Page 52 - HUB-4 Magazine Issue 84

Quarrying News
Liebherr is the right blend for Longcliffe
Brassington Moor Quarry in Derbyshire's Peak District produces some of the UK’s finest and most sought-after calcium carbonate powders and aggregates. A new Liebherr excavator is helping to keep production on target.
Longcliffe Quarries Ltd has a reputation as the leading name in the UK limestone industry, supplying materials for everything from animal feed to glass manufacturing, from adhesives to plasterboards.
One of the latest generation models, it replaced an R 966 and arrived on site in Liebherr’s “mining white” paint and sitting on an HD undercarriage with 600mm track pads. Engine is a 16-litre V8 Liebherr diesel developing 449hp at 1800rpm and, fitted with the manufacturer’s Power Efficiency engine management control, achieves peak torque at a more leisurely engine speed of 1100rpm. That translates into the twin benefits of less noise and lower fuel consumption – up to 10% reduction on the previous model.
The engine meets EU emissions legislation via a low- maintenance DOC, DPF and SCR package with all major components easily accessed through large side panels in the upper structure or through the engine hood on the top of the upper carriage. Optional fast fill and drain connections have been included for fuel and engine oil, allowing the machine to be refilled and serviced faster and more safely from ground level.
One of two quarries operated by the company, Brassington Moor produces a million tonnes a year, not a huge volume by Peak District standards but it’s quality rather than quantity that makes the difference here, as Quarry Manager Jon Murgatroyd explained: ‘To obtain the highest quality products we need to blend the material in specific quantities and this means extracting from three separate seams around the site. Traditionally, this was done with a single large excavator and a wheeled loader but we changed our approach and replaced the loader with a second large excavator and this has proved beneficial in terms of our production capabilities.’
Like many quarry operators, Longcliffe believes a combination of owned and leased equipment is the most cost-effective fit for its operation and last year the company opened discussions with several suppliers for a three-year lease on a 70t excavator. The model judged to deliver the perfect combination of production and fuel economy was an R 972 from Liebherr Rental.
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www.hub-4.com Jan/Feb - Issue 84