SSAB continues to offer the Australian mining industry high-quality and environmentally-friendly steel and wear plates.
Having been in Australia since the early 2000s, SSAB has prioritised understanding the needs of the country’s mining industry.
And one of the primary needs within the sector is a wear plate that stands the test of time.
“We are always looking to produce new products and improve the ones we already have,” SSAB area sales manager – Australia and New Zealand Matthew Spiteri told Australian Mining. “One of the ways we do this is with Hardox 500 Tuf.
“With its unique combination of hardness and toughness, Hardox 500 Tuf allows for the optimised design of all kinds of truck and trailer bodies.”
Hardox 500 Tuf also allows mine sites to haul more and save more.
“The examples of savings by upgrading to Hardox 500 Tuf are based on a truck travelling 100,000km per year for six years,” Spiteri said.
“The increased load capacity and other benefits in operation and production are the result of changing from 6mm-thick Hardox 450 to 5mm-thick Hardox 500 Tuf.
“It’s amazing what a different 1mm makes.”
According to Spiteri, the weight benefits of reducing plate thickness are easy to calculate.
“Not only does it make the body of the machine 17 per cent lighter, but you need to purchase, store and handle 17 per cent less steel,” he said.
“A 17 per cent reduction in plate thickness cuts down on welding time and the need for welding consumables.”
Hardox 500 Tuf has a hardness interval of 475–505 HBW (Brinell hardness calculation) for high wear resistance in the most challenging abrasive applications.
The toughness makes Hardox 500 Tuf perform as a structural wear steel, keeping dump bodies in good shape and standing up to impacts from large and heavy objects striking the plate.
“Hardox 450 has been the workhorse for wear applications for a long time,” Spiteri said. “Now it’s time for the next step with the arrival of Hardox 500 Tuf.
“The hardness of this steel has jumped more than 10 per cent compared to Hardox 450. And since wear resistance isn’t a linear phenomenon, the increase in hardness can give an increase in wear life as high as 50 per cent – depending on the abrasive material and operating conditions, of course.
“So if you’re looking for a longer-lasting body, Hardox 500 Tuf is the way to go.”
Whether Hardox 500 Tuf is welded, bent or machined, customers can expect the steel to deliver predictable performance. Hardox 500 Tuf comes with guarantees for narrow flatness and thickness tolerances and bending performance, ensuring cost efficiency and product quality in the workshop. Using thinner dimensions means less bending force is required.
“The Hardox 500 Tuf has been on the market since 2017,” Spiteri said. “Our end-users and mines love the material because of its impact toughness.
“We’ve made sure that our teams are on hand to support our customers who might be upgrading from Hardox 450 to 500 Tuf.”
Spiteri said this type of support has changed the game for SSAB’s customers.
“It sounds simple, but local technical support can really go a long way,” Spiteri said. “Technical support comes in all different facets, but whenever the customer needs us, we’ll be there.”
SSAB is also making efforts to minimising its carbon footprint and reducing global emissions.
“We know that steel production is one of the highest producers of CO2,” Spiteri said.
“Our first step toward minimising CO2 within our steel production is the introduction of SSAB Zero.”
SSAB Zero steel is made of recycled steel and produced with fossil-free electricity and biogas. The result is steel with virtually no carbon emissions.
Spiteri said it’s important for SSAB to continue providing solutions for the global energy transition to ensure the mining industry stays competitive and able to produce the high-quality ore for which it is known.
“I think being net-zero or fossil-fuel-free is a big thing to aspire to, but it’s also a big thing to look forward to,” Spiteri said.
“We’re not just looking at Australia, we’re looking at the entire world. That’s a lot of CO2 we can reduce and a lot of help we give the environment for future generations.”
This feature appeared in the October 2023 issue of Australian Mining.