Book 24, Question 90
Why are mining trucks so huge?
A mine moves millions of tons of rock, so it needs trucks that carry as much as possible in one trip. The biggest haul trucks carry about 400 tons, which is more than the weight of 70 elephants. Their tires are about 13 feet tall, taller than a grown-up on another's shoulders. Their engines are powerful, and drivers sit high up in a cab.
More fun facts
- Bingham Canyon copper mine is the world's largest single pit by size, about three quarters of a mile deep and nearly three miles across at the top.
- It has 110 haul trucks that each carry 240 to 320 tons.
- Its 12 giant shovels fill an average of 2,100 truck loads every day.
- The mine drills, blasts, loads, hauls and crushes rock 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Seven water trucks with 50,000 gallon tanks spray the haul roads around the clock to keep down dust.
- One haul truck at a coal mine in the Powder River Basin holds nearly 450 tons.
- Underground mine trucks are smaller, usually 15 to 60 tons, and bend in the middle so they can turn in tight tunnels.
- Mines choose the loading machines first, then pick trucks sized to match them.
Questions kids ask
How much copper has Bingham Canyon produced?
More than 19 million tons, over more than a century of mining.