Posted by Daniel Gleeson on third August 2024
The RIINO system, a zero-emission materials motion resolution leveraging know-how influences from monorails, subway programs and the mechanised increase climber, is now formally within the engineering and improvement stage, with an expanded consortium advancing the know-how’s improvement.
Having accomplished an in-depth, four-month scoping research backed by Agnico Eagle Mines and Vale Base Metals, utilising a consortium method, supported by the Canada Mining Innovation Council (CMIC), the corporate has now moved into this section, President and CEO, Aaron Lambert, informed IM not too long ago.
“Having been in early-stage improvement since 2020, we’re excited to maneuver into this new section and have interaction instantly with all elements of the mining ecosystem,” Lambert mentioned, including that the consortium RIINO is assembling covers not solely mining corporations, but in addition fabricators and constructors. “Our goal is to construct a consortium that goes throughout the worth chain, we wish to help the know-how from the start to the top.”
Along with the beforehand talked about mining corporations, Lambert introduced that a number of extra trade leaders have joined the consortium, together with mining firm Capstone Copper and mining and forestry gear service firm Soudre Dufer. This enlargement, RIINO says, highlights the consortium’s rising energy with every new member.
“We’re open to inviting extra members into this consortium as we advance the know-how and construct the demonstration system.” Lambert mentioned. “All of those corporations are incentivised by the identical factor: to give you an alternative choice to the mine haulage establishment that’s value efficient, sustainable and versatile.”
RIINO is described as an modern monorail haulage system concentrating on the discount of the trade’s carbon emissions and attaining net-zero objectives. It’s designed to obtain its energy from {the electrical} grid which drives the inner, train-mounted motors in addition to auxiliary on-board batteries for a whole electrical and automatic operation.
The RIINO idea originated out of Lambert’s expertise as a contract miner in Sudbury – a task that noticed him work together and have interaction with many various applied sciences. He has been engaged on RIINO for a number of years, with the preliminary plan to supply a system that’s each capex- and opex-efficient. The headline quantity related to it is a focused 50-90% discount in haulage working prices.
The zero-emission aspect has created an additional promoting level for RIINO, encouraging mining corporations to think about its use alongside a number of different haulage options to the usual diesel-powered truck and shovel fleet.
Thus far, the ability necessities for RIINO have been primarily based off present specs for each open-pit and underground mines. The usual 120-t (18% grade) or 400-t payload numbers have additionally been influenced by present underground or open-pit mining profiles.
Every RIINO locomotive, a part of an built-in system, is supplied with inner, train-mounted motors to offer optimum driveline energy. The distinctive design of those locomotives contains wheels which can be absolutely hooked up to the rails, much like a rollercoaster, which successfully eliminates the danger of derailments. In response to Lambert, this function not solely enhances security but in addition prevents manufacturing losses.
Moreover, the RIINO locomotives supply important environmental and operational benefits. They play a vital function within the decarbonisation of mining operations, attaining zero emissions, the corporate says. The superior know-how utilized in these locomotives ends in decreased vitality consumption and decrease greenhouse gasoline emissions. This contributes to decreased environmental dangers and liabilities, in addition to a decreased general mining footprint.
The inclusion of a Busbar capable of present 750 V of DC energy comes out of the subway and floor transit house, in the meantime. On prime of this, the system’s auxiliary on-board batteries eradicate a big quantity {of electrical} infrastructure comparable to energy cables and extra sub-stations.
The corporate has partnered with Rainbow Concrete Industries to offer an indication website for a prototype system in Sudbury. This website will validate the know-how in real-life situations. As soon as testing is accomplished in December 2025, the location will likely be open to the general public for studying and group engagement.
