How it began
BelAZ, a state-owned maker of mining machinery in Zhodzina, Belarus, unveiled the 75710 in September 2013. It is rated to carry 450 metric tons. The company built it in a new facility, part of a wider investment in production capacity that has been reported at $954 million. Siemens engineers developed the electric drive system. The aim was a lower cost per ton moved in large open pit mines.
Before it existed
Before 2013 the largest haul trucks were ultra class models from Bucyrus, Liebherr and Caterpillar with rated loads of 400 short tons, about 363 metric tons. The Liebherr T 282B held the Guinness World Records title for the largest dump truck. BelAZ's own previous largest model, the 7560, weighed 240 metric tons empty, compared with 360 metric tons for the 75710.
How it works
The truck is diesel-electric. Two 16-cylinder MTU diesel engines of about 2,300 horsepower each drive generators, and the electricity powers four traction motors, two on each axle. All wheels are driven and both axles steer, giving a turning radius of about 20 meters. It rides on eight tires mounted in pairs, where most haul trucks use six.
It is about 20.6 meters long, 9.87 meters wide and a little over 8 meters high. Top speed is 64 km/h. Fuel use is estimated at 1,300 liters per 100 km, and the truck can run on one engine when it is not loaded. If one motor fails it can still drive to a repair shop.
Who pushed back
Mining engineers praised the engineering and questioned the economics. Bryan Pullman of the consultancy Golder Associates told the BBC that pairing two engines made for a complex mechanical system and that he wondered about operating efficiency and fuel consumption. He added that even a saving of a few pence per ton could matter in large coal, iron ore and copper mines. The shallow bed also limits the volume of material the truck can carry.
What changed first
The first truck began moving waste rock at an open pit coal mine in the Kuzbass region of Siberia in mid-October 2014. The BBC reported in December 2014 that it was the only one in service, that two more were under construction, and that the price was a little over $6 million. Its 450 ton rating exceeded the previous record holder by 87 metric tons. Siemens engineers could monitor the truck and update its software remotely from the United States.
