ABSTRACT
The first medium sized bucketwheel excavator system, designed and manufactured in China, has recently been applied in the Xiao Long Tan lignite mine, located south of Kuen Ming City, in the Yong Nan province. A centralized control system has been installed to insure smooth operation of the mining system. It consists of a command system, a long distance transmission system, an operating system a logic system, and a mimic board. A series of performance tests were conducted on the equipment, to check its reliability and performance characteristics. The tests coincided with the mine opening, and therefore were conducted in overburden. During the test period the mining conditions were generally favorable, with excavation limited to fairly dry material only. The performance tests clearly indicate that the described equipment, made in China, can successfully mine the Xiao Long Tan deposit.
