“The experience we’ve had during the first few months of testing the body is positive. The capacity and the durability of the body match Metso’s promises. Higher payload and driver comfort are both top priorities for us. The feedback from the drivers has been very positive,” Esa-Tapani Leinonen, Head of Mining Department at the Terrafame Sotkamo Mine, summarizes his initial feelings.
“Metso seems to have done a great job in designing this light-weight body. Despite the higher, 325-tonne total load, the elevated rear flange manages to keep the boulders onboard without problems,” he continues.
A 6-month trial period
The rubber-lined, light-weight body was installed on Terrafame’s oldest haul truck, a Hitachi EH3500, in December 2018. Prior to installation, the truck already had an impressive track record of 50,000 hours of operation. The new body hauled its first loads from the Kuusilampi open pit just before Christmas.
The mine’s truck fleet is in operation 24/7. Currently, the ore is loaded from the 60-meter-deep pit onto the trucks with a Caterpillar 910 Series excavator. One truck drives approximately 40 rounds in a day, equivalent to around 6,500 tonnes of payload.
”A light weight without compromising durability was our driver in designing the Metso Truck Body. During the test period, we are keeping track of the hauled tonnage and collecting driver feedback,” says Timo Sarvijärvi, Head of Mining Sales, Metso Finland.
”In addition to the higher payload, the body is lighter to carry when empty, which further increases cost efficiency. Moreover, we have recorded a reduction of around 10 dB in the noise level on a rubber-lined standard body, which means that rubber is 50% quieter compared to steel. We expect at least a similar reduction in the Terrafame trial,” Sarvijärvi explains.
“Significantly less noise and vibration”
Kristiina Karjalainen, Haul Truck Driver at the Sotkamo mine, climbs into the cabin of the 150-tonne, 7-meter-high truck number one with ease. She is among the first drivers to have tested the new Metso Truck Body.
“The new rubber-lined truck body has indeed cut noise significantly. Now the loading sounds I hear in my cabin resemble more of a whiz than a loud rumble. There’s been a noticeable reduction in vibration as well,” Kristiina Karjalainen describes.
“The side shields of the new light-weight body work as they should, too, protecting the side view mirrors from falling boulders. I would definitely like to see a rubber-lined body installed on truck number 10, the one that I usually drive,” she adds.According to her, the first 40-tonne bucket load has always been the hardest for the driver. After that, the rock bed smooths out the noise.
