Modern Quarrying January-February 2015

ON THE COVER

market share

Unit Rig MT6300AC); Komatsu (with its 960E); and Liebherr (with its T 282 C). Now, the company has launched its 450 t giant hauler, officially acknowledged in the Guinness Book of World Records, as the biggest haul truck built on the planet. From August to November last year, in a trial at a large coal mine in Russia, the unit’s overall payload was in excess of 1-million t of material. The machine was utilised in a 24-hour operation, with BELAZ technicians and engineers on site to monitor the unit, and to make adjust- ments where necessary. “It is important to note that the BELAZ-75710 boasts some revolutionary technology solutions for this type of equipment,” Venchik says. “This includes all-steerable wheels, eight tyres and two engines. Based on the results of the pilot operation, the factory started building the second machine due for completion this year, which will include all necessary improvements and features suggested by the end-user.” The BELAZ-75710 is rated at 4 600 hp (3 430 kW) and utilises Siemens drive systems. The company also has plans to introduce a full line of articulated trucks, underground trucks and LHDs, in addition to developing a 90 t electric drive truck, which will be a world first. BELAZ is also working on a large front end loader with a 12 m 3 bucket capacity, which is expected by the end of 2015. The BELAZ brand has been in South Africa for over a decade, with a distributorship in which Venchik was involved, being established in 2002. The current distributorship, however, dates back to 2008 when Mynbou Rigs Afrika was founded. A major landmark occurred in 2011, when Tau Mining, a mining contractor based in Kathu in the Northern Cape, put several units into service on a long-term contract it has with Sishen mine – five BELAZ-75302 machines with a 220 t payload capac- ity and two BELAZ-75137s with 136 t capacity. Venchik confirms that Tau has been impressed by their performance, ordering a further six Belaz trucks, mostly the 220 t model. “We believe the machines have now proved themselves in South

African conditions and we are focusing on signing up new customers. Indeed, Mynbou Rigs (which also trades under the BELAZ Afrika name) man- aged to secure several new lease contracts with other mining contractors in the Northern Cape, during the last year, and the total fleet of BELAZ machines in the area now exceeds 30 units.” Located in the Republic of Belarus, the BELAZ factory is one of the oldest and largest manufac- turers of off-highway haul trucks in the world. The company’s 65-year old history includes over 50 years of successful experience in the building of haul trucks for quarries and mines. “BELAZ dump trucks could soon become a familiar sight at South Africa’s open-pit mines,” Venchik says. “We have established a strong foot- hold with the BELAZ brand and our intention is to increase our market share and export our footprint in South Africa and Southern Africa respectively.” Front cover page and article sponsored by Mynbou Rigs Afrika. Visit www.mynbou.com for more information.

The BELAZ-75710 boasts some revolutionary technology solutions for this type of equipment. The unit is rated at 4 600 hp (3 430 kW) and utilises Siemens drive systems.

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MODERN QUARRYING

January - February 2015