Modern Mining July 2015

OFF-HIGHWAY TRUCKS AND EXCAVATORS

locally, including three to Swakop Uranium for the Husab mine and one to Jwaneng. Moving on to the Cat 795F AC off-highway truck, the six machines operational in South Africa are all working at a super-pit mine. Duthie says the 795F has proved a big success for Caterpillar, with more than 150 now oper- ational in mines around the world. “When it was introduced it represented a big departure for Caterpillar, which historically confined itself to the manufacture of mechanical drive trucks,” he notes. “There have always been cus- tomers, however, who prefer electric drive and Caterpillar is now equipped to supply them. Although the units delivered in South Africa are not equipped for trolley assist, Caterpillar does offer the option of a pantograph and in fact is putting in a trolley-assist system at its prov- ing ground near Tucson, Arizona, so customers can see this capability in action.” The Cat 795F is part of one of the broadest ranges of mining trucks currently available in the market with Caterpillar being the only OEM to offer both mechanical and electric drive machines from 40 tonne payload through to 360 tonne. On the mechanical drive side, the Large Mining Truck range comprises the 136‑tonne capacity Cat 785D, the Cat 789D, which has a 190-tonne payload, the Cat 793D, which can carry 228 tonnes, and – topping the range – the Cat 797F, a 363-tonne (400-ton) capacity behemoth. Complementing these are three AC electric drive models, the MT4400D (221-tonne payload) and MT5300D (291-tonne), as well, of course, as the Cat795F (321-tonne). Southern Africa does not have many pits

of a size to warrant the use of the top-of-the- range Cat 797F but the machine is not totally absent from the region, with a fleet of 10 being used at Vale’s Moatize coal mine near Tete in Mozambique. These work in conjunction with the mine’s 6090 FS. What of the famous Cat 777, Caterpillar’s durable 91-tonne (100-ton) hauler, first intro- duced in 1977 and a huge seller ever since? According to Duthie, Caterpillar classifies it as being part of its quarry and construction truck range but he stresses that it is an excel- lent mining truck as well. “It is a very tough and durable machine which is perfect for small to mid-sized open-pit operations. Needless to say, we’re delighted with the popularity it has achieved in the mining space. In fact, mining is the main market for the 777 in Southern

The well-appointed cab of a Cat rope shovel.

“There have always been customers who prefer electric drive and Caterpillar is now equipped to supply them.” Ian Duthie, Barloworld Equipment

A close-up view of the Cat 797F, the biggest machine in Cat’s ultra-truck range.

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July 2015  MODERN MINING  43