When it came to selecting tyres for the CAT 775G RDTs, Imerys opted for a BKT quarry sector best-seller, the EARTHMAX SR 45 M, in the 24.00 R 35 size. The choice was said to be down to the tyre's specific characteristics, which allow rigid dumpers to move around very muddy environments, such as Imerys' Nanpean-based clay quarry.
Jones said: "We have to move quickly in the quarry on difficult terrain, to load and transport the extracted material. For this reason, we need a tyre which gives us a sense of safety, with excellent grip, a wide tread, and capable of great performance even when fully loaded. All this without it impacting on the vehicle's consumption."
EARTHMAX SR 45 M is a radial all-steel tyre designed for rigid dumpers which operate on muddy surfaces and is available in three types of compound: normal, heat resistant and cut resistant. A characteristic of this top of the range tyre is the E-4 depth of the tread which allows constant resistance against the numerous obstacles on sites such as quarries, where conditions are very challenging. The versions with the cut-resistant and heat-resistant compounds are said to guarantee excellent traction and great resistance also for long-distance transport.
"With a little water, the clay-rich terrain becomes very slippery, and that is when we have to rely on the vehicle and the tyres. This is the real challenge to be faced when working in this type of quarry," Jones concludes.
