Underground Hard Rock – Haulage (Loaders and Trucks)
Komatsu has been raising the bar over the last years with significant growth in its product offering to be able to strongly compete in the underground mining space in both hard rock and industrial minerals. Following the recent acquisition in 2024 of GHH Group GmbH (GHH), a German manufacturer of underground mining, tunneling and civil engineering equipment, Komatsu has significantly increased its product portfolio and is accelerating its product development roadmap. The acquisition enhances Komatsu's ability to provide products to a significantly larger customer base and serve underground mining customers' unique challenges, reduce their costs and achieve their production goals.
With now a larger product portfolio covering the scope of low-profile, narrow-vein and mid-seamed mass mining equipment, with loaders from 3 to 15 tonnes and trucks from 7 to 45 tonnes, Komatsu has a comprehensive range of load and haul equipment. Komatsu also boasts diversity in their alternate technology drive train designs having decades of experience in the design, development and manufacturing of tethered electric loaders and more recent experience in battery products.
One of the latest releases is the WX11, a powerful 11-tonne loader. This workhorse offers best-in-class breakout force and payload for optimal loading and haulage cycles. The WX11 is the first-to-market LHD with a full 11,000 kg capacity while having the same general footprint and dimensions of LHDs in the 10-tonne category. The WX11 LHD has a unique bucket design engineered to penetrate the muck pile easily and completely fill the bucket when rolled back. All bucket options include a durable, high-strength plate lip that extends bucket life. This and many other features, including excellent speed-on-grade and optimal operator visibility, make this an ideal LHD for mines aiming to boost productivity.
For the next size class in mid-seam mass mining, the Komatsu WX15 LHD is designed to deliver high performance and productivity. This powerful machine offers an excellent power-to-weight ratio, a robust frame and system design and a spacious, ergonomically designed operator cabin with a large footbox available in both narrow and wide cabin configurations, making the product more fit-for-purpose for most operations. With its versatile configuration, the WX15 is suited to create value for customer applications across underground mining operations. This LHD also includes radio remote control and automation options, allowing the machine to complete an entire production cycle without manual supervision, further enhancing safety and productivity and providing customers the opportunity to advance their operations.
The matching mining truck to the WX15 is the Komatsu HX45 - a robust and reliable truck delivering outstanding power rating, excellent dumping angle and an industry-leading turning radius. Supporting excellent productivity through significantly enhanced operator comfort, the HX45 features an oscillating articulation with a front suspension system, enabling smooth maneuverability, reducing frame stress thus ensuring longevity of the frame and componentry making the product more fit for tough underground mining conditions. The HX45 also boasts an additional operator trainer seat in the cabin providing excellent benefits to support more efficient operator training as well as to take a service technician or visitor underground.
Both machines are designed to work in tandem, offering productive three-pass loading cycles for maximum efficiency in mining operations. With a strong focus on safety, performance and maintainability, the WX15 and HX45 feature operator-friendly cabs, CE certified, Tier 3 and Stage V engine packages, optional data loggers with Wi-Fi connectivity for digital analytics solutions and proximity detection interfaces. These features allow the products to not only comply with local regulations but also provide for customized visibility into the machine performance, productivity and health, allowing customers to improve efficiencies across their operations continuously.
When it comes to operational flexibility of the Komatsu narrow vein equipment, Komatsu has the WX03, small 3-tonne LHD, as well as the WX04, a 4-tonne LHD, with a “high lift boom”. For the 7-tonne class narrow-vein loader, the WX07 significantly improves the versatility and operational flexibility, especially for truck loading. This loader is able to operate at altitudes of up to 4000 m. Komatsu has also taken the next step in globalizing its narrow vein offering ensuring that products like the WX07 and WX04 are also now available with CE certified, Tier 4f and Stage V engine packages and diesel particulate filters, allowing them to be sold into markets that are legislated accordingly.
The recently introduced HX30 underground mining truck boasts an ergonomic operator’s compartment with an additional emergency seat ideal for taking an additional miner into or out of the mine operations, or to conduct operator training exercises, and an adjustable steering wheel for enhanced operator comfort. The 30-tonne truck comes with Tier 3 and Stage V engine packages with a 320 kW best-in-class engine power. Notable is the oscillating centre bearing which allows for performance enhancing truck maneuverability when driving into and out of an incline and reduces stress on the frame significantly while also maximizing operator comfort. The HX30 will complement the already well proven HX20, 20-tonne truck, as well as the HX45, the largest truck in the offering at 45 tonnes, both of which come with an oscillating articulation. Of particular note for enhanced productivity underground, the HX30 truck is a perfect partner to the WX11 LHD and the HX20 truck is a perfect partner to the WX07 LHD for efficient three-pass loading.
Rounding out the underground mining truck lineup are the 7-tonne HX07 and 16-tonne HX16 trucks which are high-duty cycle loaders known for their long life and high productivity. These dependable workhorses combine power and efficiency with impressive breakout power.
Komatsu is also focused on its sustainability offering. The WX04B is its first battery-electric LHD designed specifically for underground hard rock mining operations. One of the standout features of the WX04B is its innovative battery swap system. Unlike many traditional systems that require extensive underground infrastructure, the WX04B's battery swap can be performed at ground level without additional equipment or risks of rigging overhead loads. This streamlined process reduces costs and complexity, making it a more efficient and user-friendly option for underground mining operations. With the battery pod, or Energy Storage System (ESS) at the rear, the battery swapping is dynamic - the vehicle has onboard power to be able to offload the depleted battery and pick up a charged battery. Komatsu pairs this innovative LHD with its new OEM-agnostic 150kW Battery Charger, a robust charging solution built for the demands of hard rock mining. Together, they mark a significant milestone in Komatsu's commitment to enhancing productivity and sustainability in underground operations. Komatsu plans to introduce additional battery-electric models with this system in the near future.
From a technology standpoint, Komatsu’s underground loaders and trucks are available with PDS Level 9 interface as well as automation ready and available with digital analytics and vehicle tracking solutions, to name a few, which can be customized to support specific customer and application needs.
LHDs and haulage trucks are the backbone of any hard rock operation, with safety, efficiency, reliability and performance of highest importance for mine site operators. Komatsu's load and haul portfolio stands out for its remarkable breadth, technical innovation, and adaptability to the varied demands of underground hard rock and industrial minerals mining. From a comprehensive range of diesel and electric loaders and trucks - spanning from narrow-vein to mass mining applications – to innovative battery-electric LHDs with intuitive battery-swapping solutions - Komatsu demonstrates a commitment to productivity, operator comfort, and environmental stewardship.
With manufacturing facilities in Canada, Germany, South Africa and the U.S. and sales, distribution and service centers across global mining markets, along with an underground hard rock and industrial minerals portfolio of over 4000 machines in the field, Komatsu has a well-established footprint to serve customers.
Visit Komatsu at AusIMM's Critical Minerals Conference 2025 exhibition Stand 46 to explore the machines and technology.