15.08.2025

SPMTs relocate 3,100 tonne dragline

Heavy lift and transport specialist Mammoet has mved a 3,100 tonne Marion 8050 dragline 27 kilometres at BHP Mitsubishi Alliance's Peak Downs coal mine in Queensland, Australia.

The project involved jacking the dragline to height of 2.5 metres using eight JS500 towers, allowing 5x28 lines of SPMT (Self Propelled Modular Transporters) underneath. The dragline's weight was distributed across 560 tyres, resulting in ground bearing pressure of less than nine tonnes per square metre.

The relocation was completed in 10 days, managing eight kilometres a day. The traditional method would have taken over a month with the dragline travelling under its own power at one kilometre per 12 hours, compared to SPMTs travelling at five kilometres per hour.

The project included a 72 hour window for crossing the Aurizon railway line, during which time the team constructed a temporary ramp over the track, made the crossing and returned everything to its original state. BMA constructed a new route for the dragline, using steel mats in soft soil areas to prevent the SPMTs from getting stuck.

The SPMT method eliminated the need for ancillary transmission and generation equipment typically required for dragline moves, as everything was powered by the transporters. This reduced wear and tear on the machine and its mechanical parts whilst minimising downtime for coal extraction operations.