Mongolian Mining Machinery

[dpan]

A few weeks past in a different thread tctractors asked for some pictures from a man working somewhere in that part of the world. Not sure if any pictures have been posted as result of tctractors request. These pictures were in fall of 1979 not Mongolia but Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region of PRC. These are mining tools. A new mine was being developed by the Coal Ministry. If remember correctly there were 12 O&K RH 75 shovels, 57 Wabco 75 ton trucks, 6 Gardner Denver blast hole drills, 700 Volvo trucks, A few hydraulic cranes for equipment erection. The mine was referred to as Ho Lin He 200 miles northwest of Tongliao City. Eastern Inner Mongolia. By fall of 79 all shovels had been assembled, parts and pieces hauled from Tongliao to mine, 25 trucks had been hauled to mine also over terrible road. Mine people decided to assemble remaining trucks in rail yard and wait until winter to road trucks to mine. The road was so bad floats, don't remember manufacture had broken up badly. Did Volvo make trailers not sure.
The picture of three guys, one on left name John Stewart, if remember correctly, from the Midlands I think. One in center Malcolm Hawkins from Wales. Both excellent mechanics, on contract to O&K for start of this project. Will never forget heard this loud conversation middle of night in hotel in Tongliao, was Hawkins hollering " Why did I do this, why did I do this" was his second trip to this site. First things first, necessary to build a proper tool room. I echo Hawkins midnight lament as I write this.

[RichardJW~]

great dialogue Wayne. How did you get out there back in those days?...bearing in mind it was before the Perestroika.......and what were the living conditions like?

[Ross]

One of the biggest is underway out there. Oyu Tolgoi copper.

Nice pics. That's 700 Volvos correct?

[dpan]

Yes Ross 700 as I recall, kept hearing that number from many sources, mainly the Volvo guys that were on site. have looked through pictures and can not find any of the Volvo's with that many would have thought would be in some of the pictures. There is one partially visible in center of picture of haul trucks sitting on ground. Most as I remember were two axle, with flat beds. A few tankers, don't recall any six wheelers but the tractors. This project was a Coal Ministry project, no foreign partners. As I recall each manufacturer by contract was committed to some amount of manufacture presence for not sure how long. Than as operations started and problems developed which they did not sure what the commercial arrangements were. Know Haulpak and Volvo had serious problems which required additional support. At the beginning were two guys with Gardner Denver, two with O&K, one Cummins, one Haulpak, two Volvo.
A couple pictures think 84 or 85 of the cylinder rebuild shop. Hehe.
Richard the picture of autos was from front steps of Peking Hotel, cabs, same make what ever it was also in limited numbers at mine. Was a 17 hour train ride Beijing to Tongliao, no rail into mine at that time, only one road. No paved roads at that time at mine all dirt track. Haulpak had given them two GMC three quarter ton trucks with limited service bodys. Thats what Cummins guy and I road around in with their drivers where ever we went whether at mine or in Tongliao. Did make trip between mine and town in cars also. No phone from mine to outside world, every two weeks company wanted us to call, so it was 200 mile trip to phone if at mine. This was in a closed area at the time. Lots of military activity going on in valleys road passed through, gun emplacements, tank traps, serious military work, sometimes had to leave road because of military activity. Wouldn't you know a guy taking that trip his first time thought man this is interesting, think about the second question he was asked upon reaching the mine was give us film you took on trip from Tongliao to mine. He responded didn't know which roll it was. That was easy just give us all your film.
At that time only permanent buildings were the guest house and boiler house, a so called shop building about four miles to the right from front of quest house shown, a new power plant under construction about a mile straight behind from where picture of guest house taken and an operating power plant not sure how far to right of the quest house. Must have been 10 miles or more. When there last in 85 as recall area built up extensively.

[lynchy]

Keep em coming,great pics n story!

[dpan]

Knew something forgotten from memory dust bin, tractors. Komatsu dozers 155 as remember, maybe 12. Again if memory is correct were few Aveling Barford graders which may have been part of the O&K deal. The Chinese D7 dozers in railyard were copys right down to part numbers cast into part. Heard the distinct cackle of those engines one day, walked across tracks found door through long wall, opened stepped into Chinese Army encampment, no one about except one guy working on a final drive of a D7 with a number of brass smiley faces on bore of final drive pinion. continued walking toward sound of tractors came to where they were working, maybe six tractor scrapers working. Cut man indicating to operators to raise or lower pan, am sure there are people on this site that have seen similar things. Some things are universal.
We all at times wondered how much of the work force were Chinese Army, when one of the Gardner Denver guys became seriously ill and was flown out by Army helicopter we knew as most of us went to witness the event and saw many of the people we worked with in uniform. Including interpreters. When asked the Coal Ministry contact lady about Chinese Army involvement her answer was "You were in the army when in the Army you do what you are told" went on to add HolinHe not a nice place, so people conscripted into army and told to go there. Which explained for me why when asked some of workers said conditions to bad for family to be with them there. Also why older guys from I believe Fushun Coal Mine, possibly at that time largest in China were there in senior positions. All of them lived in mud houses that they built. Saw large fights over shipping crate material which required armed intervention to subdue. Crates were good source of building material. Oil filters disappeared immediately, good fuel source for heat. Google Earth shows extensive operations there now if am looking in correct place. Also am sure similar things have occurred in other parts of world as countries began to develop resources. One thing about it seldom are large mining operations close to where the bands play.

[CATD10T]

Hi, just got back from Mongolia, yes I will upload some pics from our Coal Mine
Home for a week then back out again, we have 2 more Liebherr 996 excavators to build.
Getting warmer out there now, as it gets down to -40C in winter.
We run Cat 793/785/777 dumptrucks, as well as Hitachi 3500 excavators and Liebherr 996/9400/9250 excavators.
If you look on U tube under "The Big Dig" you can see the mine.
Been there 4 years, used to work for Mcalpine for years, but they have finished sadly.
Used to run with the Scrapers, last job was BNRR then we took the new 631 to Jamaica before we sold them. What a shame that was.
Not the same anymore, but what u can do..
There are a few 621 scrapers in Mongolia.
M.Gravelle.....

[SRB]

Ey up again Taff!

You dont want to be messing about with them there 996's, you could be here in the UK pratting around with 30 tonne backacters and instead of 793's could be twatting around with these 30 ton donkey carts.

how Mr T getting on?

Glad your still in one piece and nearly at the end of another Mongolian winter, this piss poor effort at snow that nearly bought the UK to its knees and is going to drive the price of gas, elec, lamb, bread etc up and up must seam like positively tropical to you!

Keep 'em swinging big yin.

SB

[dpan]

Mark thank you for mentioning "Big Dig" site. Four years there, were you there at beginning. In video was 15 million tons/year mentioned, must have good size fleet of trucks and shovels. Is there a camp there for the expats. When hear the -40 number always think of the shovel maintenance gangs before "Maxi heaters", talk about tough old birds,Waaaa. If understood video correct your property is west a good ways of the Rio Tinto operation. Don't imagine you would be there if you didn't enjoy the challenge.