Collapsed BWE

These spectacular pictures come from the CSN Itagui mine in Brazil. This bucket-wheel reclaimer failed during commissioning in 2007.

Bucket-wheel Reclaimer Boom

I've had lots of emails this week about this incident. A bucket-wheel reclaimer fell of the back of its low-loader as it went over a median strip while rounding a corner. The reclaimer is 55m long, and weighs 200t, and has a $M7 value.

Thanks to everyone who sent through some photos!

Coal Reclaimer Collapse

These amazing photos were sent in this week by a reader. They're from an incident that occured on the 25th of May, at the Itaguai port in Brazil.

10 people were on this reclaimer as it was preparing for maintenance. Fortunately, all escaped serious injury.

Reclaimer Pushed By Cyclone

These great photos came in this week from a new reader of the blog.

RC702 first Long Travel

'New' FMG reclaimer first movement (not no-load commissioning). This occurred during the recent cyclone.

Instructions were to:

      ·         Ensure all LT and Slew brakes were engaged

      ·         10t sling restraining each corner of the machine

      ·         Wedges to be placed on LT wheels, and

      ·         Boom to be luffed down and secured to crane counter weights

What happened:

      ·         2 out of the 12 LT brakes were engaged

      ·         3t come-alongs were used

      ·         Wedges were not put in correctly, and

      ·         The sling securing the boom came off in the high winds

Result: the machine moved 204m up hill on the rail and only stopped when the 3 leading bogies fell off the end of the rail, and the yard hold down roller frame was tipped over and jammed into the impact table. There were no end buffers in place so these hold down bolts were ran over.

Cost: 3-4 weeks extra delays in finishing reclaimer, and damage to 200m of belt and structure.