TA300 hauler wins favour at barite mine

Long-standing customer Barhaul puts new 28-tonne ADT to work at barite mine in Scotland

MINING contractors Barhaul have purchased a new 28-tonne capacity TA300 articulated dumptruck for use in a barite mine near Aberfeldy, in Perthshire, Scotland.

Supplied by Terex Trucks’ UK distributor, TDL Equipment, the TA300 has consistently impressed Barhaul with its ability to power through the harshest environments.

John Black, sales director at TDL Equipment, explained: ‘Over the years, Barhaul have regularly purchased Terex Trucks’ TA300 articulated haulers, as the company has a very good history with both the product and TDL in terms of our ability to support the product when required.’

Fitted with a tailgate and full-colour reverseing camera, the versatile machine is currently carrying out a number of jobs for Barhaul, one of which involves handling material removed from a barite mine that is owned by the world’s largest oilfield services company, Schlumberger.

Easily identified due to its high specific gravity and with a name derived from the Greek word ‘barus’, meaning heavy, barite is the naturally occurring mineral form of barium sulphate.

Owing to its density, the environmentally friendly material is suitable for a wide range of industrial, manufacturing and medical uses. More than 75% of barite is used as an additive for drilling mud in gas and oil exploration – with the US, Middle East and China being the largest consumers.

Barite is particularly beneficial for drilling muds, as it can be applied to deep, high-temperature wells to prevent damage to the tools used during the drilling process, serving as a lubricant to improve mud displacement and stabilizing high-pressure zones by increasing the thickness of the slurry, thereby averting blowouts.

The mineral also has the ability to shield X-ray and gamma-ray emissions; acts as a weighted filler for cloth, paper, plastic and rubber; and is used as a pigment in paints.

‘Barite is an extremely dense material, so it requires a robust and reliable vehicle to do the work of moving it around in the mine – it’s not an easy life for any truck,’ said John Black.

According to Terex Trucks, the TA300’s proven design has the capability to overcome the most demanding conditions and move material as quickly as possible, thanks to its excellent traction and effective power-to-weight ratios.

Created to work harder for longer, the machine is said to offer minimum cost of operation and maximum productivity. With fully independent front suspension as standard, tyre/ground contact is maintained on tough terrain, increasing tractive effort and reducing cycle times, while also providing operators with a comfortable haul.

Built in Motherwell, Scotland, the TA300 is powered by a fuel-efficient, five-cylinder Scania DC9 engine, which develops gross power of 276kW (370hp) and maximum torque of 1,880Nm.

In addition, the transmission retardation system, in combination with engine exhaust brake, supports the fully enclosed oil-cooled multi-disc brakes, resulting in less maintenance and a longer life span for the brakes.

‘The Barhaul order for the TA300, which was to replace an existing unit, was delivered straight to the site and is carrying out the work it was purchased for,’ said Mr Black.

‘As is normal business practice, Barhaul did look at competitor brands, but one of the key elements of retaining their business with Terex Trucks and TDL was the excellent working relationship that has been established over the years.’

Patrick Bradley, director of Barhaul, said: ‘We have purchased Terex Trucks’ articulated dumptrucks for a number of years and have been very pleased with their performance as well as the excellent aftermarket support provided by TDL – a winning combination.’