SSAB has developed a steel grade with the sole purpose of resisting corrosive wear, with Hardox® HiAce paying dividends at mining operations.

Mining operations demand tough equipment that can withstand extreme impacts, stresses and wear, day in and day out. Compromising on quality — and safety — can be costly, and keeping operating costs under control is a non-negotiable. You’ve got to build your machinery with the best steels possible to not only stand up to the job, but to boost long-term productivity.

This is where Hardox HiAce wear steel comes into play as a significant factor. Mining and processing copper ore creates corrosive agents such as sulphuric acid and iron sulphates, which attack steel and decrease the service life of equipment used for excavating and transporting the ore.

A case in point is the reclaimer buckets for wheel excavators operated by one of the largest copper producers in the world. This company was not satisfied with the service life of its buckets and asked one of SSAB’s steel service centres to come up with a better solution.

Hardox HiAce is a recent steel grade developed by SSAB with the sole purpose of resisting corrosive wear. This wear steel has a nominal hardness of 450 HBW, the same as the grade Hardox 450. Under non-corrosive wear conditions, they both provide the same high service life. The distinction lies in how the steels perform when exposed to acidic low pH environments.

This made Hardox HiAce a natural choice when the company wanted to design and manufacture new reclaimer buckets. Hardox HiAce was used for the bucket’s floor and sides, which are exposed to corrosive materials.

Based on the mining conditions these buckets are operating in, the company expects to get twice the service life compared to its previous buckets.

Corrosive wear is caused by oxidation of the steel’s surface. The oxidation process reduces the hardness of the surface, resulting in an accelerated wear rate. This leads to higher repair costs and a shorter service life than expected – which, of course, can negatively impact productivity and profitability.

A selection of Hardox HiAce specifications, includes:

• Typical impact toughness 50 J at -40°C (37 ft lb  at -40°F);
• Thickness range 3 to 100 mm (0.118 ” to 3.937 “); and
• Excellent workshop properties.