A made-in-China tunnel boring machine (TBM), to be used in the construction of a roadway mining project in Zambia, recently came off the production line in Changsha, Hunan province. The machine, which is the first Chinese mining TBM to be exported to Africa, has an excavation diameter of 5.63 meters.
A tunnel boring machine (TBM) with an excavation diameter of 5.63 meters recently came off the production line in Changsha, Hunan province. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The machine, measuring 130 meters in length and weighing 800 tons, is designed with 50-meter radius of the horizontal curve, capable of handling slopes of up to ±15 degrees. The TBM was jointly developed by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited and China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co., Ltd.
The Chambishi Southeast Orebody in Zambia is Africa's first digital mine project. The project involves a tunnel length of 9.7 kilometers and presents numerous construction challenges, including hard rock, fault fracture zones, small radius turns, off-center excavations and elevated ground temperatures.
To address these challenges, the development team incorporated a series of innovative solutions. The TBM features modular and small-radius design adaptations, trackless auxiliary support, and real-time geological prediction systems to enhance its performance in adverse geological conditions.
In addition, they implemented customized configurations, including a cooling system and an online tool monitoring system, to enhance operator comfort and provide strong support for the construction of the project.
The Southeast Orebody project at the Chambishi Copper Mine involves a total investment of $830 million. The completion of the tunnel will significantly enhance the transportation capacity of the copper mine, supporting Zambia's mining industry and contributing to regional economic development.
(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)
