Phosphate Resources Ltd
14/12/2009
PHOSPHATE RESOURCES LTD INCREASES ITS
FLEET OF CATERPILLAR® MACHINERY
Sturdy Cat® equipment ensures PRL meets
global phosphate demand efficiently
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D9T
Did you know there is no substitute for phosphate?
Phosphate rock is part of the apatite group – rocks with high concentration
of phosphate minerals. It is a major resource mined to produce phosphate
fertilizers for the agricultural sector. Interestingly, phosphorous
is also used in animal feed supplements, food preservatives, anti-corrosion
agents, cosmetics, fungicides, ceramics, water treatment and metallurgy.
Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean is a
source of quality rock phosphate. It exports 0.7 Mtpa (Million tons
per annum) to Asia Pacific for use in the palm oil sector. Higher-grade
rock phosphates are sold to Australian manufacturers of MAP (monoammonium
phosphate) fertilizer.
Phosphate Resources Limited (PRL)’s mining
operations on Christmas Island has been supported by Tractors Singapore
Limited (authorized Cat dealer for Singapore, Christmas Island (Indian
Ocean) and Maldives) since its origins as British Phosphate Commissioners
in the sixties. PRL uses modern open-cut mining methods with a range
of different mining and Cat earthmoving machinery to extract rock phosphate
from the various ore bodies and stockpiles. The phosphate rich soils
are excavated with Cat hydraulic excavators and hauled by Cat articulated
dump trucks or Kenworth trucks powered by Cat engines to stockpile areas
where Cat wheel loaders load the phosphate rich soils onto mobile field
screens which separate large limestone rocks and vegetation from the valued
phosphorous material. The wheel loaders work further to load the
ore onto road trains for haulage to the dryers where it is further graded
and stockpiled. These graded matters are blended to meet customers’
specifications, dried and crushed. These are then conveyer-belted
to be stored, bagged or loaded into ship holds.
PRL’s experience with its current Cat D9R
has been excellent. It has an exceptional reputation for performance
and durability. When the requirement came to increase production,
PRL decided the addition to its fleet should be the new D9T tractor.
Tractors Singapore Limited (TSL) delivered
the latest Cat D9T track type tractor to Christmas Island. Training
was provided by TSL’s Training Executive, Teo Boo Gay and commissioning
carried out by TSL’s Service Engineers, Steven Seah and Chin Peng Fatt.
The Cat D9T, powered by Caterpillar C18 Engine
with ACERT® technology meets the lates worldwide emission standards.
Matched to the high efficiency torque converter and electronically controlled
power shift transmission, it will provide years of dependable service.
The Cat elevated sprocket undercarriage is designed for optimized
machine balance and best possible performance and performance life.
Its low effort control function is a boon to the operator as it significantly
reduces operator fatigue for increased performance.