JCHX, a mining contractor, has ordered several Epiroc loaders, mine trucks and drill rigs, including service support, for use at the Kipushi zinc, copper, germanium and silver mine in the Haut-Katanga province in Southern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The equipment order is valued at about $17 million and was booked in the first quarter 2023, Epiroc wrote in a statement.
The ordered equipment, manufactured in Sweden, includes Scooptram ST14 loaders, Minetruck MT42 haul trucks, and Simba production drill rigs, the statement noted.
According to Epiroc, the Scooptram and Minetruck machines will be equipped with Epiroc’s telematics system Certiq, which allows for intelligent monitoring of machine performance and productivity in real-time, and with Epiroc’s Rig Control System, RCS, which makes them ready for automation and remote control.
Epiroc explained that after decades of production the mine closed for care and maintenance in 1994. Construction started last year to re-open the mine, with late 2024 as a target to start production.
Commenting on the development, Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s president and CEO, said, “We look forward to supporting JCHX in making operations at the Kipushi mine as safe and productive as possible.”
Sami Niiranen, president of Epiroc’s underground division, said, “JCHX has been a customer of Epiroc for many years, both in Africa and Europe, and we are pleased to continue delivering innovative solutions that will help to optimize operations at Kipushi.”
JCHX International division president Youcheng Wang comments, “From the Group headquarters to the front-line team, Epiroc sets the highest priority on this equipment order, also when it comes to on-site technical support.”