Luenen, Germany, July 9 – Bucyrus and Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) today signed a non-exclusive worldwide license agreement which gives its customers access to LASC (Longwall Automation Steering Committee) technology developed at CSIRO’s Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies in Brisbane.

Signing the agreement on behalf of Bucyrus, John Cassells – Managing Director Bucyrus Australia – said that the integration of LASC technology into the advanced Bucyrus Longwall Automation System will further strengthen Bucyrus’s position as a leading longwall technology provider.

Bucyrus has been working with CSIRO on both Face Alignment and Horizon Control for a number of years at the three LASC R&D sites: BMA’s Broadmeadow, Xstrata’s Beltana, and Anglo’s Grasstree mine. Bucyrus became the first longwall OEM to collaborate with CSIRO.

“We are happy to have reached an agreement with CSIRO which recognizes our existing technologies, and allows us to further develop the LASC automation system and adapt it to include future innovations by our own company, CSIRO and others,” said Cassells.
The incorporation of LASC technology into the Bucyrus integrated longwall automation package will complement the company’s CID (Coal Interface Detection) and remote-sensing developments. “Bucyrus automation systems have been the market leader for a long time, providing our customers with highly productive longwall performance through reliable automation that achieves consistency, reliability and safety,” said Cassells. “This agreement allows us to deliver reliable enhanced automation systems that can be tailored to meet varied and challenging mining conditions faced by our customers throughout the world.”

About CSIRO

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization is Australia's national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world.

With over 6,600 staff, CSIRO maintains more than 50 sites across Australia as well as biological control research stations in France and Mexico. CSIRO undertakes research & development to benefit numerous industry sectors, including exploration and mining. The Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies (QCAT) is Australia's largest integrated R&D community for the resources and associated advanced technology industries.