Pennsylvania firm Fairmont Supply and Texas-based oil group ConocoPhillips have teamed up to introduce two of the latter’s latest products, GLW Oil and SYNCON EP PLUS gear oil, which meet the recently revised OEM specifications issued by industry equipment leader Joy Mining Machinery for underground mining applications.

GLW, a lubricant for mining equipment gears, has just been introduced at CONSOL Energy’s Buchanan mine in southern Virginia. “[It is] designed to handle the heavy loads and harsh conditions of longwall operations,” said ConocoPhillips Lubricants technical sales representative Eric Lancaster.

Its advantages, he added, include increased wear protection for heavy and shock loads as well as the improved life of seals, protection against corrosion and, when exposed to extreme temperatures, a high level of oxidation control.

The oil is proving to be adaptable throughout the industry, according to Lancaster. “GLW can also be used in many other non-severe or severely loaded gearbox applications. Since it is available in several different viscosity grades, we are seeing wide-range use in various manufacturers’ conveyor gear boxes.” The fluid is also an environmentally friendly lubricant formulated with chlorine-free additives.

SYNCON, a synthetic fluid, was specifically formulated to meet OEM synthetic specifications at longwall operations, something that the companies said actually makes it more versatile and does not limit its use to just longwall equipment. Lancaster said the synthetic gear oil “gives enhanced overall protection due to its synthetic properties, especially in severe operating conditions”.

Fairmont Supply joined ConocoPhillips as it began developing the oils engineered to OEM specifications when Joy amended its rules for extreme protection (EP) mineral and synthetic gear oils.

“Joy eliminated the water emulsivity requirement as a specification because independent testing showed emulsified gear oils had no advantage over non-emulsified gear oils,” Lancaster said. The OEMs’ new regulation, released in March 2004, permits the use of EP synthetics of a “comparable viscosity” while remaining within warranty for the machine.

Now Fairmont Supply is stepping forward with the products, introducing and offering them at “selected customer locations”, according to the companies. The new products are performing very well and initial marketing has begun, which will be only to US operations at this time, said Lancaster.