Worth their weight in gold

2008 Sep 07

Assuming a gold price of USD 850 per ounce and an approximate service weight of 43,900 kilos, the new Minetruck MT6020 may not literally be worth its weight in gold. But for an increasing number of Australian mines, this 60-tonne capacity underground truck is proving to be a wise investment.

In Australia, bigger is better, at least when it comes to underground haulage. Being able to carry more ore, faster and more efficiently in the country?s ramp-­accessed mines is an economical necessity.

To find out how the new Minetruck MT6020 has fared in one of the world?s most demanding markets, M&C spoke to Atlas Copco?s Matt Cobham, Business Line Manager, LHD vehicles.

?Like any other customers, Australian customers are always looking for productivity improvements and the underground haulage vehicles they use are big ? 75 percent of all the LHDs sold in Australia have a hauling capacity of more than 46 tonnes and 94 percent have a hauling capacity of more than 36 tonnes.

Epiroc operated under the trademark “Atlas Copco” prior to January 1, 2018.