McRaes Goldmine. It is by NZ standards a large open cast gold mine. In order to facilitate moving enormous quantities of material requires the help of some huge machinery. And when it comes to impressive excavators, Cable Price, have such a machine.

When Cable Price was asked to host the local Auckland Branch meeting held 14 Sep 2005, Malcolm Pascoe and his team were quick to take another opportunity of flying their flag. Obviously very proud to have received the nod to help out at McRaes by supplying one of their Hitachi 3600 Mining Excavators. A 348 tonne digger. Manufactured in three locations – Japan, Indonesia and the bucket in Queensland.

While there are 30 or so Hitachi 3600 excavators working in various mines in Australia, this is a first for NZ. The Cable Price presentation portrayed the size of the components and some impressive statistics. It also highlighted the efforts of the logistics people coordinating the manufacture of the machine through its facilities, together with the shipping and transport arrangements to the McRaes Gold Mine north of Dunedin. Once there a committed team of specialists mechanics swooped to ready it for its task.

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22 m3 bucket. Weighs 20.6 tonne and is 3.9m wide by 3.45m deep! Fills a dumper in 5 passes. Works 23 hours a day. Machine has 7500 litres fuel tank. Just some of the stats!
Read more. . . on the Cable Price web site.

Now that wasn’t the only machine on show. Another video portrayed the assembly of the Hitachi 8000 series excavator ? an 800 tonne whopper.

Which brings us to the refreshments – equally impressive – a scrumptious feed for our members of beautifully prepared roast pork, potatoes, salad, helped down with a cleansing ale. And our raffle prizes were also supplemented with some of Cable Price’s fine merchandise. An evening to remember.
Thanks Malcolm and team.
Report by Murray D.