Mining is a highly conservative industry – operators want to see data and preferably comparative data showing the effect with and without the technology – and they want lots of it. They also want data that shows consistent performance and a proven benefit to the bottom line. FuelActive has already achieved this on a number of mining and quarrying related sites. However, one of the most impressive has been a rollout with global contract mining major Macmahon Holdings at a client’s gold mine in Sumatra, Indonesia. Macmahon’s extensive experience in surface and underground mining has established the company as the mining contractor of choice for global resources projects across various commodity sectors.

Macmahon runs a fleet of Volvo A60H ADTs that were experiencing excessive Low Power Incidents (LPIs). A combination of a dusty and wet environment and the use of B30 biodiesel, which is relatively standard in Indonesia, was suspected to be the cause of the LPIs. Macmahon agreed to a Proof of Concept (POC) trial of FuelActive. Three FA16 FuelActive units were sent to the site for installation in April 2021. Importantly, as a control, these ADT units were compared with new units of the same specification for the same application at the same site. Setting the bar high, the ADTs with FuelActive units already had 4,500 hours under their belt. Given the disparity in age, the performance of the ‘new’ Volvo ADTs was quite strong in the first two months. However, the effects of contamination began to emerge. In the last six months of 2021, the data clearly favoured the performance of FuelActive.

Macmahon’s service records documented 27 LPI’s on the ‘new’ standard units and 9 on the FuelActive units – a 66% reduction. Using Volvo OEM fleet telematics to record fuel consumption data over a 25 week period, the Fuel Active units had better fuel economy in 22 out of the 25 weeks. One out of three standard ADT’s in the control group had fuel injectors replaced during the trial period, and none on the FuelActive-equipped units, also noting that two trucks outside the control group had fuel injectors replaced. The average fuel economy across the whole control group was 36.7 litres per hour, with an average of 3.4% fuel economy improvement from FuelActive. To convert that into sustainability and bottom-line benefits – a saving of 3.4% equated to 1.25 L/h or 18 L/d (based on a typical 15 h/d ADT operation). These statistics equate to 49.1 kg of CO2 emissions saved per day or 17,930 kg of CO2 per year for each FuelActive equipped truck. In cost terms, based on 18 L/d, the FuelActive ROI was 251% in year one.

As a result, in November 2021, Macmahon placed an order for the rest of the Volvo ADT fleet – the fleet numbers totalling 10. In January 2022, Macmahon expanded the FuelActive solution to their fleet of Cat 390 hydraulic excavators and the remaining Volvo ADTs. The contractor’s fleet also includes Cat 745 ADTs, so there is potential for further expansion in the future.

PT Macmahon Maintenance Manager, Nigel Wixon, stated: “Macmahon Indonesia strives for business improvement through technology. In late April 2021, we installed FuelActive on three Volvo A60s to target a reduction in Low Power incidents which cause significant equipment downtime. Pleasingly, Low Power Incidents have been reduced by 66% on these trucks, boosting our truck reliability and availability. We have also recorded a noticeable fuel saving on FuelActive fitted equipment averaging 3.4% over the last six months. The saving has been evident every month, equating to nearly 18 t of CO2 saved per year, per truck. I would recommend FuelActive to be fitted on all mining equipment for the repairs and maintenance savings, increased equipment uptime, fuel savings and sustainability benefits.”