October 5, 2020
Chittor Fort UNESCO World Heritage
Headquartered in Kolkata, Birla Cements is part of the M.P. Birla Group, with cement production in seven locations in India and a total capacity of 15.5 MTPA. The company’s limestone mining operation is located in the state of Rajasthan, near the city of Chittogarh, which is home to the historic Chittor Fort.
Since the Chittor Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site, no conventional mining activities are allowed within a radius of 10 km. Therefore, Birla Cements opted for blast-free mining using rig mounted heavy hydraulic breakers for primary rock excavation. For this purpose, they invested in a total of 17 Epiroc HB 10000 heavy breakers and further 5 HB 10000´s are ordered.
Construction site with the HB 10000
In 2015 Birla Cements was looking for a reliable breaker which could work for 3,500 hours without major breakdowns. Epiroc introduced them to the HB 10000, a machine legendary for its sheer breaking power. The power generated in a single impact between piston and working tool corresponds to a weight force of around 760 metric tons! And impact frequency is up to 380 blows per minute.
However, to optimize the HB 10000 for the specific task of primary rock excavation the customer discussed certain upgrades with Epiroc’s design engineers. These included features like double ContiLube ™ II for enhanced lubrication, easy-to-fix split wear bushings and modified flange seals to withstand the high temperatures.
Epiroc´s patented Intelligent Protection System (IPS), a fully automated, state-of-the-art system that provides simpler, more efficient, and more economical operation, was implemented as well.
HB 10000 primary rock excavation
The terrain on the mining site near Chittogarh is compact strata, with compressive strength of 100-160 mpa. The rig-mounted hydraulic breakers work three shifts continuously with production at more than 15,000 tons/day.
Within the scope of Birla Cements’ comprehensive maintenance and spare parts contract, Epiroc is on hand around the clock to ensure trouble-free operation with minimum machine downtime. The contract includes repair and maintenance support, with people available 24/7 to ensure availability and maintain productivity. Extensive aftermarket inventories are maintained at both the customer’s site and at Epiroc warehouse near to the site.
