Simulator training equipment company Immersive Technologies is supplying mining major Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (Vale) with three advanced equipment simulators, expected to be commissioned at its Moatize coal-mining project site, in Mozambique, at the end of this month.

The training simulators will support the Caterpillar 793D haul truck, the Caterpillar 992G wheel loader and the Hitachi EX5500 shovel/excavator.

The company is also supplying Vale with a custom mine site, which accurately replicates the Moatize mine, to enhance the realism and value of the training.

The sale of advanced training simulators to Vale is part of a bigger turnkey training solution provided by Immersive Technologies, which will supply complete training and development plans, where the training simu- lators will be part of a total training solution for Vales’ equipment operators.

Vale operator trainers will also do TrainerAdvantage simulator training. This globally certificated programme, delivered by Immersive Technologies, provides comprehensive training in the use and application of equipment simulators.

Vale has operated in Mozambique since November 2004, when it received the green light to explore and develop one of the world’s major untapped coking and thermal coal deposits at Moatize, in Tete province, 1 700 km north of Maputo. As part of its long-term investment in the province, the company is under- taking work aimed at delivering educational, cultural, health, infrastructure, agricultural and social benefits across the Moatize and Tete communities, with a population of about 35 000.

The Moatize project, forecast to produce up to 11-million tons of coal a year from 2010, will generate about 900 direct mine jobs and some 3 000 construction-related jobs.

With the aim of breaking first ground early next year, Vale intends to identify, screen and train a world-class operator workforce before its mining fleet arrives on site. The process will see the company screen about 1 000 local people over the coming months with a view to training 125 vehicle drivers for next year’s operational start-up.

A Vale spokesperson says that simulator training will play a vital role in the company’s haul truck, excavator/shovel, dozer, loader and dragline operator training at Moatize, before and during the operational phase.

“Health, safety and respect for life are part of Vale’s core values,” she adds.

“With this simulator technology, the company can refresh the skills and aptitude of operators in order to improve their performance at the operation. The primary rationale for investing in simulator training at Moatize is the efficiency and efficacy of the process and methodology of teaching through simulators. Vale expects that the trainees will achieve good performance levels from the start of its operations.”

Immersive Technologies supplies training simulators used in the mining and earthmoving industries. The company has 450 advanced mining equipment simulator modules in 25 countries.

Mines are increasing safety and reducing their cost for each ton by using simulators to train and test their operators.

The company has exclusive licensing and technical information alliances with leading original-equipment manufacturers, with custo- mer support offices in Perth and Brisbane, in Australia, Salt Lake City, in the US, Johannes- burg, in South Africa, and Santiago, in Chile.

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