New cutting drum to be shown at MINExpo expands applications for Wirtgen surface miners

Wirtgen Surface Miners and Cross Application Miners work in open-cast mining operations and on infrastructure projects around the world, and cutting drums are at their core. The Wirtgen Group will introduce a new cutting drum at MINExpo 2024 that will enable cost-efficient extraction of resources with uniaxial compressive strengths of over 100 MPa UCS (14,500 psi).

The new cutting drum is equipped with HT14 toolholders and features a redesigned cutting geometry. The field-proven and established central-drum concept, which ensures optimum utilization of the machine weight, and direct belt drive that guarantees the transfer of high usable power to the cutting drum, also contribute to the ability of Surface Miners to profitably extract even very hard rocks and minerals such as limestone, gypsum, or anhydrite.

The new cutting drum was debuted on a limestone quarrying job in Nebraska. A Surface Miner 280 SM(i) extracted very hard limestone, and also eliminated the need for drilling and blasting, making it possible to extract previously unexploitable limestone deposits. This extended the working life of the quarry and downstream production systems by several decades. Surface mining is a cost-effective extraction solution that also contributes to safeguarding jobs, increased safety in the quarry, and responsible management of resources.

The Cross Application Miner 260 SX(i) speeds up construction times on infrastructure projects by eliminating the need for drilling and blasting, with the construction of stable embankments, in-situ grading of railroad tracks, and recycling of extracted material in-place for use in further construction.

At MINExpo 2024, trade and industry visitors will be able to talk with surface mining experts from the Wirtgen Group about aspects such as deployment and project assessment, recommended machines and equipment, related cost and performance estimation, and financing solutions.