As a growing niche manufacturer, Elphinstone has been able to respond quickly to demand, whether it’s an individual customer or global markets.
When Elphinstone introduced the new low-profile E15 series to the market in January, it was a welcome addition to the existing range of E10 (formerly WR810) underground support vehicles.
Models in the E15 range include the 7m3 agitator, the E15 delivery (with wireless remote crane), E15 flat deck, E15 water tank for dust suppression, and E15 fuel and lube service truck, with various other configurations presently in development.
Headlining the series, the new E15 agitator 7m3 specialises in the transport of shotcrete or concrete for backfilling voids, featuring outstanding ride and handling at full capacity, improving cycle times and increasing productivity.
These features quickly captured the attention of Australia’s leading ground support specialist, Jetcrete Oz Pty Ltd and Evolution Mining’s Ernest Henry copper-gold mine in Queensland.
Mixing with Jetcrete
The relationship between Elphinstone and Jetcrete Oz originated in 2018, resulting in the purchase of a fleet of Elphinstone WR820 10m3 agitators still in operation across Australia today.
Jetcrete has extensive experience in all areas of ground support, providing a complete service for each stage, including manufacture, supply, delivery and application.
The repeat orders were a testament to the success of the WR820 machines; however, on review, Jetcrete identified a need for a smaller machine with greater manoeuvrability to access and deliver the right amount of shotcrete to the headings.
Additionally, Jetcrete wanted more seating, greater comfort and safety, machine diagnostics and monitoring features.
Image: Elphinstone
“Operator comfort in the E15 was a key consideration for Jetcrete throughout the machine review process,” Elphinstone regional sales and support manager Kyle Allen said.
Jetcrete’s considerable experience in underground and surface applications has provided “work hardening” and valued feedback, which allowed Elphinstone to improve the E15 7m3 agitator even further.
After an extensive design and review process, Jetcrete took delivery of a new E15 7m3 Agitator in March of this year.
“Since arriving at Bluestone’s Renison mine in Tasmania, the machine has been working around the clock, which is encouraging from a new product introduction viewpoint,” Allen said.
Mining with a message
In mid-February, Elphinstone delivered two new E15 7m3 agitators to the Ernest Henry mine.
The two E15 7m3 agitators featured colour-coordinated agitator bowls requested by the mine to promote breast cancer (pink) and prostate cancer (blue) awareness.
“On delivery, the pink and blue-bowled agitators were positioned at the entrance of the underground portal for a group photo,” Allen said.
The mine’s owner, Evolution Mining, has since ordered a third agitator with a green bowl to raise mental health awareness.
These and several other initiatives underpin Evolution Mining’s social responsibility approach, investing in meaningful community projects and developing engaged and lasting relationships with stakeholders and wider communities.
“Feedback so far has been excellent; in fact, the ride and comfort are so good that none of the operators want to operate the old agitator trucks,” Allen said. “Evolution has now decided to standardise their support fleet with E15 machines and, as they say, there is no better testimony than a repeat order”.
Ernest Henry also has two E15 flat deck delivery trucks on order completing their fleet of five machines.
Cab comfort
The E10 and E15 platforms have been designed and built to work in some of the harshest underground environments. Maximising the comfort and safety of the miners who operate in these conditions is vitally important.
More broadly, the E15 series – which has been continuously improved since its introduction alongside the E10 in 2017 – has a lower profile than the existing E10 (2.4m in height versus 3m), a key consideration for mining operations overseas.
At a height of 2.4m, the front-mounted operator cabin on the E15 features three-person air suspended seating, climate-controlled air conditioning, an ergonomic central driving position with a clear 180° view, and a dial controller for the retarder, speed and implement controls.
There are also some thoughtful smaller details, such as a cooled compartment for lunchbox storage, cupholders and smartphone charging ports.
Improved ride and manoeuvrability
An A-frame front axle suspension, combined with the oscillating hitch and air-suspended seats, delivers a high level of machine comfort to the operator and passengers.
The oscillating hitch means all wheels are constantly on the ground offering superior traction in rough or wet conditions.
Although the E15 machines are typically longer than the E10s, the common rear frame and axle position mean that the machine has a better turning circle improving manoeuvrability.
Safety features
An optional safety feature of the E15 is the front and rear hydraulic jacks. The front jacks operate with a “park” function to enable the operator to safely exit the cabin with the engine operating. The rear jacks are used to level or lift the machine for discharge. All jacks can lift the machine off the ground for changing tyres.
Image: Elphinstone
The machine features intelligent electronic speed control that combines the functions of the heavy-duty electromagnetic driveline retarder, engine speed and the correct transmission gear to control speed while descending into the mine, reducing wear and tear on the service brake components.
Operator presence, onboard brake testing and advanced machine diagnostics ensure that the operator is in control of the machine and has the right information to diagnose any issue on the 12 inch touch screen dashboard.
Ground-level serviceability
All service points such as tanks, filters, lubrication points and compartment drains are conveniently located at ground level for servicing.
Downtime during service and maintenance is reduced markedly on the E15 due to clever engineering and placement of service points with service personnel in mind.
Quick-change air filters and 500-hour oil service intervals reduce downtime and keep machines in operation longer for greater productivity. A centralised on-board service centre includes fast fill, evacuation, and fluid sample points for analysis.
“Product support, parts and components are readily available through Elphinstone and our authorised Caterpillar dealers,” Allen said.
MINExpo 2024
With E15 delivery and flat decks in production, the Elphinstone team is confident the E15 range will continue to grow in popularity among customers both in Australia and overseas.
“We’re looking forward to exhibiting on stand 13751 at MINExpo in Las Vegas this September,” Elphinstone global sales and marketing manager Tim Mitchell said.
“We’ll be displaying an E15 Delivery (with wireless remote crane and flat deck) and a MED210 mine extraction device used for extracting bogged or buried machinery underground. Both are new machines in our continuously expanding range of underground hard rock mining support vehicles.”
This feature appeared in the August 2024 issue of Australian Mining.
