Explosives bring down 3,800-tonne mining ‘monster’
12 June 2024
RWE Power, part of energy company RWE Global, has used explosives to dismantle a rather unique, 3,800-tonne mining “spreader”.
(PHOTO: IMAGO/Beautiful Sports via Reuters Connect)
Originally designed and built as a lignite excavator in 1961 for the Garzweiler Opencast Mine in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the “spreader” was later adapted to operate as a mining materials stacker.
A few years later, it was re-engineered again, to serve as a spreader at RWE’s nearby Hambach Opencast Mine.
After 42 years in ‘diverse’ operation and finally at the end of its useful working life, the 47-metre-high, 148-metre-long contraption was recently taken down via an explosive event carried out at the Hambach mining site.
RWE used 300 charges, containing a total of around 27 kg of explosives, to bring down the machine, which through all its adaptions still retained its original excavator chassis.
STAY CONNECTED
Receive the information you need when you need it through our world-leading magazines, newsletters and daily briefings.
CONNECT WITH THE TEAM
