GCM has been a pioneer in implementing Wirtgen’s surface mining technology into civil construction projects in Australia.
WIRTGEN SURFACE MINERS MAKE THE CUT FOR
CIVIL CONSTRUCTION GLOBAL CIVIL AND MINING (GCM) HAS BEEN A PIONEER IN USING WIRTGEN SURFACE MINERS IN BOTH MINING AND CIVIL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. MANAGING DIRECTOR KANE BLACKBURN DETAILS HOW THE MACHINES HAVE BENEFITED GCM AND ITS CUSTOMERS.
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or over two decades, Wirtgen surface miners have been used for applications in both mining and civil industries, from road and railway construction and maintenance to excavating for trenches, reservoirs and tunnels. Global Civil and Mining (GCM) has been one of the pioneers in successfully implementing surface mining technology into both mining and civil construction projects in Australia. With the largest private fleet of Wirtgen surface miners in Australia, GCM has been at the forefront of developing the technology. GCM Managing Director Kane Blackburn says using surface miners in a variety of 14
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projects, from road and rail projects to subdivisional works, quarries and mining, has brought many benefits to GCM customers. “In Australia, traditionally surface miners have been used in mining applications to help recover material such as iron ore, coal and salt. But globally, they are also widely used in civil works operations. GCM has been a pioneer in introducing the technology, both across major mining operations in Western Australia and in civil projects throughout Australia,” he says. “We’ve found that even though some of our customers, particularly in the civil space, are not aware of the technology initially, they often finish the project quite impressed
with what the technology and the team have been able to deliver,” he adds. One key benefit from a civil construction perspective, Blackburn says, is the ability to undertake excavation, crushing and loading activities in a single pass with just one piece of machinery, which eliminates the need for multiple pieces of plant. Equipped with a conveyor setup, Wirtgen’s surface miners also allow material to be directly discharged from the surface miner into a truck, removing the need for more equipment and personnel on site. “The flexible design of the Wirtgen surface miners allows us to choose between different configurations, with the option to
