en.Wedoany.com Reported - Polish mining equipment company FAMUR has recently completed a specialized upgrade and on-site cutting performance test of the R-150 roadheader. The machine will be specifically deployed at the Monte Bianco underground calcite (calcium carbonate) mine in Italy, providing a mechanized alternative to drilling and blasting for non-metallic hard rock roadway excavation.
The standard R-150 roadheader is typically used in coal mining, suitable for rock strata with compressive strength up to 90 MPa, capable of excavating roadways with a maximum cross-section of 24 square meters. It features a self-developed load-sensing hydraulic system, offering advantages such as lower energy consumption, controllable hydraulic oil temperature, and longer service life of core components. For the geological characteristics of the calcite mine, the company has equipped two cutting head gearbox options—FRG132 and FRG160B—and conducted comparative tests with multiple picks. Simultaneously, it completed specialized structural optimization of the equipment, full technical drawing compilation, and development of a complete excavation process, meeting the mechanized excavation requirements for roadways measuring 8 meters by 6 meters.
FAMUR Group is a leading Polish manufacturer of mining machinery, founded in 1929 and headquartered in Katowice, Poland. Its product range includes shearers, roadheaders, armored face conveyors, and hydraulic supports for both coal and non-coal mines, holding a significant position in the global mining equipment sector. The core objective of this technical upgrade project is to empirically verify the roadheader's mechanical excavation capability on calcite ore bodies, ensuring compliance with ore fragmentation size requirements while significantly improving roadway excavation efficiency, thereby benchmarking against traditional drilling and blasting methods in terms of overall cost, construction safety, and output efficiency.
FAMUR stated that this specialized calcite mine upgrade project represents another tangible achievement in the company's deep engagement in the hard rock mining niche, highlighting its technical capability to customize roadheader equipment and complete mining processes based on different ore body geological conditions and customer site conditions. As the global demand for mechanized alternatives to drilling and blasting in non-metallic underground mines continues to rise, specialized roadheaders are expected to further expand intelligent, blast-free mining applications in underground non-coal mines, while also providing overseas technical reference for the equipment upgrade of similar non-metallic mines, such as calcite and limestone, in China.
