Aitik, a Boliden owned and operated open pit mine located in northern Sweden, will expand production from 18 Mt per year today to 36 Mt per year copper ore during 2010._x000D_
The challenge for the mine operation is to double production with a planned increase of the shovel and truck fleet of only 50 per cent. This will be achieved through improved shovel and truck utilisation and productivity._x000D_
In early 2005 Aitik started projects to enhance the utilisation of truck engine hours and to reduce fuel consumption. Both projects were successful, within a year efficient2 utilisation of engine hours increased from 60 per cent to 75 per cent and fuel consumption was reduced by six to eight per cent._x000D_
The truck utilisation project focused on minimising idle truck hours by for example four operators on three trucks thus reducing idle engine hours to minimise lost time for breaks and shift changes. Other measures included focusing on improved dispatch usage, parking trucks when overtrucked, etc._x000D_
Eco-driving was a project together with Swedish Road Administration with the objective to combine economical and environmental savings. To keep the focus on eco-driving a reward was set up for the shift team with the lowest fuel rate over rolling 15 weeks periods._x000D_
Both activities included a comprehensive training program for mine foremen, dispatchers and truck operators focusing on efficient use of trucks from economic driving to optimised truck dispatching and minimising idle engine hours._x000D_
Online monitoring of trucks activities and fuel consumption combined with continuous reporting gave shift foremen and management a tool to discuss and follow trends and individual shift team performance._x000D_
The combination of close monitoring of mainly organisational practices and operator training resulted in significant productivity increase and lower operating costs without any capital investments._x000D_
FORMAL CITATION:Renstrm, A, 2007. Truck fleet utilisation and fuel saving in Aitik, in Proceedings Sixth Large Open Pit Mining Conference 2007, pp 107-112 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).