Lubricants & Technology – SOLCENIC Success

FUCHS Lubricants manufactures and sells SOLCENIC globally, not just here in the US. China, Russia, Australia and many other countries are large consumers of this product line. SOLCENIC is used in roof supports for longwall mining, which involves the extraction of blocks of coal as large as 2,000 feet wide and several miles long. FUCHS currently supplies 34 of the 41 (83%) longwalls in the US, and includes most of the largest underground coal companies in the US.

Typically, a coal mine loses $1,000 - $2,000 for every minute of lost production on a longwall, so availability and performance of the product are crucial to the success of the mine. Because of the imminent danger of fires and explosions in coal mines, a fire-resistant fluid is required for this application. Therefore, all SOLCENIC products must be tested and approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).

SOLCENIC fluids are designed to function in various waters to form a stable micro-emulsion. Depending upon the needs of the mining customer, OEM specifications, and the available water source – various SOLCENIC products are used and can be mixed at 95/5 (water/SOLCENIC) down to 98/2 ratios. SOLCENIC must provide protection against corrosion, lubricity for the moving parts, lubricate the dynamic seals and add a layer of protection against biological growth in the operating fluid. 

SOLCENIC GM20 is FUCHS’s latest generation of longwall fluid. It has been the most successful fluid to-date with proven performance in 80% of the US longwall market.