Linear motor technology is ready for adoption by mining equipment suppliers who want to lead the field with innovative bulk materials transportation systems, Texchange technical director Chris Lines tells Mining Weekly.

He states that linear-motor-propelled transport technology can not only ensure a small environmental footprint and efficient energy use but concomitantly provide a robust and reliable transport solution with minimal maintenance and downtime. In addition, it can provide a high throughput capacity and is scalable and flexible.

Lines adds that linear motors can be thought of as flat, unwrapped versions of traditional rotating electric motors, with the “rotor” attached to the moving component and the stator forming the track.

Although mines have not yet incorporated the technology into their operations, Texchange is noting increased interest among several companies that supply bulk materials handling systems to mines.

“Texchange’s founder and managing director Rupert Cruise first started investigating the technology in 1994 and we continue to invest in refining and improving the technology. Patents were filed in 1998, 1999 and 2006, and we have plans to file a further family of patents this year,” Lines comments.

He notes that stakeholders increasingly require mines to use resources efficiently to extract minerals, including having a small impact on the surrounding environment and using energy efficiently. Some mining projects fail to start because they are unable to convince the regulatory authorities that they will be able to achieve these sustainability targets.

“Few, if any, existing mine transport solutions can achieve all of these requirements,” he says, adding that linear motors are a propulsion technology that could revolutionise the transportation of bulk materials within the mining industry.

Since the thrust force is applied magnetically, rather than through a mechanical interface, he explains, there is significantly less wear and tear and, without traction being required, there is no gradient limitation.

“Unlike conventional transportation technologies, a linear motor essentially removes the ‘engine’ from the moving component and places it in the track. With no engines or on-board fuel, the vehicles can be relatively lightweight so it is a more efficient process to move them and the cost and environmental impact of the track and infrastructure to support the vehicles is reduced,” he explains.

Lines adds that this is particularly important for new mines in environments of natural beauty and significant biodiversity, such as the planned Pebble mine, in Alaska, a mineral exploration of a very large, but relatively low-grade copper, gold and molybdenum sulphide deposits.

A lightweight array of permanent magnets that is attached to each vehicle, whereby each vehicle “surfs” a magnetic wave created by the powered portion of the linear motor, forms part of the track and is shared by all the vehicles.

“Also, by designing for redundancy, a fault-tolerant and low-maintenance transportation solution is possible. Linear motors have been proven to be a robust and reliable technology, with a record of working continuously in some very harsh conditions for 20 to 30 years while requiring very little maintenance,” he comments.

Further, a linear-motor-propelled system can efficiently handle variable capacity, from relatively small to relatively large amounts of materials, by varying the number of vehicles in use.

“The technology enables a system that can operate on gradients greater than 20%, support continuous loading and unloading, facilitate manoeuvring around tight turns, avoid roll-back or spillage, and does not require transfer points,” he says.

Lines notes that, currently, Texchange is primarily focusing on mining-related transport and people transport solutions; however, the company has also been involved in significant projects in the defence and other sectors.

“Texchange takes a long-term view and is working with its manufacturing partners to ensure that linear motors are the technology driving the next transport revolution – whether that be transporting bulk materials for mines or moving people around cities,” he concludes.