Germany-based equipment manufacturer Liebherr has signed an agreement with Australian miner BHP to integrate its engines into BHP's existing R 9600 600-tonne excavator fleet at the South Flank mine in Western Australia.
The integration follows intensive factor and field validations on the D98 engine series, which includes a two-year validation study at BHP's Jimblebar mine.
Liebherr said the D98 series completes the existing Liebherr engine portfolio for mining equipment by expanding into the upper power range.
The company noted that the D98 series engine offers low fuel consumption and consequence emissions reductions. Additionally, the engine is also compatible for use with sustainably produced Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel which can significantly reduce CO2 emissions.
The first D9812 repowered R 9600 is scheduled to be operational by early quarter 1 2023, with repowers of the remaining R 9600 fleet over 2023 and 2024.
Steve Campbell, BHP's general manager for South Flank, said: "We're looking forward to continuing with this collaboration which promises to bring performance and availability improvements to South Flank as we continue to ramp up production."
Mark Pickett, vice president of Minerals Australia Supply also commented: "We welcome the introduction of Liebherr engines into our equipment to deliver a more sustainable outcome and lower overall cost, as well as allowing Liebherr to have better control of product improvement.
