BIS designed the dual powered pit hauler specifically to haul loads from the mine pit to the processing plant on-site. The dual powered pit hauler is a reliable, safe, low cost, high productivity option for hauling materials out of mining pits.
In the core of its unique design, the dual powered pit hauler has a second engine incorporated in the lead trailer. With two trailers it moves payloads of 200 tonnes safely and smoothly up a 10% incline, and with three trailers it is able to move 300 tonnes. It also maintains a safe road speed of 65 kilometres per hour over long distances without the risk of overheating tyres, as is often the case with conventional dump trucks.
Cost savings
When comparing dual powered pit haulers to conventional dump trucks, the cost savings are significant.
The dual powered pit hauler is able to move large volumes from the pit to the processing plant without the need for rehandling.
The truck/trailer is designed using standard equipment and spare parts that are readily available. BIS applied the same principle to its tyres, by using a standard tyre size.
The BIS dual powered pit hauler also saves significant costs in the building and maintenance of mine infrastructure. The dual powered pit hauler requires a haul road of around 12.5 meters wide, compared to a standard dump truck’s required road width of 25 to 28 meters. As a result, haul roads do not have to be built as wide and maintained as intensive as with traditional equipment.
Safety
The truck/trailer has been designed with safety in mind. BIS improved the stability of the combination by implementing 3-meter wide axles and a single dolly articulation point.
The truck/trailer’s 12 axles provide excellent road distribution and give the combination superior braking power.
Performance management systems also increase reliability, such as systems that monitor engine management, speed and over-braking.
New opportunities
As the dual powered pit hauler is able to move over extended distances at speeds that conventional mining dump trucks cannot maintain, it enables our customer's to mine satellite reserves which would previously have not been considered economically viable.
These powerful and safe units are a very viable option for tasks where:
- lead distances from pit to run of mine stockpiles are over 5km
- there are multiple satellite pits which do not justify the expenditure of a conveyor or rail.
Summary
Features of the dual powered pit hauler are:
- safe
- reliable
- off-road
- efficient
- cost-effective
- easily accommodates fluctuating on-site haulage volumes
- transports multiple ore grades separately
- progressive introduction during ramp-up
- lower demand on haul road construction and maintenance
- lower equipment repair and maintenance costs
- longer distances and faster speeds
- eliminates the need for rehandling product
- turns satellite pits into viable opportunities
