SmithCo delivers custom solutions for the mining industry designed to maximize efficiency and safety. Whether your operation requires long-distance hauling or frequent on-site cycles, SmithCo will provide the right mining trailer based on the materials you transport and the layout of your site.
SmithCo side dump trailers help reduce maintenance costs, improve fuel efficiency and provide long-term value for your demanding mining operations.
Mining Side Dump Trailers
Mining Videos: See Side Dump Trailers in Action
See a hydraulic suspension in action
SmithCo Mine Trailer with Hydraulic Suspension
Lower mining cost per ton with a tractor-trailer combo
How the Mining Industry Benefits from Side Dumps
SmithCo mine trailers have been trusted in the mining industry for years, thanks to their rugged construction, superior stability, faster cycle times and efficient unloading capabilities.
While traditional mine trucks haul significant payloads, they require processing plants to be located close to the pit to operate efficiently. As mining operations expand farther from processing facilities, tractor-trailer configurations offer clear advantages. They can significantly reduce ton-per-mile costs compared to conventional haul unites through lower fuel consumption, longer tire life, reduced maintenance costs and decreased infrastructure requirements.
Our mine trailers feature hydraulic suspensions and are purpose-built for the toughest mining conditions—including high-production environments, long duty cycles, remote mine locations and extreme weather conditions. They can be paired with a wide range of tractor units, from conventional off-road equipment to heavy truck chassis, and are capable of hauling payloads of up to 100 tons per trailer, or 200 tons when operated in tandem.
SmithCo mine trailers are hauling gold ore, coal, iron ore, copper concentrate, and bauxite in mine locations across the globe.
Mine Trailer Design
Our mine trailers are engineered to meet each customer’s specific application. SmithCo can develop multiple trailer combinations to maximize payload while minimizing equipment complexity. Configurations are designed to with a wide range of tractor units, from conventional ridged and articulated off-road equipment to cost-effective heavy truck chassis. The tubs are constructed to withstand the impact of abrasive materials and ensure minimum carryback.
Sophisticated Ton Per Mile Estimates
Our engineers use a range of inputs to optimize trailer design. We incorporate each customer’s annual tonnage targets, haul road grades, payload requirements and cycle times to develop multiple configuration options—along with accurate ton-per-mile cost projections.
Meeting the Challenges of Mining
Equipment reliability and uptime are crucial in the mining industry—one reason our mining trailers are designed for easy serviceability. Their adaptability is another advantage: in the event of a tractor breakdown, trailers can be quickly reassigned to other units to keep operations running.
Haul Roads Aren't a Problem for Side Dumps
Mining companies that use SmithCo mine trailers can transport material to processing facilities at a significantly lower cost than with traditional haul trucks. In addition, haul road development and maintenance costs are greatly reduced. Mining regulations often require that haul roads be four times the width of the largest vehicle operating them. The use of SmithCo mine trailers reduces this cost because their footprint is significantly smaller than a haul truck. For this reason, our mine trailers make it more feasible to open satellite mines.
Side Dump Trailers Make Remote Mining Efficient
The added distance of a satellite mine or remote location makes traditional haul trucks unfeasible for transporting ore to a processing plant. Relocating processing operations would be both costly and inefficient. However a smaller, more nimble side dump trailer makes hauling distances of 10km or more viable, allowing the processing plant to remain in place.
In addition, a mining side dump trailer costs a fraction of a traditional mine truck, offers faster return speeds to move more material per shift and significantly reduces fuel consumption. This means more time spent loading and unloading and less time wasting.
Building Custom Mining Solutions
One example of how we create custom mine trailer solutions is our work with Baffinland Iron Mines (BIM). BIM mines high-grade iron ore on Baffin Island, above the Arctic Circle—where temperatures can drop to -55 degrees Celsius. Today, BIM has well over 100 SmithCo Mine Tipper trailers on site. Before its operations began, no other organization had attempted to mine such a northern location.
BIM needed a reliable transportation solution to support a 100 km haul route in this extreme environment. The company began using SmithCo mine trailers in 2013, and they remain in operation today, hauling iron ore from the mine to the port. Our trailers have consistently met BIM’s production demands under some of the harshest conditions on Earth.
SmithCo mine trailers are changing the way mines operate by delivering custom solutions that traditional haul trucks simply can’t match. Interested in seeing how we could design a custom mine trailer for your needs?
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