New division will specialize in rock dusting equipment like rail-mounted pod dusters (above).
Matrix Design Group rolled out a new Equipment Division that features essential support products for underground coal operations. The new division has launched a product line of new or rebuilt rock dusters as well as rock dust bins, refuge shelters and dozer kits.
“We want to offer coal mines high-quality new and rebuilt products with an eye toward cost savings,” said President David Clardy said. “In this challenging time, mines need to maximize every dollar, and we feel that combining this new product suite with our outstanding service is a good way to support American mining.”
The line of new and rebuilt equipment will include:
Newly designed 1,000-lb Electric Trickle Duster;
400-lb Electric Trickle Duster;
Pull-behind Electric Beltline Duster;
Scoop Flinger Dusters;
Slurry Dusters;
Single and dual, rail or rubbertired, Pressured Pod Duster;
Portable and stationary Rock Dust Bins;
Patented “Bottles Off”-design LifeShelters; and
Dozer Rescue Kits.
The Matrix Equipment Division has the ability to build new rock dusters or rebuild any type of duster that the customer may have. While mines can buy ready-made products, Matrix staff will also work closely with them to customize their purchase.
“We know that the chances of a widespread explosion can be greatly reduced when rock dust is applied and maintained according to industry standards, and that’s why quality rock dusters are so critical,” said Sam Kinder, Equipment Division technical sales representative. “We listen closely to our customer’s ideas and work to meet their exact needs to best support their employees’ safety.”
Leaders from Komatsu, the Gangulu Nation and Anglo American plant the first tree of the day together at the Growing Together event at the Dawson mine in March.
Anglo, Komatsu Team Up to Restore Mined Lands
Multinational miner Anglo American and Komatsu, a leading provider of heavy equipment, technology and services for the mining industry, have announced a new mine rehabilitation partnership that will see more than 9,000 trees planted at Anglo American’s Dawson coal mine in Australia’s Bowen Basin. Located in Central Queensland, Dawson is an open-cut metallurgical coal operation made up of three operating pits — North, Central and South.
The partnership, Growing Together, aims to return mined land to agricultural use, and support the re-establishment of native plant species using the latest reclamation methods.
It commenced with employees from both companies working together to plant more than 4,000 trees at the Dawson mine last month. They were joined by around 40 students from Moura and Banana state schools and traditional owners from the Gangulu Nation. Together, they demonstrated sustainable mining practices in action, planting various native eucalyptus species across a 90-hectare site where mining activities have ceased.
CEO for Anglo American Met Coal Business Tyler Mitchelson said the project was a great example of like-minded companies coming together to support sustainable mining practices in the region. “Collaboration across our industry and the communities where we operate is a powerful way to achieve improved sustainability outcomes in the local area,” he said.
“We’re committed to the highest standards of environmental performance, and this new partnership with Komatsu adds to our existing $162 million rehabilitation investment across our five Central Queensland mine sites.
Anglo American and Komatsu teams stand united after a day of planting trees together at a 90-hectare site at the Dawson mine.
“More than $80 million will be spent on rehabilitation at the Dawson mine over five years (2019-2023), which has been leading the way in innovative rehabilitation approaches.
“We were very pleased to welcome students from Moura and Banana state schools to the Dawson mine, to help share information about native plants, mine rehabilitation and have them join the tree planting event. Schools were also given free plants to take back and plant, so we look forward to seeing more native trees growing across the region.
“A key pillar of our global Sustainable Mining Plan is ‘healthy environment’ and this partnership demonstrates our commitment to innovative and sustainable environmental practices,” Mitchelson said.
The planting included a pilot of biodegradable COCOON planting technology, which reduces the need for irrigation, to help drought-proof the newly planted trees. The Cocoon pods require 100 times less water than traditional methods and can support a young plant through its critical first year with an accessible reservoir of water and moisture.
President and CEO of Komatsu Mining Jeffrey Dawes said the new partnership is a continuation of Komatsu’s Growing Forward signature environmental initiative, the reforestation of formerly mined lands, which was launched on Earth Day 2019 to advance the company’s commitment to a sustainable future for all.
“We believe that maintaining high environmental standards is more than a good business practice — it is a fundamental responsibility owed to our employees, customers, communities and the environment we all share,” Dawes said.
“We are proud to be working together with Anglo American and members of the local community as we expand our global focus on reforestation of formerly mined lands.”
The Growing Together partnership continues Komatsu’s existing reforestation efforts with Green Forests Work (GFW), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting proper mine reclamation methods and the restoration of natural habitats, including national forests. As part of those efforts, Komatsu is committed to reforesting 1,000 acres of land and native ecosystems in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, USA. By the end of 2020, that project will have enabled the planting of more than 150,000 trees and creation of more than 100 wetlands to support natural wildlife habitats.
Students from Moura and Banana state schools and traditional owners from the Gangulu Nation work with Anglo American and Komatsu teams to plant native eucalyptus species across a 90-hectare site at the Dawson mine.
“Through the efforts of many, we can accomplish so much more than we would working alone,” Dawes said.
“It’s an honor to be partnering with Anglo American, who are global leaders in sustainable mining, to increase the use of advanced mine rehabilitation methods and complete the cycle — bringing the land back to its original use following the extraction of essential minerals needed to grow modern society.”
The Growing Together project is being undertaken in coordination with environmental consultants from Australian firm EMM, and support from Anglo American’s rehabilitation contractor, Moorvale Earthmoving.
