MINING TYRES
Rolling resistance
Paul Moore reports that finally things are really taking off in mining tyre recycling as regulatory pressures build , while in the mining tyre market itself there have been some very important product releases
As is now traditional in our annual review of the mining tyre business , we sought some comments on the current market status from one of the majors . Jaye Young , Mining Business Line – Marketing Director , Michelin told IM : “ Global GDP growth , coupled with government infrastructure stimulus programs , are all leading to increasing mining tyre demand . 2021 will be a year of strong demand , even though some countries are still experiencing major COVID impacts , as the mining companies have learned how to adapt to the current challenges by utilising technology and new procedures to continue production safely .”
Young added that Michelin has managed to ‘ stay on plan ’ to launch new exciting products in 2021 including the next generation XDR family introductions with the MICHELIN ® XDR ® 250 +, the MICHELIN ® XDR ® 3 +, the MICHELIN ® XDR ® 3 + EXTRA LOAD and the MICHELIN ® XDR ® 4 EXTRA LOAD . “ Our new products help our customers increase their productivity while minimising their downtime and that is more important than ever as we help our customers meet demand that is rapidly recovering .” The 63 in offer is the MICHELIN XDR 3 +.
The first size introduced of this range , the next generation of its mining tyres , was for 250 ton rigid dump trucks – the MICHELIN ® XDR ® 250 + tyre – that features “ improved wear resistance , optimised wear and increased aggression resistance .” Available in a 50 / 80R57 size , the MICHELIN XDR 250 + tyre it says improves wear resistance and increases tyre life by 8 % for MB4 and MB compounds , with no
trade-off in ton-miles per hour ( TMPH ) compared to the MICHELIN ® XDR ® 250 tyre .
“ With rigid dump trucks playing such a critical part of open-pit-mining operations , the tires are key to meeting mine profitability targets through lower operating costs ,” said Sarah Robinson , Mining Marketing Manager , Michelin North America . “ As our most productive surface mining tyre for 250-ton trucks , the XDR 250 + tyre provides up to 15 % more TMPH for the MB and MB4 compounds versus the competition .” It says this next generation , benchmark tyre for rigid dump trucks includes the following upgrades : n The tyre incorporates the second generation of two revolutionary compounds , MB4 and MB , that provide improved wear resistance . An exclusive new mixing process with a superior level of carbon black dispersion creates a much more homogeneous mix that leads to a slower wear rate n Michelin multilayer technology provides optimised wear on front and rear axles . The outer layer is optimised for front axles for the first cycle of the tyre ’ s life while the inner layer underneath is optimised for rear axles for the second cycle . Tyres are designed to be rotated to the rear axles to increase tyre life n With an optimised contact patch , there is increased aggression resistance due to lower tyre pressure for the same load capacity compared to the Michelin XDR 250 . Less pressure on ground delivers an improved wear profile and protects the equipment .
By the end of this year the MICHELIN ® XDR ® 250 +, the MICHELIN ® XDR ® 3 +, the MICHELIN ® XDR ® 3 + EXTRA LOAD and the MICHELIN ® XDR ® 4 EXTRA LOAD will all be available to mining customers
Bridgestone ’ s MasterCore for ultra durability
Bridgestone in 2020 announced the introduction of the company ’ s revolutionary MasterCore offthe-road ( OTR ) tyre line at a press conference in Tokyo . MasterCore tyres it says “ are engineered for ultra-high durability with performance that can be customised to various mine sites and operations .” The MasterCore product line launched initially with the largest 63 in mining tyres with additional patterns and sizes having become available to customers in 2021 .
“ After many years of global product development that produced advances in engineering , chemistry and material science , we are excited to introduce the MasterCore brand to mining customers all over the world ,” said Tomohiro Kusano , Vice President and Senior Officer , Responsible for G-MAA ( Mining , Aircraft , Agriculture ) Solutions Business , Bridgestone Corporation . “ Each mine site is unique and requires a custom tyre solution that enables operators to improve efficiency . Our MasterCore offering sets a new standard for off-the-road tyre performance as we strive to achieve Dan-Totsu – our vision to be a clear and absolute industry leader .”
As Bridgestone ’ s best-in-class mining tyre , “ MasterCore is the foundation of the company ’ s mining solutions business . The tyre is
JULY 2021 | International Mining 59