Ever wondered which enormous pieces of mining industry equipment were the biggest? Find out our top 5 picks.
The mine site is home to some of the most monster machinery known to man. From excavators to trucks to dozers to jumbos, these enormous pieces of equipment definitely stack up on site, leaving a large imprint in the rubble and dust. But which ones come out on top? We’ve trawled through the mines and compiled a list of the five biggest players in their respective categories.
Terex - Bucyrus RH400 — the biggest excavator
Excavators are the largest machines , found on the mine site and this hydraulic face shovel is the biggest of the biggest. Weighing in at a mammoth 980 tonnes, the RH400 weighs 100 tonnes more than the next largest hydraulic excavator, Hitachi’s EX8000-6. With a max power of 4400 horsepower at 1800 RPM and a bucket capacity of 50 cubic metres, the RH400 truly is the biggest and baddest of them all. Powered by two 16-cylinder Cat 3516B or Cummins QSK60 diesel engines, the RH400 is the ideal digger that is always up to the task.
Here it is in action.
BelAZ 75710 — a huge dump truck
The BelAZ 75710, or as it’s affectionately referred to, ‘The 450’, is the largest mining dump truck in the world. Standing at an impressive 7.9 metres and weighing a whopping 450 tonnes, the 75710 truly is a monster truck. Released in late 2013, ‘The 450’ is 25 per cent larger than its next model down, the 360 tonne truck. Powered by two 16-cylinder, 65-litre diesel engines, ‘The 450’ provides a max speed of 65km per hour with 2300 horsepower. For easy access around the site it’s fitted with eight wheels the same size as the 360 with two turnable axles, which allow it to haul more quickly and efficiently.
You can see it here:
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Komatsu D575A — an enormous bulldozer
The Komatsu D575A comes up trumps in its category as the largest dozer you’ll find in mining since the beginning of its operations in 1991. Tipping the scales at 152.6 tonnes and standing at 4.88 metres tall, 12.5 metres long and 7.3 metres wide, the D575A is the biggest and best in the business. With its 2250 horsepower engines, it can move nearly 70 cubic metres of material per pass with its standard blade. Even more impressive, it can move nearly 100 cubic metres with its optional blade, making it the ideal mining partner.
Here it is in operation:
Caterpillar R3000H — a giant load-haul dump vehicle
Known as the largest load-haul dump vehicle in the Caterpillar line, the R3000H model is the perfect underground bogger companion for digging up hard-to-remove muck. Specifically designed for a rated payload of 22 cubic metres in both load-and-carry and truck loading applications, the R3000H has a 16 per cent production advantage over its predecessor, the R2900 XTRA. With a max power of 398 horsepower and a bucket capacity of 9.1 to 13.9 cubic metres, this bogger is up to the challenge that even the most demanding underground mining applications present .
See it at work here:
Sandvik DD422i — a jumbo drill
It’s all in a name, with this massive drilling jumbo being the biggest and best yet, while still managing to maneuver itself in the trickiest and tightest of spots. Along with Atlas Copso, Sandvik has marked its territory in underground development, and the DD422i is its headhunter. Sandvik calls it the most advanced underground rig on the market. The DD422i has a feed length of 5270mm, a hole diameter of 43 to 64mm and an engine power of 159 horsepower. Boasting the widest range of automatic drilling functions, it uses a 10274mm by 2590mm RD 525 rock drill for increased productivity, making it a truly enormous asset.
Here it is, doing its thing:
Want to work with some of these incredible machines? Talk to the team at Mining People today about your career in the mining industry.