Up for the challenge

There are fewer harsher work environments for machinery than a rock salt mine hundreds of metres beneath the surface of the earth. But Cummins Inc. engines, expertly maintained by on-site Cummins technicians, have proved themselves more than up to the task for KGHM ZANAM, powering the Polish giant’s heavy-duty specialist mining equipment in conditions that are hot and corrosive.

The salt mines in question are in Poland and Germany, and they include the vast K+S Werk Zielitz mine in Saxony-Anhalt. K+S is one of the largest European suppliers of potassium and magnesium products and a global leader in salt production.

Cummins-powered KGHM ZANAM equipment can also be found extensively in the copper mines of Rudna, Lubin and Polkowice in the Lower Silesian region of Poland, one of the world’s largest copper mining spaces. The relationship between KGHM ZANAM and Cummins stretches back to a few years before the formation of Cummins Poland in 2004, and over the past decade Cummins has supplied the business with more than 1,400 engines.

Fundamental to the relationship is the service support provided by the Cummins branch in Lubin, where the team of around 20 deals with more than 600 engines running every day up to 1,000 metres underground, a combination of loaders, dump trucks, support vehicles and drilling machines.

Pawel Stolecki of Cummins Poland said KGHM ZANAM treats Cummins as a partner in its business, developing products with a close eye on emerging engine technology and working together closely to design and build products for the uniquely challenging environments in which they have to work. “For example, we have developed solutions around wiring harnesses, alternators and starter motors to make our engines more robust in copper mines where the conditions are so difficult that the typical working life of a loader or dump truck might be only about five years.

“This is a classic example of working things out locally and flexibly to cope with conditions that are far outside the scope of a standard warranty package.”

Like all foresighted OEMs, KGHM ZANAM is looking seriously at how it can reduce its carbon footprint. There have been discussions with Cummins about the potential to integrate hydrogen fuel cell technology into its equipment, not an altogether straightforward task given the hot and confined spaces in which the machines typically operate. “Underground mining certainly presents some challenges,” said Pawel, “but there would be tremendous upside from the ability to remove exhaust emissions and noise, and we are looking forward to exploring the opportunities with KGHM ZANAM.”

Pawel re-iterated the importance to KGHM ZANAM of the Cummins service team. “Machine downtime is massively expensive for the operator, so our presence is reassuring to them.” KGHM ZANAM’s latest machine is the LD4 loader powered by the Stage V Cummins B4.5. Available to order from 2023, Cummins worked closely with the manufacturer to extensively test and trial the prototype in 2021.

"We are confident the LD4 will become a success," said Pawel. “Just as exciting is the prospect of KGHM ZANAM exporting the loader, and there has been strong interest from the Baltic States.” Pawel said there was also the possibility of a role for the Cummins B6.7 in a future KGHM ZANAM loader.

"KGHM ZANAM relies on innovations and knowledge-based development to manufacture its machinery and equipment,” said Bernard Cichocki, President of the Management Board. “As one of Poland’s largest manufacturers for the mining sector, we always look to cooperate with leading manufacturers and suppliers who share the same values and show the same level of commitment to help us deliver our wide range of high-quality equipment."