Xstrata brought the Mangoola coal mine into production in 2011/2012 in the Upper Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia. Mangoola is set to deliver 10.5 Mt/y of ROM thermal coal over an expected 18 year mine life. The main fleet is made up of Liebherr hydraulic excavators and a Le Tourneau L-1850 wheel loader along with Caterpillar trucks. The drive-wheel Michelin tyres on the L-1850 with a pair of FELS CROWN X22 tyre protection chains (TPCs) from RUD.
Considered one of the most popular in LeTourneau’s loader line, the L-1850 is offered with a 30 m³/ 54 t bucket as standard equipment. Powered by a 1,419 kW diesel engine, the L-1850 is designed to centre load most haul trucks rated for payloads between 236 and 327 t. Concealed by 15-90 m of sandstone conglomerate, the three 9-10 m coal seams at Mangoola are inter-bedded with 3-4 m thick, late-Permian, tuffaceous bands. The L-1850 loader’s Michelin X-Mine D2 60/80-57 tyres are subject, not only to heavy abrasion from the sandstone and tuff but are also under constant threat of sidewall damage from the unpredictable content such as razor-sharp, unweathered shards of rock.
As the only wheeled loader on site, the Letourneau is too valuable an asset to be standing idle awaiting a replacement tyre. Given the current limited availability of giant earthmover tyres and high replacement costs, Mangoola has taken practical pre-emptive steps to save unnecessary expense and unwelcome delays in production. The RUD FELS CROWN X22 tyre protection chains were supplied, installed and supported by RUD Australia and manufactured by RUD Kettenfrabrik of Germany. RUD states: “The robust, tight-meshed, 22 m, ribbed links of RUDs FELS CROWN encase the tyre, absorbing the abrasion which would, otherwise, in no time, powder the tread and, by deflecting sharp rock fragments, preventing sudden-death, side-wall penetration.”
While an extending new tyre lives up to three times is a significant benefit, another big plus of owning RUD TPCs according to the group is in productivity through assured machine availability and reduced cost per delivered tonne. Since fitting the TPCs the L-1850 has worked over 9,000 hours without reporting any unscheduled workshop visits for tyre repairs or replacements.