Lifting equipment can be found in a range of industrial sectors, but one that many may often overlook is the mining industry. Whilst mining is no longer commonplace in the UK, as it once was, it’s still very much thriving in other parts of the world – especially in countries such as South Africa, the United States and Australia.
Hoists, specifically, play a crucial role in the mining industry, facilitating the efficient and safe transportation of materials, equipment and personnel.
They are essential for the operation of both underground and surface mines. Understanding their uses can highlight their importance and the advancements that make mining operations more productive and safe.
Keep reading as well discuss their industrial use in more detail.
What’s the Difference Between a Hoist & a Winch?
Before we discuss the uses of hoists in the mining industry, it’s important that we define the difference between the two. Both hoists and winches are types of lifting equipment, with the two terms being often interchanged, although their uses are actually different.
The main difference between the two is in regards to the direction each operates. Hoists are used to lift objects vertically, as is made efficient by their design.
In comparison, winches are used to pull objects horizontally, which is supported by the positioning of the spool within the winch.
Winches operate exclusively using a drum, around which their wire or cable is wound. This cable can be spoiled onto the drum or unspooled if the drum rotation is reversed, with this tension or release of tension being what moves the object that is attached to the winch cable.
Hoists can also use a drum to operate, either using a wire rope or (more commonly) a chain. However, many hoists don’t exclusively operate using a drum; rather, many use lift-wheels to create (or release) the tension needed to move the load they’re carrying.
Understanding Hoisting Requirements in the Mining Industry
The mining industry involves very large scale operations and as such requires large scale machinery to support these. Considering that mining involves the extraction of raw materials from the earth, often at great depths, which is why supporting machinery is imperative for efficient operations.
Below are just some examples of said operations and how hoists are used to facilitate mining operations.
Transporting Materials
In order for mining to be a worthwhile business economically, large amounts of materials are often extracted from mining locations to be used for various manufacturing purposes. As such, it isn’t efficient to rely on human intervention and manual labour to transport ore from mining faces to the surface.
Instead, this is where hoists are used. Many modern hoists are powered by electricity or hydraulics, allowing them to handle large payloads with ease. This means they are great for handling and lifting heavy loads of ore to the surface, which is a fundamental process to ensure that extracted minerals are ready to then be transported to the processing plants.
As well as handling ore, mining hoists are also great for handling other large volumes of bulk materials, such as waste materials that are produced whilst workers are down extracting materials in the mine. By using hoists to move said materials, this reduces the need for continuous manual transport whilst keeping working conditions organised, ultimately increasing operational efficiency.
Supporting Personnel
While mining relies heavily on extensive machinery and equipment, human labour is still just as important within the industry. Of course, working at such depths, there needs to be a safe and efficient way for working personnel to get down to the mining pit in order to carry out their working tasks.
Hoists are used to transport miners to different levels of a mine, ensuring quick and safe access to their respective working areas. Specifically, they are used to transport the mine cages (a type of lift) that the miners step into in order to be transported. In especially deep mines, this is particularly important to ensure that travel time doesn’t significantly impact productivity.
Many of these mine cars also come equipped with multiple, extensive safety features. This means that, in case of emergencies or an unexpected failure, hoists will be able to provide a reliable means of evacuations for personnel, so that they can swiftly get out of the mine if needed, thus enhancing mine safety for workers in what is a notoriously dangerous job and environment.
Transporting Equipment
Hoists aren’t the only large pieces of machinery and equipment used in mining operations, but there is a whole host of other machinery used for efficient materials extraction along with other equipment to support various aspects of the process.
From drilling rigs to maintenance tools, hoists are used to move a range of heavy mining equipment and machinery to underground locations so that mining can commence. Hoists come in various sizes and capabilities, with some, such as hydraulic hoists, being incredibly large and able to hold incredibly heavy loads – such as this large machinery. This makes them the most reliable solution for getting the machinery up and down the mine shaft when required.
As well as getting such equipment down the mine for installation, there is always potential for equipment failure and downtime. In the event that equipment does need maintenance work, then it will need to be lifted back out of the mine for repairs to take place, then lowered back down once it’s been fixed and ready to use again.
Being able to transport machinery in this way for repairs and maintenance subsequently minimises downtime, making this yet another critical use for hoists in the mining industry.
How Do Requirements Differ from the Past to Now?
Technological Advancements
Hoists have been used in mines for years, with friction hoists having been used in mining applications since the late 1800s. Of course, as with almost every industry, as time and technological advancements have advanced, so too have the requirements and capabilities of lifting equipment in the mining industry.
Looking at modern hoists, many of these now incorporate advanced automation and control systems into their design. This ultimately improves the precision and safety with which they operate. Furthermore, automated hoists can operate continuously with minimal human intervention, which subsequently enhances productivity as it frees up the time of workers to prioritise other tasks.
Another advancement in modern hoists is that their systems allow for remote monitoring and operation control. This means real-time data and diagnostics can be provided, which help with predictive maintenance and operational adjustments where required.
Safety Enhancements
As an industry that’s known for being dangerous to work in, safety is paramount when it comes to mining. This applies to the modern hoists used for lifting and lowering the mine cars that transport personnel. As such, the hoists are equipped with sophisticated safety mechanisms, including:
- Overload protection
- Emergency brakes
- Fail-safe devices.
All of these features are crucial in preventing accidents.
On top of this, they must stay compliant with strict health and safety regulations, which means that they are maintained to high standards, thus reducing the risk of malfunctions and improving overall safety.
Environmental Considerations
In today’s social climate, there’s heavy pressure on all industries to make more sustainable choices and operate with more consideration for the environment. This is especially important in the mining industry, which inherently isn’t environmentally friendly.
However, the industry is changing and new ways are being found to reduce its environmental impact across various areas of business. One such way is through the hoists they use; these are being designed with environmentally friendly features to minimise their ecological footprint. For example, energy-efficient motors and regenerative motors are now incorporated into their composition.
The use of more efficient hoists is just one part of the industry’s transition to increasingly adopting more sustainable practices. Overall, this will help to reduce energy consumption and emissions within the industry as a whole, which helps to lower their carbon footprint.
Lifting Equipment Hire
If you work in an industry that relies on the use of lifting equipment, then look to use here at Atlas Winch Hire & Hoist Services to support you.
From hoists to winches, we specialise in the supply of industrial lifting equipment to suit your needs.
Get in touch with us today to discuss your requirements and let us help you find the best solution to meet these.
