UTILITY VEHICLES
Support in a second
Mine operators are acknowledging the value of a strong , safe and productive utility and production support vehicle backbone , Dan Gleeson writes
Production fleets often steal the limelight in the underground mining sector , but their uptime figures are so often influenced by the existing support vehicle network behind them .
Whether it is timely installation of a ventilation fan in a new heading , water delivery to improve the underground ramp or re-stock the supply for drilling equipment , these workhorses continue to underwrite the advances made underground .
For its annual write-up , IM spoke to several of the major players in the space for the latest .
Epiroc ’ s global utility vehicle prospects
Less than two years after acquiring AARD Mining Equipment , Epiroc is already leveraging the global prospects for the South Africa-based entity ’ s utility vehicle offering with the launch of the Terrah Series .
When IM touched base with Jeremy Tibbles , Engineering Manager , and Daniel Sandström , Global Portfolio Manager Utility Vehicles , the pair were at the company ’ s Chamdor production facility , close to Johannesburg , carrying out the final check on Terrah units heading to India .
“ We ' ve actually got two current orders in our pipeline ,” Tibbles said in early February . “ The one heading to Mexico , which is leaving with eight cassettes , is just about to hit the port and should be on site by the end of the month , while the India units will move out of the factory soon .”
Both Mexico and India represent new markets for the entity formerly known as AARD , but neither Tibbles nor Sandström are surprised the new Terrah vehicles are finding global interest .
“ We are now very much Epiroc ,” Tibbles said , “ and with that , we have the huge global service , support and aftermarket backbone that comes from being part of that organisation . This is very important for our clients and for us as a company , ensuring that any vehicle we put out in the field can be serviced appropriately .”
The Terrah Series , itself , is also a new and improved version of what AARD previously offered , with the utility vehicles designed to maximise modularity , productivity and safety in small-to-medium-sized underground mining and civil construction tunnels .
With a heritage spanning over 30 years under AARD Mining Equipment – three decades that saw it rack up thousands of unit sales to mainly southern Africa – these machines have been developed and proven in the most demanding conditions . This typically translates well on an international basis , with the inference being that if a vehicle can successfully operate in southern African , it should be able to prosper in most locations .
“ The major benefits we ' ve gained from coming into the Epiroc fold include support for technological improvements , as well as a pipeline into 151 countries around the world ,” Tibbles said . “ This gives us a fantastic opportunity to take a product which has been developed in African hard-rock mining – much of
MacLean is taking all the learnings from its MacLean GR5 motorgrader ( pictured ) commercialisation and its decade of experience in underground battery-electric vehicle design , manufacturing and site support , and putting it to good use in the context of surface mining electrification with the GR8 surface grader ( credit : James Hodgins , Penda Productions )
that deep-level mining – and proven out as a good piece of kit and put it into global customers with Epiroc global support .”
The flexible carriers within the Terrah Series , Terrah TS100 FR and Terrah TS100 FC , have modularity at their core . Each carrier supports a broad range of cassette solutions , allowing for seamless configuration to suit various operational tasks , Epiroc says . These carriers also benefit from the AARD roll-on , roll-off system that allows these cassettes to be changed through mainly in-cab functions .
In addition to an expanded range of applications , Tibbles said customers familiar with the AARD brand would appreciate the incorporation of the Epiroc drivetrain architecture for a more powerful drive – equipped even for high altitude environments – and the use of high grade stainless steel on the tank cassettes , among other improvements .
“ We may have launched a new product , but the legacy of more than 30 years of knowledge and thousands of units delivered and utilised in southern Africa is still clear to see in the design ,” Tibbles said . “ This will certainly help industry adoption .”
64 International Mining | MARCH 2025