Mining For Innovation: Transporting a Massive Mining Shovel

In the Smoky Canyon mines of Afton, Wyoming, Omega Morgan’s customer, Simplot, needed help moving a nearly 600,000-pound mining shovel up a road with five-ten percent grades. While this was a large undertaking that presented plenty of challenges, it was an exciting project for the Portland and Boise specialized transportation and machinery moving divisions, one they were able to complete successfully and with safety first.

A PERFECT FIT FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT TRANSPORT

The objective of this transportation project was to help Simplot avoid the cost of repairing tracks and limit their equipment downtime by using an Omega Morgan trailer to transport a mining shovel up the road.

After a couple of site visits, the Omega Morgan team determined that a 10-line, self-propelled trailer would best serve the project’s goals. This trailer features multiple axles that are each independently powered and steered, allowing our crews to make intricate maneuvers and distribute the load weight more evenly, making the trek up the steep and uneven canyon road possible.

INNOVATION IN SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

With a crew and equipment in place, the next step was to load the massive mining shovel onto the trailer. To do this, the crew needed to figure out how to lift the nearly 600,000-pound shovel high enough to get the trailer underneath.

This is where the Omega Morgan team’s innovation and expertise came into play. They created a solution to lift the shovel by building a dirt ramp. Once the mine crew built the ramp and drove the shovel up, the Omega Morgan crew was able to slide the trailer and power pack beneath. From there, they secured the shovel to the trailer and were ready for transport.

SAFETY-FIRST IN HEAVY HAUL TRUCKING

As with all of Omega Morgan’s projects, safety comes first. This was especially true on this project, where the steep grade and heavy machinery posed many risks.

To minimize these risks, the Omega Morgan crew used their experience and skill when transporting the heavy load up the steep climb, making adjustments for weight distribution on precarious turns and uneven ground, and keeping a close watch on the trailer’s mechanical systems to prevent overstress.

The route to where the mining shovel ultimately needed to be was nine miles long and the grade of the road ranged from five to ten percent. Trekking uphill required slow, methodical movement as well as extreme focus and persistence from the crew.

SUCCESSFUL HEAVY EQUIPMENT TRANSPORT

The skill of the Omega Morgan specialized transportation and machinery moving teams and crew, from planning stages to skillful execution, made this massive transport possible and safe. Simplot was extremely satisfied with the project’s outcome and the Omega Morgan crew was happy to assist in this cost and time saving project for the mining industry.