Metso has won an order to deliver two Metso truck bodies to Boliden‘s open pit Aitik copper mine in Gällivare. In addition, Metso will supply rubber bed liners for five more haul trucks.
Boliden has been using Metso’s rubber truck bed lining on half of their haul trucks for several years because of its numerous benefits in terms of working environment and maintenance. Boliden’s recent decision to invest in the new, complete solution, Metso truck body, will help Aitik mine maximize the performance of its fleet.
The Metso truck body is a hybrid truck body that combines the benefits of rubber bed lining and high structural strength steel. The elastic rubber absorbs the energy of every impact, allowing for a lighter steel structure. Thanks to this, the body can absorb maximum shock at the lowest possible weight. The low weight means that more payload can be hauled per round, while the rubber lining reduces the need for maintenance. The result is lower overall operating costs.
“Metso and Boliden have been working together for several years to find solutions to improve the efficiency, convenience and working environment of the hauling process at Aitik. The introduction of the Metso truck body is another milestone on this journey. It is the most cost effective haul truck body available, because it lowers a mine’s hauling expenses in two ways – by reducing maintenance and by maximizing the amount of ore a truck can carry,” says Lars-Erik Bergman, Metso’s sales manager, northern Sweden.
The Metso truck bodies will be installed on two of Aitik’s 290+ tonne payload class trucks. The Metso bodies weigh 20% less than OEM bodies and can fit 11 tonnes more ore.
(This article first appeared in the Canadian Mining Journal)