Dyno Nobel has unveiled its new premium mobile processing unit – the DYNOBULK Flex – to optimise the delivery of bulk explosives directly to the blast hole.
Mobile processing units (MPUs) are used in mining operations across Australia to manufacture or blend bulk explosives at the blast hole.
Operational efficiency and maximising productivity are key financial risks for mine operators. Dyno Nobel has sought to mitigate these concerns with its new MPU, the DYNOBULK Flex.
“As a mining services provider, it’s our job to help our customers reduce their costs and increase their productivity,” Dyno Nobel general manager business development Rebecca Landon told Australian Mining.
“With the DYNOBULK Flex, we can provide this productivity increase with a more capable MPU.”
The DYNOBULK Flex is one of the most efficient MPUs, with features like dual-purpose bins and a high-speed product pump driving down operational cost and time.
The MPUs are currently being used by a large multinational coal miner in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, with more expected to be employed across the region.
The Bowen Basin contains the largest coal reserves in Australia, with some of the world’s largest miners taking up residence there to share in the natural deposits.
“The ultimate question that customers have after they use the DYNOBULK Flex is, ‘When can I have more?’” Northern operations and business improvement manager Ben Hyde said.
“So far the feedback has been excellent, and they’ve been really happy with the efficiency.”
With the DYNOBULK Flex, operators can rely on the MPU’s larger carrying capacity and dual-purpose bins to achieve maximum optimisation. This means miners need fewer trips to carry product to the blast hole.
Operators who put the DYNOBULK Flex to work can expect productivity gains through the use of an optimised bin configuration, according to Dyno Nobel.
The Flex has three bins, compared to two in a standard MPU. One of these bins is for ammonium nitrate, while operators can choose to use the other two bins in a way that suits them – either for more ammonium nitrate or, alternatively, TITAN emulsion.
“It’s all about flexibility and optimisation for the customer,” Hyde said.
The optimisation of the MPU has an additional safety benefit, as the user’s interaction with heavy mining equipment is reduced by the lower number of turnarounds needed to achieve the same volumes.
The DYNOBULK Flex MPU also minimises the assets and time traditionally needed to load a blast, further improving the safety of a site, with fewer trips between storage and bench.
“Safety is our number-one priority, and it impacts everything we do,” Landon said.
Users can also optimise the payload for seasonal changes, with the MPU able to be configured for wet and dry conditions by changing the bin configuration. The truck is designed to enable these configuration changes on-site.
“There’s a lot of benefit in getting the product mix right,” Landon said.
“With the DYNOBULK Flex, operators can deliver the right type of product they need for that particular shot, no matter the season.”
One of the company’s largest clients has seen big improvements and benefits in a range of areas on their sites, and Dyno Nobel wants to encourage more mining operations to see the benefits of the DYNOBULK Flex MPU firsthand.
“Our customers are seeking innovative and practical technologies from us,” Landon said.
“And the DYNOBULK Flex is a great example of a practical technology that is innovative in the way it helps a mine’s day-to-day operations.”
This feature appeared in the November issue of Australian Mining.