Powered by Lithic Industries – Intelligent Stewardship® for Mining Haul Roads
Chilean Iron Ore Mine Haul Road Stabilization: T-PRO® Polymer Soil Stabilization Delivers 23% Fuel Savings, 90% Water Reduction, and Dramatic Rolling Resistance Improvements
In large-scale open-pit mining, haul road conditions directly determine truck productivity, fuel consumption, tire life, and cost per tonne. Poorly maintained roads increase rolling resistance through tire flex, penetration, and slippage — turning a simple transport corridor into a major profit drain.
The Challenge:
High Rolling Resistance and Escalating Operational Costs At this major Chilean iron ore operation, unstable haul roads created excessive rolling resistance (RR), leading to higher fuel use, accelerated tire wear, reduced payload efficiency, and increased maintenance demands. Using Caterpillar’s proven haul road design guidelines, even small increases in RR have outsized impacts:
A 5% increase in rolling resistance can reduce production by up to 10% while driving production costs up by as much as 35%. For Caterpillar 785B trucks (1,900 m one-way haul, 137.5-tonne payload, targeting 15 million tonnes annually), the financial impact was significant.
Real-World Rolling Resistance Impact (Caterpillar 785B Simulation)
| Rolling Resistance | Fuel/Truck (60 min/hr) | Fuel/Truck/Year | Trucks Needed | Annual Fleet Production (mil. tonnes) | Fleet Fuel Cost/Year (at $0.50/litre) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3% | 95.6 | 573,600 | 6 | 14.9 | $1,720,800 |
| 6% | 139.3 | 835,800 | 7 | 14.0 | $2,925,300 |
| 9% | 156.3 | 937,800 | 9 | 14.3 | $4,220,100 |
| 12% | 168.1 | 1,060,200 | 11 | 14.2 | $5,831,100 |
Without proper stabilization, the mine faced higher rolling resistance, poor drainage, surface rocks, safety risks, and steadily rising cost per tonne.
The Solution:
T-PRO® Polymer Soil Stabilization for Heavy Haul Roads Lithic Industries deployed its advanced T-PRO® polymer soil stabilization technology — the best polymer soil stabilization in the US — as a complete haul road management program. T-PRO® transforms native or marginal soils into a stable, water-resistant road base using minimal water and zero harmful chemicals. Engineered for the most demanding heavy-haul environments, it delivers long-term haul road stabilization, superior dust control, and carbon-neutral performance that far outperforms traditional chlorides, water-only spraying, or mechanical maintenance.
Proven Results:
Measurable Operational and Cost Savings After implementation across 10 km of haul road (250,000 m²), T-PRO® delivered exceptional field-validated outcomes:
Additional Performance Benefits
Monthly Operational Savings
One-Time Stabilization + Ongoing Maintenance Economics (10 km × 25 m road)
Conclusion:
Turning Haul Roads from Cost Center to Profit Driver T-PRO® polymer soil stabilization transforms challenging mine haul roads into smooth, stable, dust-controlled surfaces that deliver optimum production, higher road availability, and dramatically lower cost per tonne. With up to 7× compressive strength gains (TTI-validated), superior water resistance, and carbon-neutral chemistry, T-PRO® provides the best long-term haul road stabilization available — proven globally and trusted where performance matters most.
Lithic Industries continues to deliver these field-proven, environmentally responsible results for mining, energy, infrastructure, and heavy industrial operations worldwide.
Ready to lower your cost per tonne and reduce rolling resistance? Contact Lithic Industries today for a free haul road assessment and discover how T-PRO® can deliver 3% rolling resistance performance and substantial operational savings at your site.