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UNDERGROUND MINING – AMONGST THE
TOUGHEST TESTS FOR ANY TIRE

By: Mr. Mike Cooper, RUD Chains Pty Ltd

The typical operating conditions in most underground metalliferous mines put even the best quality tires to the test. The combination of factors such as hard, sharp and jagged rock, wet floor conditions, poor visibility and constant pressure on production resources can lead to less that satisfactory tire service life - and consequently higher than acceptable operating costs.

The worldwide shortage of quality earthmover tires has also had an influence with rising tire prices and scarce availability compounding the issue. Many lower specification tires are simply not able to withstand the conditions, and tire damage (and even premature failure) results in unplanned and costly machine downtime – the biggest cost of all being the irrecoverable loss of production.

Under such circumstances, it's little wonder that many of the world's specialist underground mining operators and contractors are looking for fresh solutions. RUD/Erlau, the world's premier manufacturer of quality Tire Protection Chains (TPC), has been working with mining operators and underground earthmoving OEM's to refine TPC design and performance to suit these demanding conditions.

Historically, Tire Protection Chains have delivered exceptional results in surface mining and hard-rock quarrying applications – principally on rubber tired wheel loaders. The compact nature of underground loading equipment (often known as the LHD – load/haul/dump), with tight mechanical clearances around the wheels, has often precluded the use of TPC. But today, the OEM's are adapting designs to allow chains to operate. Retrofitting of older equipment is also now commonplace, with various strategies available to overcome clearance limitations.

On the product side, RUD/Erlau is producing innovative new chains with low-height, yet high-wear volume components, including XHD connecting rings – to combat the high wear that is typical with the longer haulage distances and extreme wheel/tire loadings applied to LHD's.

With the growing trend towards new operations and expanded production in the underground mining sector, these solutions will quickly become as commonplace underground as they are on the surface.

END