Goldfields Resource Partners · Australia
Conveyor drive replaced without partial excavation. First time ever.
vs 6-week alternative
below surface
production maintained
The Challenge
A major gold mine near Kalgoorlie needed to replace a 2,800 lbs underground conveyor head-drive assembly on a level 340 metres below surface. The drive access road was 1.1m wide. Previously, this type of replacement required partial re-excavation of the access road — a 6-week programme — because no equipment could reach the drive in its installed position.
The Solution
A Scarab X5 was lowered to the underground level in components and assembled on-site. The drive assembly was lifted onto the carrier using a portable A-frame gantry and transported through the access road in a single pass. The return journey was made with the failed drive for surface refurbishment.
The Outcome
The replacement was completed in 11 hours from start to energisation — versus the 6-week re-excavation alternative. The mine maintained production through the replacement, saving an estimated 22,000 oz gold production. The Scarab X5 remains on-site for ongoing maintenance.
“We've been trying to solve this access problem for 8 years. Traxon solved it in one afternoon.”