2
staging location to the demonstration area at the top of Mt.
Emmons along the terrain shown on Figures 2 and 3. The
spider excavator successfully navigated challenging roads,
traveling 3.5 miles to the demonstration area in approxi-
mately 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Access to the demonstration area was influenced by the
limitations of the anchoring system. During the pilot, hori-
zontal movement was limited to 35 feet (or 30 degrees from
a straight pull), and vertical movement depended on winch
length, with winch extensions available to improve reach.
Multiple anchor points will be required for accessing some
of the waste rock piles at AUM sites.
Demonstrate the Process to Set Anchors for the
Spider Excavator
The pilot objective included determining whether anchors
could be set in terrain expected at AUMs to allow exca-
vator operation, as the ability to maneuver the spider rig
is limited by the location of the anchoring system. The
tasks involved drilling and grouting double-leg anchors to
a depth of 16 feet as shown on Figure 3. The process took
several days and included drilling, grouting, and curing the
anchor points. Each anchor was connected to a choker, and
cable systems were installed to provide stability during the
excavator’s movement.
Figure 1. Example terrain
staging location to the demonstration area at the top of Mt.
Emmons along the terrain shown on Figures 2 and 3. The
spider excavator successfully navigated challenging roads,
traveling 3.5 miles to the demonstration area in approxi-
mately 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Access to the demonstration area was influenced by the
limitations of the anchoring system. During the pilot, hori-
zontal movement was limited to 35 feet (or 30 degrees from
a straight pull), and vertical movement depended on winch
length, with winch extensions available to improve reach.
Multiple anchor points will be required for accessing some
of the waste rock piles at AUM sites.
Demonstrate the Process to Set Anchors for the
Spider Excavator
The pilot objective included determining whether anchors
could be set in terrain expected at AUMs to allow exca-
vator operation, as the ability to maneuver the spider rig
is limited by the location of the anchoring system. The
tasks involved drilling and grouting double-leg anchors to
a depth of 16 feet as shown on Figure 3. The process took
several days and included drilling, grouting, and curing the
anchor points. Each anchor was connected to a choker, and
cable systems were installed to provide stability during the
excavator’s movement.
Figure 1. Example terrain