Liebherr's 250-tonne mining excavator is a productive beast

Liebherr's R 9300 Generation 8 mining excavator – the newest excavator in the Liebherr Mining range – is now available. Once the machine enters serial production in 2024, it will replace the R 9250 within the 250-tonne class.

The R 9300 was introduced at bauma 2022 and is the second Generation 8 excavator in Liebherr's product range. The excavator features Liebherr's latest mining technology; the company says its technology provides the machine with improved on-site performance as well as compatibility with Liebherr's Assistance Systems and future product updates like automation, zero-emission technologies, and digital services.

Liebherr Mining field tests its new excavator

As part of the validation phase for the R 9300, Liebherr Mining partnered with its PT Karunia Armada Indonesia to establish the capabilities of the excavator on site. Karunia – a mining contractor based in East Kalimantan, Indonesia – began operating a pre-series unit of the R 9300 to remove and load overburden into 100- and 130-tonne trucks at its Tabang mine.

Since the study began in September 2022, the R 9300 has averaged 486 operational hours per month with a 94 percent availability – surpassing Karunia's key performance indicators for the machine. Liebherr says that these results highlight the potential of the excavator for improving on-site productivity.

Another production study of the R 9300 excavator at the Tabang mine was conducted in March 2023. During the study, the mining excavator achieved a 26-second average cycle time, helping the excavator reach instantaneous productivity of 1,371 bank cubic metres (BCM) per hour (3,017 tonnes per hour). The R 9300 also attained a fuel efficiency ratio of 9.22 BCM per litre of fuel burned.

Improved fuel efficiency and electric drivetrain in development

Liebherr says that the R 9300 has been designed to lower fuel consumption and decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The R 9300's engine is available in FCO and U.S. EPA Tier 4/EU Stage V compliant versions (with SCR aftertreatment technology) to adhere to international emissions standards.

Liebherr Power Efficiency (LPE) – a proprietary engine and hydraulics management system that helps to decrease the amount of fuel a machine consumes while maintaining ideal productivity and performance – comes as standard in the R 9300. With this system, the R 9300 reduces fuel consumption by 15 percent when compared to its predecessor, the R 9250. This decrease in fuel consumption contributes to a 25 percent increase in fuel efficiency for the R 9300 compared to Liebherr's previous 250-tonne excavator.

An electric-drive version of the R 9300 is currently under development.

Improved attachment design, service life, and operator comfort

Liebherr has implemented a range of design improvements in the R 9300.

The R 9300 has an updated attachment design that is lighter and stronger than that of the R 9250. The new attachment comes with components such as a new stick and boom design. Aluminum covers are all installed as standard. This design has enabled an increase in bucket size in both the backhoe and face shovel configurations. The standard bucket sizes of 16.5 cubic metres in backhoe configuration and 16 cubic metres in face shovel configuration make the excavator an ideal pass match for trucks with 100-, 130-, and 180-tonne payloads.

The R 9300 has also been designed for simplified maintenance and a longer service life. This excavator shares parts commonality with Liebherr's current excavators to help minimize maintenance costs and streamline on-site inventory. The lifespan of the R 9300 has been increased by 33 percent above the R 9250 from 45,000 to 60,000 hours. Extending the service life of the R 9300 helps the machine better align with the service life of major excavator components.

Further improvements can be found in the cab design of the R 9300. The new cab includes enhanced cabin ergonomics, larger touch screens, a new control panel design, and optimized visibility.

The R 9300 will enter serial production in 2024. The backhoe configuration will be available from the first quarter of 2023 and the face shovel configuration from the second quarter.