Portuguese Mining Company Introduces Compact Excavator, Pioneering a New Model for Mechanized Mining in Small Mines
In Portugal’s largest tungsten mining area, leading mining company Mina do Vale recently innovatively introduced the XG35U, a compact excavator specifically designed for mining, successfully achieving safe and efficient mining in narrow veins. This provides a brand-new solution for the mechanization upgrade of small and medium-sized mines in Europe.
The 3.5-ton mining enhancement kit developed by XG Group’s European Mining Equipment R&D Center includes:
Explosion-proof safety system: Explosion-proof motor and Ex d-rated explosion-proof enclosure for the entire vehicle, certified by EU ATEX.
Tunnel operation kit: Variable-width chassis extendable to 1.8 meters, combined with a 360° video surveillance system.
Special attachment system: High-frequency hydraulic breaker and quick-change device for rock loading bucket.
Environmental monitoring module: Integrated real-time monitoring and warning functions for air quality, harmful gases, and roof pressure.
Technological Innovation Drives Mining Revolution
In a six-month comparative test, the XG35U achieved an 8-fold increase in mining efficiency compared to traditional manual mining in the same working area, increasing ore recovery rate to 92%, while reducing the time workers were exposed to hazardous environments by 85%. After an inspection, Carlos Mendes, an expert from the Portuguese National Mining Association, pointed out: “This small-scale mechanization solution is changing the survival model of small and medium-sized mines in Europe – it makes those veins that were on the verge of closure due to scale limitations economically viable again.”
Even more noteworthy is the intelligent sorting system equipped on the machine, which can preliminarily distinguish ore from waste rock through visual recognition technology, increasing the grade of materials transported to the surface by 30%, significantly reducing subsequent beneficiation costs. This technology has attracted attention from several European mining countries, including Germany and the Czech Republic. A New Benchmark for Sustainable Mining
Eduardo Costa, General Manager of Mina do Vale, emphasized: “We chose Xiaogang not only for its leading technology but also for its comprehensive ‘green mine’ solution.” Xiaogang’s Portuguese team designed the following for this project:
An electric-powered version, achieving zero emissions in underground operations
A waste rock backfilling system, automatically backfilling excavated waste into mined-out areas
Digital ore body modeling software, which can be linked in real-time with equipment operation data
Data shows that after adopting this solution, the mine’s energy consumption per unit decreased by 40%, water consumption decreased by 60%, and it received certification as a “Sustainable Mining Demonstration Project” from the Portuguese Ministry of Environment. The mine has currently placed an additional order for 8 pieces of equipment and plans to complete the mechanization of all traditional mining areas before 2024.
Ripple Effect Emerges
The success of this case is having a regional impact: several projects in the western tungsten mining belt of Spain and the Central Massif mining area of France have initiated technical discussions with Xiaogang. The director of Xiaogang Group’s mining machinery division stated: “We are transforming the Portuguese experience into a replicable modular solution, and in the future, we will launch a family of small and medium-sized mining machinery suitable for different types of minerals and geological conditions.”
