A twin-engine, double-articulated mine truck designed and built in Australia is set to establish a new benchmark for underground haulage efficiency according to developer, Brisbane-based Powertrans.
The DAT60 is said to be the most powerful underground hauler on the market today with 1,100 hp available from its 15 litre QSK15 Cummins engines.
The brainchild of Scott McFarlane, Chief Engineer at Powertrans, the new truck is powered by twin Cummins QSX15 engines.He points out the DAT60 was trialled at Newcrest’s Cadia Valley Ridgeway mine in NSW and with a payload of 68t, achieved 15 km/h on a 14% ramp gradient – evidence of its performance.”
As underground mines go deeper this kind of performance takes on even greater significance,” he says.
McFarlane and the Powertrans team have worked closely with specialist underground mining contractor Byrnecut in the development of the DAT60, and Byrnecut has bought the first unit for operation at Newcrest’s Telfer gold mine.
This article was originally written by John Chadwick, Proprietor/Editorial Director of International Mining magazine –�www.im-mining.com.
