Mobile capital equipment provider Eqstra Industrial Equipment (EIE) delivered 13 Terex TR100 rigid dump trucks in January to its sister company, contract mining and plant rental division MCC, which deployed the trucks at the Karowe diamond mine, in the diamond-rich Letlhakane region of Botswana.

Both EIE and MCC fall under integrated leasing and capital equipment group Eqstra Holdings.

In 2014, MCC was appointed the contract miner for Karowe – the flagship diamond mine of Canada-based diamond miner Lucara Diamond Corporation.

It took EIE eight months to build and deliver the dump trucks, which were ordered under standard specifications.

The diesel-fuelled trucks, which were built in Motherwell, Scotland, were supplied to MCC by Eqstra’s heavy equipment division, a supplier of industrial heavy lifting and port equipment, and distributor of the Terex range of rigid and articulated dump trucks.

The largest rigid dump truck in the Terex line – the 100 t payload truck – features a heaped capacity of 57 m3 and is powered by a 783 kW Cummins KTA38-C engine. The fuel efficient, heavy-duty engine has been calibrated specifically for powerful performance and long life cycles, as well as reduced maintenance and operational costs.

The engine has a six-speed, automatic and electronically controlled transmission, with automatic lock-up in all speed ranges, which improves fuel efficiency and aids productivity on site.

“The TR100’s rugged construction and durable components are designed for a good service life, while the high-capacity body, with exhaust heating, ensures excellent retention and cleaner dumping for increased productivity,” Eqstra national sales manager Thabo Zulu states.

Other features of the Terex trucks include transmission and rear-brake retardation systems that guarantee optimum retardation for various applications and conditions for safer control and shorter cycle times.

The truck’s high-quality rim pull enables hauling in all conditions, while the ergonomic cab increases operator comfort and productivity, with the on-board diagnostics facilitating quick and easy maintenance checks.

The trucks were first launched onto the market in 1987 and about 1 700 Terex trucks are in use worldwide.

In line with its total commitment to delivering optimal product life-time value to its clients, EIE will also provide MCC with comprehensive aftermarket support for the TR100 trucks, covering parts, service, general maintenance and repairs.

“We are proud to be the supplier of MCC’s haulage trucks for this important state-of-the-art diamond mine. This order builds on our established record as one of MCC’s leading fleet suppliers. MCC is a market leader in Southern Africa in surface contract mining and plant hire for the civil engineering, construction and earthmoving industries,” says Eqstra heavy equipment MD Ronald Erasmus.

MCC CEO Justin Colling states that, while Karowe has exceeded all expectations since it was commissioned in 2012, the mine is aiming to unlock even greater potential in 2015.

He adds that MCC’s past experience in dealing with Terex Trucks gives the company full confidence in the trucks’ capability to play a critical role in the superior levels of efficiency and productivity that are required at Karowe.