tailored for Cook Colliery has begun manufacture on four continents and will have an operating section assembled at Nepean Longwall’s Rutherford facility in Q3 2014 for trials, testing and training before mine shipment in the middle of 2014.
“At Nepean Longwall we are committed to engineering, procuring and delivering safe, productive and reliable longwall systems faster, better and at a price that our customers can bank their feasibility, expansion or continued operations on with the added certainty of low lifecycle costs and superior localised support,” Gledhill said.
