As Australia enters an unprecedented wave of investment in public infrastructure projects, with forecast spend on major public infrastructure over the next five years exceeding $218 billion and two-thirds greater demand for plant, labour, equipment and materials forecast, Vermeer Corporation has again responded with innovative new technologies.

Enter Vermeer’s T1255 SSDD (Single-Sided Direct Drive) continuous surface miner. The latest evolution of Vermeer’s Terrain Leveler range has been developed to meet the unique needs of Australia’s civil, quarry and mining industries. Vermeer Australia’s National Account & Project Manager Ken Smith says the machine is ideal for hard rock and tunnelling applications to increase productivity and reduce overhead costs. “The onboard hydraulically driven dust system offers reduced fuel consumption, emissions and labour costs when compared to a trail behind dust system.” Ken says.

The T1255 SSDD also comes with intelligent technology, with the SmartTEC electronic control system helping optimise productivity with real-time machine control prompts.

“The SmartTEC software helps maximise machine performance, allowing operators to adjust machine controls where needed, as well as monitoring and recording machine performance. They can then easily analyse and adjust any controls or movements where needed – making sure operators are getting the most out of the fleet,” Ken says.

“The surface miner comes Trimble Ready, allowing easy set up for GPS-engineered cutting maps, so operators can perform precise cuts that other methods would require multiple machines and steps to achieve.”

The Single-Sided Direct Drive advantage

The single-sided drive configuration of the T1255 SSDD couples the vertical high wall capabilities of a traditional surface miner with the performance and efficiency of closed-loop hydrostatic drive, enabling precise cutting of:

• Square corners: machines can cut up to 80-degree corners (inside and outside)
• Vertical high wall: operators can extract more ore from the site, and the single-sided direct drive attachment can cut 80-degree high wall
• Flat mine floor: a single machine can produce a flat mine floor or create 5 – 10-degree camber for water run off

Ken says the Vermeer hydrostatic drive surface miners have proven capabilities in applications ranging from mine sites to civil construction and quarries. “When it comes to mining, the T1255 SSDD is particularly effective in continuous mining of coal and bauxite mine sites. Continuous surface mining allows operators to methodically and selectively mine or prep a site layer by layer, eliminating many of the safety challenges and restrictions associated with drill and blast.” Notably, using the surface miner reduces and, in some cases, eliminates the need for primary crushers, due to the smaller particle size produced.

The T1255 can also be used for haul road construction, road maintenance and drainage, as well as preparation of drill pads.

In quarrying applications, the use of the T1255 SSDD Surface Miner in the extraction of limestone, sandstone and gypsum minimises product dilution and produces smaller and more consistent particle sizes, reducing processing time through the primary crusher for higher productivity and increased profits.

Finally, the T1255 has proven credentials in Australian civil projects as a notable contributor to multiple road and rail tunnel projects. Broader civil engineering applications include construction of laydown areas, service and access roads on renewable energy projects, site preparation, roughing out streets, oil and gas well pads, and even preparation of housing pads on large-scale developments.

The first demonstration of the T1255 SSDD Surface Miner on Australian soil is August 17-18 at Rock Trade Industries in Helidon, Queensland. Attendees will have the opportunity to operate the Surface Miner, plus attend workshops led by international experts on the innovative technology driving the machine. Places are limited, so please RSVP to Ken Smith at ken.smith@rdo-vermeer.com.au or 0428 840 057 to register your interest.