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Abstract

The mining shovel is a rugged, heavy-duty machine designed to take the abuse imposed on it from continual digging forces and shock applied by the motor torques which drive the dipper into and upward through the digging face. During the 1970s the hydraulic excavator gained rapid acceptance in worldwide surface mining applications. The early use of the hydraulic excavator, either as a shovel or backhoe, indicated that this machine had some inherent advantages over the front end loader or mining shovel in some mining applications. The dragline mining system is a relatively simple, versatile, low cost mining method. A single dragline has the capability of operating over a wide range of overburden depths and material characteristics. Backhoes and clamshell excavators are other types of equipment.