When it comes to sustainable mining practices, people usually think of lowering emissions by electrifying a fleet with machines like the Cat R1700 XE battery electric loader. But mining sustainably means more than just leveraging battery-powered vehicles – extending machine life and taking part in a circular economy helps, too.
Cat machines are famous for standing the test of time, and nowhere is their longevity more impressive than in the mining industry. The longer a machine can work, the less resources are consumed by the manufacturing process.
An underground mine in northern Canada, for example, has a number of Cat underground loaders with over 65,000 hours, while another partner of ours operating a surface mine has a fleet of Cat 785B mining trucks that are still going strong after an impressive average of 150,000 hours and a whopping 25 years on the job.
A big part of keeping mining machines running strong after so many years is our unmatched service. At Toromont Cat Mining, we have a saying: “One team. One Mission.”
Our turnkey maintenance and service solution plans for component and machine renovation/rebuild make machines last longer, lowering the total cost of ownership (TCO) and facilitating 24/7 operation in the toughest conditions.
We don’t see our relationship with our clients as supplier and customer. We view a mine’s success as our success, which is why we provide robust on-site service to maximize production targets while keeping machines in tip-top shape. It’s how we’ve helped one of our mining partners achieve 85% machine availability over the last 8 years, while extending machine life.
We also make sure to update machines with the latest emission-lowering technology when available and offer advice on how to keep a mine’s environmental impact as low as possible, throughout the entire life cycle of a mine.
The ability to return end-of-life machines, systems, and components to like-new condition is another benefit of working with Cat mining equipment. Our partners love how much money the Cat Certified Rebuild program saves them, but they also enjoy the added environmental benefits of rebuilding.
In short, when our partners take advantage of our rebuild program, fewer resources are used to remanufacture replacement components, while the life cycle of machines gets extended significantly.
One of our mining partners has a fleet of LHD loaders pushing 65,000 hours; these machines have been operating for years in the toughest rock there is - in their original frames! Many of their most important parts and components have been rebuilt, reducing the impact to both the partner’s bottom line and the environment. That availability affects the productivity and lowers the total cost of your machine, and we also offer custom financing solutions for our rebuild solutions.
As Garrett Rivalin, one of our mining experts, puts it:
| “These machines are a testament to their durability, our team is there to make sure it stays available and reliable." |
| A great example of a machine that was rebuilt by our team. It's hard to tell its age or number of hours, it looks brand new! |
Or get in touch with one of our mining experts today!