Bounty Industries said today it had finished final commissioning of the system after originally taking it underground in August for extensive trials and full safety and production tests.

It said the system was achieving the throughput on a shift by shift basis expected in the design of the system.

“On a regular basis on a full development phase the haulage system is now providing throughput which is 20 per cent higher than that achieved with shuttle cars in comparable circumstances,” Bounty said.

The company said the improved production rates achieved, particularly over the past three weeks, had been assisted by upgrades of the main conveyor system which had been limiting the full potential of the haulage system.

The conveyor upgrade included installing new conveyor belt to replace the damaged and, in some areas, narrow belt.

The system had also been limited by development progressing in only four of seven headings due to geological intrusions.

“This has caused an increase in downtime due to a higher number of panel conveyor extensions during the development phase,” Bounty said.

“However, despite the constrictions with the main conveyor which have now been remedied, and the advancement on only four headings, the haulage system has now proven its full capability.”

Bounty develops the underground in panels of around 1000 metres in length and seven headings (or seven tunnels wide) in a development and then a production phase over about six months.

Each panel is advanced in a development phase which is slower due to full roof bolting requirements as the panel is advanced. Once the panel is developed through to the end of the panel then the mining operation retreats back along the panel with little bolting and extracting coal at higher rates and this is normally considered the main production phase.

Bounty is currently in a slower development phase.

Bounty said it was now very satisfied with the potential capability of the haulage system and expected higher tonnages when the intrusions reduce and development will return to seven headings.

This will also provide more upside on the retreat or extraction phase which is expected to commence in early January.

Bounty chairman Gary Cochrane told International Longwall News the continuous haulage system had already generated plenty of interest from other mines and the company was using it as an option in tenders.

Bounty was trading steady at 55c today.