Different Types of Mining Cable Available — A Comparison

Underground and on the surface, mines use electricity for a variety of functions in numerous locations. The required electrical power is derived either from a generating station at the mine or, more commonly, from the local power grid via a substation.

It is a recognised fact that underground cables in mines must survive harsh conditions, including exposure to roof falls, moisture, and other potential causes of damage.

Therefore, cables used in mining must be constructed to endure rigorous use. In addition, continual maintenance is necessary to guarantee their safety and dependability. In actuality, reliable and durable cables are crucial for effective coal production.

In addition, these mining cables must comply with earthing rules, which state that the earthing conductor's conductance must be at least fifty percent of that of one of the power conductors.

What is an Electrical Cable?

An Electrical power cable refers to the cable used for the transmission and distribution of electrical power. It is used to transmit high voltages in locations where overhead lines are impractical.

The major components of the power cable are the conductor, dielectric, and sheath. The conductor provides the conducting channel for the current in the cable. The insulation or dielectric is capable of withstanding the service voltage and isolating the live conductor from things. The sheath prevents the entry of moisture and shields the cables against all external impacts, such as chemical or electrochemical attacks and fire.

What is Mining Cable?

Mining Cable is a generic word for cable used to distribute electricity to mining tunnel equipment, such as giant shovels and drills. It is designed to withstand the extreme conditions prevalent in coal, industrial, and precious metal mines, such as being dragged over rocks, stretched from cables, and run over by machinery weighing tonnes. Voltages range from 600V to 35KV, with the majority falling within the ranges of 2000V, 4160V, and 12,470V. From less than 100 amps to over 500 amps, amperages range.

Mining cables are utilized in a variety of mining applications and are designed to provide the highest levels of safety and productivity in an environment that is exceedingly harsh. In addition to having superior electrical, temperature, abrasion, and flame resistance, these cables are also very flexible, resistant to torsion, and resistant to drag.

Mining cables are utilized in a variety of mining applications and are designed to provide the highest levels of safety and productivity in an environment that is exceedingly harsh.

In addition to having superior electrical, temperature, abrasion, and flame resistance, these cables are also very flexible, resistant to torsion, and resistant to drag. There is a wide range of mining and trailing cables; like type 241 cable, type 441 cable, type 450 cable, etc.

Construction

The peculiar structure of the mining cable enables it to be fairly flexible while carrying three conductors, a ground, and a ground check wire within a single jacket.

The proprietor of the wire and cable company where I previously worked taught us about wire and cable from the inside out, beginning with the conductor and concluding with the jacket.

This method is used to examine three of the most prevalent varieties of mining cable: G-GC, SHD-GC, and MP-GC. Stranded, flexible, tinned copper is used to construct mining cable conductors. Stranding contributes to flexibility by permitting conductors to move independently within the insulation. This applies to every form of Mining Cable like Type 2S cable and Type 406 cable.

What is a Trailing Mining Cable?

A Trailing Mining Cable is a large electrical cable that is attached to a piece of mining machinery.

These cables are durable, well-insulated, and covered with a thick rubber-like coating.

They transport substantial quantities of power and can be quite hazardous.

Therefore, trailing cables should be maintained in good condition and machinery should take care not to run over or crush them. Typically, trailing wires are 500 feet long, however, their length might vary.

Applications of Mining and Trailing Cable

Open-pit and underground mining requires ever-improving machine and technique performance. This has led to the development of the enormous machinery utilized today. On bucket wheel and dragline excavators, for example, installed power of over 15 MW and voltages of up to 35 kV are now commonplace.

These huge, mobile devices necessitate medium-voltage flexible reeling and trailing cables for power supply and can operate in the worst situations.

Mining and trailing cable manufacturer in Australia

For decades, Znergy Cable reeling and trailing cables for opencast and underground mining have been proven in the field around the globe. In certain mining applications, specific criteria such as mechanical strength and safety have necessitated the usage of premium mechanically resistant rubber.

An Electrical power cable refers to the cable used for the transmission and distribution of electrical power. It is used to transmit high voltages in locations where overhead lines are impractical.

The major components of the power cable are the conductor, dielectric, and sheath. The conductor provides the conducting channel for the current in the cable. The insulation or dielectric is capable of withstanding the service voltage and isolating the live conductor from things. The sheath prevents the entry of moisture and shields the cables against all external impacts, such as chemical or electrochemical attacks and fire.

Conclusion

Our mining, drilling, and tunneling cable products are intended to function in some of the most extreme situations on the planet. In an industry that relies on heavy-duty gear to do this labor-intensive activity, equipment failure and the resulting downtime can be exceptionally costly and, in the worst-case scenario, pose a threat to operational safety.

In an industry striving to become increasingly automated, cables that consistently give good performance are required. Our cables are constructed to endure mechanical stress, lubricants, water, and even submersion. In the case of a fire, we provide mining cables that generate less smoke and odors, thereby protecting personnel and high-value equipment.

Also Read: Mining Cable from A to Z: All About Different Types of Mining Cable