Goldmont Engineering, a manufacturer and supplier of parts and services to the mining, transport and construction industries, has produced an innovative loader bucket using specialty steels from global steel producer SSAB. Its new Outcast bucket is designed for use in the highly abrasive underground mining environment at the same time reducing weight and wear rates.
Located in the goldfields of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, the company offers design, fabrication, welding and ancillary services across the state. Goldmont specialises in problem solving and supplies a wide range of equipment replacement parts and wear-parts. Goldmont also serves as a Hardox Wearparts Center, a global network of local stockists that sell and service parts made from Hardox® wear plate.
Goldmont says Outcast outperforms conventional underground buckets thanks to a radically different design.
“Goldmont understands the key role that high-quality, low-maintenance equipment plays in achieving high productivity and uptime. It uses different grades of Hardox wear plate and Strenx performance steel to help reduce the cost of wear and maximise productivity across a range of industries.”
“The Outcast bucket is stronger yet lighter, creates a smoother profile with less resistance when digging, and is operator friendly. It has much lower wear rates than conventional buckets thanks to its unique shape and the use of SSAB’s steels. The bucket is about 25% lighter than a conventional R2900 loader bucket with the same volume.”
It is designed to reduce weight, reduce resistance where the lip engages with the dirt, reduce friction inside the bucket and on its outer sides, reduce damage from impact loading on the bucket, reduce hang-up in the bucket (material that sticks to the inside of the bucket), and reduce the number of replacement wear parts and the frequency of replacement.
The resulting benefits are less fuel use, reduced CO2 emissions, less mechanical and structural stress on the loader, lower bucket maintenance costs, increased availability and productivity and lower stock holdings.
Another unique benefit of the Outcast bucket is the ability to customise the shape of the lip and corner teeth to the needs of each customer.
The benefits were confirmed in an extensive 12-week trial of the Outcast bucket working double shifts in an underground mine. “The trial equates to A$71,000 costs saved annually,” says Michael Brown, Managing Director of Goldmont. “And these estimates consider savings only from less fuel and doing less maintenance. The quantified savings alone will pay back the cost of purchasing an Outcast bucket in less than two years.”
In the summer of 2019, the Outcast loader bucket was accredited as a certified Hardox In My Body attachment. This means that each product with a Hardox In My Body logo has passed SSAB’s strict quality control with regard to welding quality, manufacturing process and design, and is approved as a premium product by SSAB’s board.
Each logo comes with a unique ID that is traceable and identifies the origin and material used in the bucket. This way, customers know that the product is made from genuine Hardox wear plate and not an inferior imitation. “In addition, all Outcast loader buckets bearing this logo serve as proof that the bucket delivers unsurpassed wear resistance and impact strength. The intellectual property in the Outcast bucket is protected by a Registered Design in five countries/regions.”
