Simply stated, Dipetane gives you More Miles with Less Fuel.

Dipetane is different from any other fuel product you have been searching for to get your engine driving you farther and running cleaner. Dipetane reduces your fuel costs by improving fuel economy from 10% to 15%. Dipetane releases more energy from your fuel, resulting in more power and better mileage. It also burns the carbons that would normally cause carbon deposit build-up, therefore extending both your oil and engine life.
Proven in over 100 million miles of service, Dipetane improves fuel economy, reduces emissions, extends oil life and reduces engine wear.

At the heart of Dipetane’s ability to increase fuel economy 10% to 15% is its more efficient and complete fuel burn. The result is increased energy release and a longer, more powerful expansion in the combustion chamber.

In the combustion process, most of the fuel is burned. Any unburned residual needs to be exhausted or “washed out”, which is presently accomplished with detergents, or in the case of severe clogging, through the use of injector cleaners. However, these solutions are miles behind the effectiveness of Dipetane.

Dipetane takes a unique approach. When mixed into gasoline, diesels and heavier fuel oils, Dipetane actually causes much more of the fuel to be burned. By burning more fuel, more energy is released therefore reducing the amount of fuel required to perform the same amount of work. In addition, fewer emissions are left un-combusted and fewer contaminants work their way into the oil.

Dipetane burns so much of the fuel that instead of adding carbon deposits (primarily unburned asphaltine molecules) to the surfaces of the combustion chamber, deposits are radically reduced. The combustion process is comprised of severe changes in heat and pressure. These changes actually buffet the existing carbon deposits and as they lose adhesion, they are gradually eroded away. Absent of the deposits, more oxygen is freed up for the combustion process and heat is reduced. At this stage, not only is your engine is cleaner, you’re traveling farther and extending the life of your vehicle. The removal of Combustion Chamber Deposits (CCD’s) makes Dipetane different from many other products.
After the combustion chamber is cleaned up, increased power and more efficient use of fuel reduces the amount of fuel required to perform the same amount of work. The incredible result is better fuel economy!

Dipetane is going to save you money - big money.

Dipetane treated fuel is the best fuel your engines can burn. We’ve spent a considerable amount of time testing other products. If there was something better, we would be telling you about it.

In fuel savings alone, Dipetane will save you more than 2-3 times its cost! Add to that reduced engine wear, longer lasting oil and filters and the cost savings expand even more.

Visualize this: • 1 in 10 of your vehicles fueling for free.
• No black diesel smoke
• Longer lasting equipment

Proven Performance
Over 100 million miles of usage has proven Dipetane to be safe and effective.

Effective
We tested over 1,000 products and found that Dipetane proved to be the best. It could not be beaten. As a matter of fact, Dipetane is the only fuel product that met all of our performance and safety requirements.

Removes CCD’s
Combustion Chamber Deposits (CCD’s) absorb oxygen, increase combustion temperatures and comprise the “wear particles” that scuff cylinder sleeves. Free up that oxygen and the chamber burns fuel like new. Remove the wear particle and the engine lasts longer.

Safe
Dipetane is non hazardous and non corrosive. Dipetane is safe in all recommended applications

Meets All Fuel Specifications
Because Dipetane only contains approved fuel components, Dipetane-treated fuel meets all manufacturer and regulatory fuel specifications.

Eliminates Diesel Smoking
Normally, visible diesel smoke is caused by partially clogged fuel injectors that drip fuel into the chamber instead of atomizing it. The dripped fuel doesn’t burn well resulting in black smoke. With Dipetane’s ability to keep your engine running clean, you’ll never have to worry about clogged fuel injectors!

Marketwatch recently reported on continuing OTR tire shortage (some call an “imbalance”). The article spoke about the on-going expansions by Michelin and Bridgestone and their struggle to keep up. The fact is that a booming commodity market will not allow them to catch up the imbalance.

No one is expecting a downturn in demand for mined products, so industry experts expect the chronic shortage will continue. Yoichi Nagamatsu, senior manager for Bridgestone’s off-road tires operations in Europe, acknowledged that tiremakers were caught with excess capacity when mining activity dropped at the beginning of this decade. “But today, the mining business is booming. Even with a 40% capacity increase, we think it’s still not enough.”

Interesting to note that since the start of the shortage in 2004/2005 predictions for the end of the supply imbalance have stayed steadily 2 to 3 years in front us. Maury Taylor recently predicted in his keynote address at the OTR Tire conference in Hawaii that by mid-2009 Titan’s new capacity would effectively end the shortage. I can still hear the echo of the cheers coming from the mining community after Mr. Taylor’s motivational address.

Hope springs eternal….

ref: www.marketwatch.com

ROME - OPEC Secretary-General Abdullah el al-Badri said Sunday oil prices would likely go higher and that the group was ready to raise production if the price pressure was due to a shortage of supply — something he doubted.

“Oil prices, there is a common understanding that has nothing to do with supply and demand,” al-Badri said on the sidelines of an energy conference in Rome.

Oil prices reached a new high Friday at $117 a barrel.

A host of supply and demand concerns in the U.S. and abroad, along with the dollar’s weakness, have served to support prices, even as record retail gasoline prices in the U.S. appear to be dampening demand. Crude prices have risen as much as 4 percent last week.

The OPEC chief said OPEC “will not hesitate” to increase production if the group thought the higher prices were due to shortages. But he said more oil will not solve the high prices.

OPEC’s production levels were just one of many factors, he said.

“But how much higher it will go, of course it depends on a number of things: the political situation, whether there is a natural catastrophe, whether there are speculations in the market, whether there are strikes in certain producing countries. So there are many other factors other than OPEC production,” al-Badri said.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

My question to all is this gold market coming to an end? I think not. I believe we are in the beginning of huge opportunity in the gold and oil markets. We are sitting at all time high’s. However I have listed some reasons why you should continue in investing in Gold.

· No new large discoveries of gold deposits dampening supply
· Lack of previous investment for gold exploration
· It takes up to 10 years to bring a new mine to production
· Falling gold production worldwide adding to its scarcity
· Gold EFTs take gold off the market thus reducing supply
· In the last Bull Run 70s to 80s gold prices increased 20 fold
· Metrics: DJIA vs. Gold, about 19ozs buys the dow jones, it has been 1:1 in the past and could be again in the future. Assuming the dow jones remains above 10,000 then the gold price could hit $10,000
· Gold at its previous high of $850 adjusted for inflation puts the gold price at $2000 plus
· Geopolitical uncertainty, a nuclear Iran creates world tension which pushes up the price of gold
· A Dictatorial South America imposing restrictions such as increased taxation and nationalisation will deter investment and reduce gold production
· India is growing and the sleeping dragon of China has awoken, their hunger for gold will drive gold prices higher
· Internet: information travels around the world in a nano-second, reactions to news, true or false, will add to the volatility of the gold price
· Web trading: increasing everyday, resulting in the trends being more exaggerated than ever before
· The mania that I traded in during the last Bull market will be nothing compared to the coming Gold price explosion and the maniacal actions of traders and everyday people in the precious metals sector.

Aggressive investors stand to make huge amounts of cash as gold will continue to rise. Next blog I will break down oil and show why this will remain in the bullish market for a long time to come. The strong alway survives.

Robert W Rasanen

Robert Rasanen has worked in the OTR Tire industry for 15 years and is
currently the owner of Midwest Global Tire. If you wish to contact Rob
directly you can reach him at rob@globalotrtire.com

Dual wheel assemblies have three main functions:
1. To provide Extra Load capacity. As in a trucking & forklift application.
2. To provide Extra Traction. As in a rear tractor application.
3. To provide Stability. As in all applications.

As dual wheel assemblies are designed to work essentially as ONE wheel there are several factors service people must take into consideration when servicing them;
1. Tyres fitted to wheels must be of the same construction. i.e. Bias vs. Radial
2. Tyres must be of the same brand & type. i.e. Bridgestone VMT vs. Bridgestone VMT.
3. Tyre size must be the same.
4. Tyre pressures must be the same.
5. Tyres must be at the same rate of wear. We can allow a 15% difference in remaining tread depth.
6. Contact faces on the Knave plate and or wedges must be free of rust dirt or foreign objects.
7. Contact faces on the Hub must be free of rust dirt or foreign objects.
8. Wheel off sets must be within manufactures specification.
9. Hub centered and stud centered wheel rims should not be interchanged.
10. Re torque all wheel nuts of a Dual Wheel Assembly after a short run in period.

Should the above not be adhered to it may result in premature failure of the wheel assembly.

The golden rule for Dual Wheel Assemblies is. For the assembly to work as ONE wheel the tyres must be of the same diameter. Should this not be the case one or more of the following may result:

1. The larger tyre will carry more load and may result in premature failure due to
heat build up and over loading.
2. The smaller tyre will wear at a rate faster than that of the larger tyre.
3. In severe cases of mis-matched diameters (see attached picture) failure of the Knave Plate may result due to increased load and stress placed on the wheel.
4. In severe cases, failure of the wheel ends and planetary sets may result due to improper load and stresses.

With regard to the wheel rims cleanliness is the key. Dirt, rust or foreign objects in and around the mounting faces of the Knave Plate and or wedges may result in a loose wheel.

Safety and efficiency of running your tires go hand in hand. With that in mind we are always looking for ways to help our customers get more life out of their tires and do it as safe as they can. Below is a safety bulletin we found that was published by the Queensland Government - Department of Natural Resources and Mines. We hope you find this information helpful!

The mining industry is currently facing a worldwide shortage of Large Earth Moving Tyres.

Due to this shortage it is inevitable that operating companies will be seeking to maximise tyre life and to review tyre
management and maintenance practices. This maximisation is not unreasonable but it will be seen to leave tyres in
service that, before the shortage, would have “normally” been taken out of service based on appearance rather than actual
condition. Therefore these tyres that were previously taken out of service may have still been ‘fit for purpose’ and may
not have achieved their full potential service life. This change in our industry is a significant change and will throw up
challenges that need to be effectively managed. The application of change management practices should form part of the
strategy to address this emerging issue.

A move to extending tyre life can be safely managed if appropriate resources and knowledge are applied.
Issues to Consider:

o Eliminating or minimising reverse camber corners.
o Haul road grade, curvature and undulation.
o Tyre specification and suitability for the hauling route.
o Appropriate road construction materials and running surface material.
o Minimising spillage through design.

o Spillage is dealt with quickly.
o Haul road running surfaces are regularly graded.
o An effective surface water management program is in place.

As can be seen from the above issues, and not all have been discussed here, effective tyre life management requires
many inputs and both the production and maintenance streams have important roles to play in safely extending tyre life
in our operations.

Running tyres to destruction should not be an acceptable strategy to extend tyre life.

Read the rest of this entry »

I was perusing through some industry websites the other day and found an excellent reminder to all of us in the mining industry of how we can maintain improve our overall mine safey through better tire awareness. With the tire imbalance continuing to loom over our immediate future, reminders like this our even more important than ever!

Throughout history, mining has been considered one of the world’s most hazardous professions. Today, even with new technology and advanced safety programs in place, a mine can still be a potentially dangerous environment – with larger and larger machines constantly moving tons of material in every direction at increasingly faster speeds.
The good news is that statistics indicate that mining safety in general is much better today than it was 25 years ago. According to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), mining deaths in the United States have dipped from 242 in 1977 to a record low 56 in 2003. MSHA credits this decrease in fatalities to a focus on three key areas: enforcement of rules, education and training of mining personnel, and technical assistance for the mining community.

With an increasing emphasis on making mine sites safer places to work, mine managers are, more often, educating themselves and their crews on the factors that cause accidents and the best practices that can prevent them. This includes training and technical assistance on every aspect of the machines and operations.

As tires become larger to support even larger machines, tire safety management becomes even more important along with tire safety training. Managing tire safety in a mine site is an effective way to decrease accidents – while improving productivity and prolonging tire life. In developing a tire safety program, mine managers should work with their service provider and/or tire manufacturer and safety personnel to answer several important questions, including:

What safety areas of our operation need improvement?
What safety behaviors need to be changed?
Will training change those behaviors or are the issues more strategic?
What steps should be taken in order to create a sustainable tire safety program?
There are four main preventable causes of tire related accidents at mine sites. They are:

The operator did not know what to do when something started to go wrong.
The operator did not have time to properly complete a job and over-tasked the tires, or equipment.
The operator was using the wrong tool/equipment to complete a job.
The operator failed to comply with standard accepted safety practices.
In order to begin developing a tire safety management program for a mine site, managers need to have a firm grasp of the main concern areas. This will facilitate a tire safety management program designed to address the needs of that mine site.

Areas which should be reviewed include: operational hazards management, site operating conditions, tire selection and management, and tire inspection and safety training. If a mine site manager isn’t sure about tire designs and selections for the mine site machinery, a tire service provider or tire manufacturer should be consulted.

For example, the tread compound will determine factors such as heat resistance, cut resistance and wear performance. Distance limits will affect Ton Mile Per Hour (TMPH), load and speed of the mining equipment. Tire dealers should be able to answer questions about any of these factors regarding tire selection. Service providers and tire manufacturers can also be helpful in developing programs for tire management. Dealers should be able to help or direct a mine site manager to information and programs regarding daily safety walkthroughs, supervisor training, site severity reviews, pressure maintenance, tire training, dispatch training, best practices, tire selection and monitoring operators.

Management of site conditions is very important in relation to tire safety. Factors include: operator diligence, road maintenance, road design, spillage, rainfall, team accountability, payload, cycle length, push outs and ambient temperature.

Equipment related factors, which potentially affect tire performance and safety, include: vehicle alignment, sideboards, suspension conditions, rock ejectors and strut pressure. Once mine site managers have considered all of the factors that result in safe tire operation and use, they can develop a clear understanding of how to communicate and implement a tire safety program for their mine site.

Mine site managers should remember that the keys to safety are constant vigilance, training and awareness. Safe tire operations require management direction and accountability. Supervisors need to monitor their teams, and they need to constantly re-emphasize the importance of safety. Managers need to make time to train and show their personnel how to use their tools and equipment safely.

Implementing a tire safety program is essential to improving mining safety. It requires a collaborative effort between tire service providers, tire manufacturers, mine site managers and mine workers. The mining industry has come a long way to improve its safety statistics, but tire safety education and awareness is crucial to continued mining safety success.

Safety is a continuous examination of potential hazards and actions that can prevent accidents. Tires, and tire-related accidents, are one of the controllable hazards in a mining industry that can be prevented. By implementing a tire safety program at the mines, the entire mining team’s awareness and education will increase. As a result, the goals of safe tire operations, lowering operating costs and improving productivity, will be achieved.

Improving Mine Site Safety Through Better Tire Management

I write, and speak frequently with people, about our industry’s public image. As I have often said, one problem is that we have no image with a lot of people. It is amazing how many people in ‘developed’ countries think that mining is a thing of the past. Presumably they think all the world’s metals are recycled, if they consider the source at all! Perhaps enough of the nuclear, clean coal and other debates have filtered through to some for them to realise energy sources are still extracted from the ground – though many think no further than the electric socket or the gas pump.

There can be no better recent example of the general lack of recognition or awareness of the mining industry’s importance than the recent power problems in South Africa, which attracted little daily media coverage. Starting on January 25, many of South Africa’s major mines, particularly the underground operations, shut down. To take just one example, Gold Fields produces about 7,000 oz of gold each day from its South African mines – production worth some $6 million. Add up all the production involved (gold, PGMs, coal, etc.) and it comes to many millions of dollars of production value lost each day. While the mines are now producing again, problems continue. So, a major mining country’s industry ceased to function, but the mainstream media took little or no interest! And yet, quite apart from the economic and technical angles, there are political ramifications.

Other than ignoring us, our prevailing image is probably of a dirty industry exploiting, with the worst possible connotations of that word, developing countries and their peoples. While we have made great progress in environmental management, sustainable development and community relations, particularly since the Global Mining Initiative in 2002, there are many millions in the world who remain untouched by the industry. Their images remain the old stereotypes, reinforced, perhaps, by the many
unscrupulous, anti-mining NGOs that are funded by local landowners or other industries that have their own desires to exploit people, often for salaries lower than those that mining will pay.

Our image problems make it too easy for NGOs that would rail against us. They are also, of course, affecting our ability to attract the skills required for the industry’s ongoing work.

One of the answers surely must be to make use of the mass media. But how do we do that? Success stories like building new schools or hospitals do not usually make the pages of the daily papers or get air time on TV. By contrast protests against mines in, for example, Latin America does get coverage. NGOs exploit this tactic, often with little or no real interest in the local people, but successfully and widely. High unemployment and low wages in much of Latin America (that mine developments can help alleviate) offer NGOs a cheap source of protestors, which they exploit to the full.

But when indigenous groups get together to support mining projects, NGOs get upset, and extend their bullying (which they are so good at) to the media. Just last year, IM published on its website details sent by such a group that supported a particular mine’s development because of the jobs and other economic benefits it would bring to the area. A Canadian anti-mining NGO could not of course see fit for both sides to have their say and threatened us with legal action. Since we do not have the time or financial resources to fight such actions we had to remove the promining arguments from our website.

In another example, and another industry news medium, an NGO deliberately pressurised an inexperienced, junior member of an editorial staff, when the editor was away, to get a biased story published. It was, fortunately, quickly rectified.

Big machines do get television media interested. Currently in the UK there is a series running called Ice Road Truckers that charts two months in the lives of six men who haul vital supplies over ice roads running north of Yellowknife in Canada to the Ekati, Diavik and Snap Lake diamond mines. This surely is a good way to get mainstream exposure. We can get viewer attention with footage of some of the industry’s great engineering feats or technical advances – such as the fleet of automated trucks at Finsch diamond mine (IM, January 2008) – and use such platforms to get other messages across, like this is a vital industry that offers very interesting jobs in very interesting places.

Indeed, those great and deep South African gold mines, threatened by Escom’s power problems could have made an excellent documentary. Just think what shutting down ventilation and pumping for a prolonged period could do to mines at depths from 2 to 4 km. Most people don’t even know their gold ring may have come from that depth!

We need to make better use of mainstream media. Let us hear your ideas.

John Chadwick is the editor and publisher of International Mining Magazine. In their March 2008 issue John wrote about media manipulation and the mining idustry. For more information on International Mining visit www.im-magazine.com or you contact John at john@im-mining.com.

I have noted a few articles over the last several months concerning mines around the world that have discovered (stumbled across is more like it) something so obvious that it took us to the new millennium to discover it: the innate care of women make them the perfect candidates to operate your fleet of CAT 997’s. See for yourself what others have been saying:

And you can’t help but appreciate the competitive spirit they bring to the job…

In reviewing the NIOSH website (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) I ran accross this interesting summary of study NIOSH performed a few years back.

One study by the former U.S. Bureau of Mines (now NIOSH) found that equipment was involved, to some degree, in one-half of the underground mine accidents analyzed. (1) Equipment was considered a primary causal factor in almost 11% of the cases and a secondary causal factor in another 10% of the cases. Equipment was implicated for:

The equipment involved ran the gamut of underground mining machinery: roof bolters, continuous miners, belt conveyors, scoops, shuttle cars, locomotives, and utility vehicles. Significantly, the people involved in the study believed that in 38% of the cases modification of the equipment would reduce the probability or severity of the accident or injury.

The U.S. Bureau of Mines also looked at studies on how engineers really design. (2) These studies showed that engineers almost immediately start to design equipment with little consideration about how the equipment is to be used by the operator, the sequence of use, or which functions are most important or most frequently used. The engineers relied overwhelmingly on designs used before, which prevented them from using novel designs. Furthermore, there was reluctance to modify their initial designs, except in minor respects, even when new information was made available to them. For example, halfway through one design process, plans were changed so that rather than four people to operate a console, there would be only two. Nevertheless, the engineers made only miner changes to the placement of displays and controls, with no important revision to the design.

One overall conclusion of the studies was that no matter how much expertise the engineers had or the type of design problem being considered, the typical engineer does not consider human factors when designing. This failure occurs because all too often engineers do not recognize that the system consists of human beings, machines, and the environment that must work together to achieve a goal that could not be accomplished by these components independently.

There are human capabilities and limitations that must be addressed when designing equipment. For instance, when dealing with operator visibility, the designer must consider the illumination required to do the job, adaptation to changes in illumination levels, color detection, field of vision, visual acuity and detection of movement. For hearing, being able to tell what direction the sound is coming from and to distinguish between the tone and intensity of sounds is important. Other factors that must be considered when designing equipment are memory, decision-making, focusing attention, reaction time, movement time, movement accuracy, anthropometrics, range of movement, strength, and endurance.

References
Sanders, M. S., and B. E. Shaw. Research To Determine the Contribution of System Factors in the Occurrence of Underground Injury Accidents (contract J0348042, Essex Corp.). USBM OFR 26-89, 1988, 165 pp.; NTIS 89-219638/AS.

Sanders, M. S., and J. M. Peay. Human Factors in Mining. USBM IC 9182, 1988, 153 pp.

Without prejudice do you know the real operating cost of your tyres and related issues? Many companies record tyre history and track the historical cost. However this does not reflect the actual costs to your company. I will use an example; (Haul Trucks Only)

1. A company has 34 Haul Trucks with 6 tyres each truck = 204 wheels & tyres.
2. Average cost per tyre of 9500.00 USD per tyre (2700R49)
3. Average working life of 8500 Hours
4. 204 tyres x 9500.00 USD = 1,938,000.00 USD
5. 204 tyres x 8500 hours worked = 1,734,000.00 hours worked
6. 1,938,000.00 USD = 1.11 USD cost per hour / per tyre
1, 734,000.00 hours worked

The above calculation is based on ideal target conditions.

It is common opinion that up to 40% of tyres being operated in mine sites are at least 10% under inflated due to improper maintenance. The air inside a tyre is the single most important component to a haul truck, without air your truck would be sitting on its wheels unable to move. The air is also the single most important component to a tyre; the air pressure gives a tyre its shape & allows a tyre to roll. Should your tyre be under inflated the shape will change affecting its ability to roll. A 10% decrease in air pressure (under inflation) will result in up to a 16% reduction in tread life.

1. 204 x 40% = 81.6 under inflated tyres
2. 8500 hours x 16% reduction in life = 7140 hours
3. 7140 hours x 81.6 under inflated tyres = 5,82,624 hours
4. 204 – 81.6 under inflated tyres = 122.4 target tyres
5. 122.4 x 8500 = 1,0,40400 target hours
6. 1,0,40400 target hours + 5,82,624 under inflated hours = 1,623,024 hours worked
7. 1,938,000.00 USD cost = 1.19 USD cost per hour
1,623,024 hours worked

From the above equation we can calculate the cost to your company of under inflated tyres at;

1,734,000 potential hours x .09 c increase in cost per hour = 1, 56,060.00 LOSS in under inflated tyres.

To make matters worse, hour meters are not a true reflection on the amount of work applied to the tyre. As in all load & carry situations a Haul Truck will spend a considerable amount of time stationary whilst being loaded, waiting to be loaded & unloading. Because of this modern trends are to base our calculations on kilometers traveled as this gives a true reflection of the amount of work applied to a tyre.

Should one apply these figures to the equation, the sum is very different indeed.

This is only one of a string of factors that relate to the ability of a mine site to reduce tyre operational costs. As we add more Haul Trucks, Loaders, & Service Vehicles to the equation, also premature failures due to operating issues we will begin to reflect the true cost rather than simply tracking a tyre to give a historical cost.

As a continuation of our “Enemies of a Tyre” series I would like to continue by discussing the effects of heat on an OTR tyre.

During normal operation tyres will generate heat. This is caused by the continual flexing of the tyre as it rotates. The more the tyre flexes the more heat it will generate. The more the tyre is forced outside its designed shape greater the fatigue is applied to the casing.

The factors directly contributing to the amount of heat generated through tyre flex are:

• Load
• Speed
• Distance
• Inflation Pressure
• Tyre Construction
• Rubber Compound
• Ambient Temperature

The hotter a tyre runs the less efficient it becomes and the more susceptible it is to damage. When a tyre runs hot:

• The wear rate increases
• It is less resistant to cutting
• It increases the rate of casing fatigue
• It increases the chance of heat separation
• It increases the chance of cut separation
• It increases the chance of tyre burst
• The greater rate of repair failure

Haul road and pit design can affect the load on a tire

• Load transfer from cornering and road profiles make the tire work harder.
• Distances covered and average speed is determined by mine planning of waste and ore storage area locations.
• Haul ramp profiles and corner super elevation all contribute to load transfer

Heat Generation

Flex is the generator of heat in tires and the other contributing factors affecting the rate of heat generation in the construction of a tire are:

Tire construction

– The crossing of the casing cords in bias ply tires work against each other creating more heat compared to a radial configuration.

Rubber Compound

– Various rubber compounds used in tires have differing heat resistant qualities.

Casing Mass

– The larger the rubber mass the less able the heat can dissipate from the rubber. Areas effecting this would be TRA code and tread pattern.

REMEMBER

– The amount of work or flex or heat generated in a tyre will increase the risk of damage to a tyre. Heat damage is not necessarily instantaneous. Tyres suffering heat damage previously may appear to fail for no apparent reason later in their life.

Comments or Questions?

The United Arab Emirates has a highly industrialized economy that makes the country one of the most developed in the world, based on various socioeconomic indicators such as GDP per capita, energy consumption per capita, and the HDI. At $168 billion in 2006, the GDP of the UAE ranks second in the Gulf states (after Saudi Arabia), third in the Middle East—North Africa (MENA) region (after Saudi Arabia and Iran), and 38th in the world (ahead of Malaysia). 

There are various deviating estimates regarding the actual growth rate of the nation’s GDP, however all available statistics indicate that the UAE currently has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. According to a recent report by the Ministry of Finance and Industry, nominal GDP rose by 35 per cent in 2006 to $175 billion, compared with $130 billion in 2005. 

Although the United Arab Emirates is becoming less dependent on natural resources as a source of revenue, petroleum and natural gas exports still play an important role in the economy, especially in Abu Dhabi. A massive construction boom, an expanding manufacturing base, and a thriving services sector are helping the UAE diversify its economy. Nationwide, there are currently $350 billion worth of active construction projects.

The government’s decision to diversify from a trade-based but oil-reliant economy to one that is service- and tourism-oriented has made real estate more valuable, resulting in the property boom from 2004–2006. Construction on a large scale has turned Dubai into one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Many areas of Dubai are dominated by the large number of construction cranes. Construction in Dubai and the UAE in general is a much faster process than in any Western country. 

One of the main reasons for the boom in construction in Dubai is its drive to diversify the economy. The Dubai government does not want to depend on its oil reserves which are largely believed to become exhausted by 2010 and, as such, has diversified its economy to attract revenues in the form of expanding commercial and corporate activity. Tourism is also being promoted at a staggering rate with the construction of Dubailand and other projects that include the making of mammoth shopping malls, theme parks, resorts, stadiums and various other tourist attractions. The property boom is largely driven by megaprojects — these are just some of many projects planned for Dubai:

• Off-shore:
  • Palm Islands
  • The World
• Inland:
  • Dubai Marina
  • The Burj Dubai Complex
  • Dubai Waterfront
  • Business Bay
  • Dubailand
  • Jumeirah Village

Another reason for the construction boom is the recent reversal of a law in 2002 that allows non-nationals of the UAE to own property (not land) in Dubai (albeit freehold and 99 year leases are actually sold to people with ownership still remaining with private companies). In Dubai, demand is currently outstripping supply by a significant margin and is showing no signs of slowing in the near future.

The shortage of off-the-road tires has mining operators finally listening to Keith Rowell. For more than 20 years, Rowell has traveled to mines and quarries surveying their operations and recommending changes to improve the efficiency of their tires — one of which has always been nitrogen inflation. Rowell, corporate accounts technical support manager for Bridgestone Firestone of North America, admits that in the days when off-the-road tires were abundant, not all mining and aggregate operations welcomed his suggestions with open ears.

Times have changed

When the cost of materials began to rise, mines in China, Russia, India and the United States began reopening. In fact, coal, copper and gold mines that had once shut down, restarted operations to take advantage of the profitable market. “As more and more mines started opening up, they wanted more equipment and more tires, and we were not prepared for it. The tire industry was just not prepared,” Rowell says.

Today, it’s not unusual to see mines with equipment out of commission and sitting on blocks awaiting replacement tires. This isn’t a sight that is expected to go away anytime soon. Several tire manufacturers like Bridgestone Firestone have invested millions of dollars to grow their off-the-road tire production facilities, but those payoffs likely won’t be seen until at least 2007, Rowell says. The reason for the time delay is because tire companies must first build new manufacturing equipment before increasing capacity.

In the meantime, Rowell can only continue to preach the same best practices that he did prior to the tire shortage. “Especially now, with the shortage of tires, end-users are trying to find any way they can to make their tires last longer,” he says.

Advocating nitrogen inflation

One of those best practices Rowell strongly recommends is replacing ambient air with nitrogen to inflate tires. It’s a practice he says several off-highway equipment manufactures also advise in their operating manuals.

Rowell discovered the advantages of nitrogen 20 years ago while working with motor sports. While mining equipment doesn’t rev up to the speeds of racecars, Rowell says the benefits of nitrogen can greatly increase the efficiency and life of off-the-road tires. Because nitrogen is a cooler gas with a much higher combustion temperature than ambient air, it helps tires stay at a constant inflation pressure, thus decreasing the likelihood of tire fires and flats while improving tire performance. Nitrogen also doesn’t contain the moisture found in ambient air, which means the inert gas is less likely to rust or age the wheel and rim components.

“It’s a bigger molecule than oxygen so you lose less inflation pressure due to natural processes through the sidewalls,” he says. “Inflation pressure is the life of a tire. Without it, a tire is dead.”

In the past, nitrogen was costly to obtain because it had to be purchased in liquid form and by the bottle. Not only did transporting the liquid nitrogen-filled bottles pose safety hazards, but mining operators also had to contend with having a limited supply at one time.

Safer option

Now, with the introduction of nitrogen systems, Rowell says mining operators have a less costly and much safer option. The Ingersoll-Rand Nitrogen Tire Inflation System supplies an unlimited amount of nitrogen by utilizing a semi-permeable membrane to separate the gas from the air around us. Rowell says he learned of the Ingersoll-Rand Nitrogen Tire Inflation System through Halltech Environmental Inc., which has married its inflation system with Ingersoll-Rand’s nitrogen generator. Because the Ingersoll-Rand system is a stand-alone generator that creates nitrogen onsite, it can be mounted to field service trucks for greater accessibility. If properly maintained, the system can last well beyond 20 years.

As part of Rowell’s best-practice recommendations, he is building awareness about the nitrogen tire inflation system, especially among mining operators. Today, a majority of hard rock mines (gold, copper, coal, etc.) inflate equipment tires with nitrogen, whereas, just two decades ago, that percentage was zero. But aggregate quarries are lagging. Of the almost 2,400 rock quarries in the United States, Rowell says he doesn’t know of any that inflate equipment tires with nitrogen.

Closing the gap

The disparity between hard rock mines and aggregate quarries stems from how equipment tires are serviced. Typically, hard rock mines have dedicated tire service equipment and personnel onsite. In contrast, the majority of aggregate quarries rely upon tire dealers to provide tire service, and many of those dealers don’t offer nitrogen. “A lot of rock quarries don’t even have air compressors where they can check the air pressure or inflate tires onsite,” Rowell says.

To increase the number of aggregate quarries adopting nitrogen inflation, Rowell says both aggregate operators and tire dealers must be educated that a tool like a nitrogen tire inflation system is a win-win for both parties. For example, savvy tire dealers could charge aggregate quarries wanting nitrogen inflation an extra fee in order to recoup the upfront cost of purchasing the system. This, at least, would allow aggregate quarries access to nitrogen through tire dealers.

But first, aggregate operators must be convinced that inflating their equipment tires with nitrogen is worth the extra cost, so they’ll then demand it. Even though the long-term benefits greatly outweigh the fractional cost of the nitrogen tire inflation system, Rowell says many aggregate operators decline the service as a way to meet their bottom lines.

“Typically, quarry managers only look at upfront costs,” he says. “They only think about what they have in the budget today, and they worry about what could happen in the future, later.”

But for many aggregate operators, the tire shortage has brought their future into the present. No longer when they get a flat, will a replacement tire be quickly on its way. Instead, they’re having to think ahead and find ways to conserve the tires they have.

“The future of nitrogen is growing,” Rowell says. “And hopefully, in the years to come, more and more aggregate operators will ask for nitrogen.”

By Troy Simpson: Article originally appeared in

Pit and Quarry Magazine

, Dec 1, 2005

Agora Tire Inc. and the OTR Tire Report welcome Ashok Gupta as one of our latest blogging columnists. From the growing and bustling Emirate of Dubai, Mr. Gupta is sure to bring us a fresh perspective on issues facing the earthmover tire industry as it relates to the construction, mining and equipment industries and the global economy.

Welcome aboard!

As the declining U.S. dollar and the credit crisis have served to cool the USA economy, foreign investment has remained strong and developing countries continue to expand at break-neck speed. As Monty Guild, of Guild Investment Management, Inc. writes “The credit crisis of 2007 has only amplified the attraction of…investments (into China and India).” Those of us working in the OTR TIRE business have seen the direct correlation of the boom times in China (and India coming fast behind) and the obstreperous tire imbalance that evades even the best OTR TIRE forecaster’s understanding. And still, though amorphous it may be, one of the best indicators of the earthmover tire shortage’s future state is the growth of China and India.

Mr. Guild just having returned from China writes (Oct. 7, 2007):

I just returned from a trip to China and Hong Kong. My first impression of Los Angeles International airport and the drive from LAX to our offices Monday afternoon was one of amazement at how much more elegant, clean and orderly the airports and auto routes of Shanghai and Hong Kong are compared to those in Los Angeles. It seems if one was to compare just these few things, the U.S. would look like the third world country and China, the first.

The trip was fairly grueling, filled with meetings with companies, analysts and economists, late planes and a lot of information crammed into about 10 days…but it is a joy to experience the world as seen through others eyes and to see how they think and react to issues that we may recognize and react to in a much different manner. In short, it was educational and in our opinion, learning is one of life’s great joys.

Main take away points:

1. China and Hong Kong continue their economic boom, and the stock market boom there will probably continue for some time into the future. This does not mean that there will not be major declines. These declines have recently been short (often only a few weeks) and volatile. These are volatile markets, but if one buys the dips, there will be substantial rewards over the long term, in our opinion. China is currently experiencing a stock market boom and a residential real estate boom. The cause of these is the cash being built up in the banking system as a result of the fast GDP growth rate.

2. The economic growth rate in China will likely fall from about 11.5% currently to 10 to 10.5% in the next year. That is still exceptionally fast economic growth by any measure. GDP growth of 10% can probably be correlated with corporate profit growth in excess of 20% for the average company. This implies that many individuals’ wealth will be growing at a rate well in excess of 10% per annum.

Not unreasonably, these individuals will desire to maintain and grow their assets at a rate at least equal to (and hopefully in excess of) the inflation rate. As you know inflation is a growing problem in China and bank deposits in China currently pay less than 5% interest. Last month, inflation was in excess of 6%.

3. In our opinion, much like the U.S. investors in the 70’s, Chinese investors will use residential real estate, precious metals and stocks to stay in front of the inflation-led decrease in buying power of their assets.

Recently, the government has instituted new measures to discourage speculation on residential real estate. Now investors must make a down payment in excess of 50% to buy a second home. Additionally, interest rates are higher on second homes than on other real estate transactions. As money exits the residential real estate market it flows into Chinese equities.

4. China is not growing mostly due to exports. Of the current 11.5% growth rate, 9% is from domestic growth and 2.5% is from export growth. Thus, domestic demand is growing much faster than export demand. This is a positive for the valuation of stocks in China.

We have noticed over the years that countries where the growth is from domestic demand are accorded a higher valuation than markets where most of the growth is from exports. The argument is that growth in domestic demand is generally more repeatable than growth in exports. With exports, many external forces like price cutting, inventory cycles and competition impact growth and are out of the control of exporters.

5. Another positive is that even if the U.S. and possibly Europe fall into recession, China and India may slow their torrid growth rates but they will continue to enjoy very rapid growth. We believe that it is eminently reasonable to believe that this rapid growth will attract money from other markets seeking higher returns.

6. China exports more to non-Japan Asia, Japan and Europe than it exports to North America. North America is the fourth biggest export region for China, although some of the exports to other parts of the world may be further processed and re-exported to the developed North America. This does not impact total exports much.

IN MANY CASES, THE SAME STOCKS TRADE IN HONG KONG AT SUBSTANTIAL DISCOUNTS TO WHERE THEY TRADE IN CHINA

1. Many mainland China investors are shifting assets to Hong Kong. This trend is just beginning and will continue for many years. It is taking place in the form of large institutional investors now, and eventually retail investors will be able to diversify their stock market assets outside of China.

2. China has not been caught up in the credit crisis which plagued the developed world in 2007. For example, insurance companies in China are not allowed to loan on real estate at all. Thus, their holdings of bad mortgage derivative paper are very small. The perceived lesser risk of a financial accident is attracting investors to India and China.

3. The China sovereign wealth fund of $200 billion has started to invest globally. It will be called China Investment Corporation Ltd. We expect that fund to skyrocket in size over the next decade and we expect the fund to invest broadly in companies on a global basis. Initially, the focus will be on Hong Kong and Asian markets. In our opinion, this is a positive for world stock markets.

THE CREDIT CRISIS……A BOON FOR DEVELOPING MARKETS……ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH FAST GROWTH

Money is leaving developed markets in search for growth that will be uninterrupted by an economic collapse and or the meltdown of derivatives. Obviously, those countries with a balance of payments surplus and strong economic growth will be the destination for a lot more global capital in coming years.

OUR THEMES OF CHINA, INDIA, SINGAPORE, GOLD, NON U.S. CURRENCIES, ENERGY AND BASE METALS HAVE ONCE AGAIN WORKED OUT WELL

It is simple economic and political analysis, observation and persistence. The credit crisis of 2007 has only amplified the attraction of these investments. Our themes remain the same.

Thanks for listening.

OTR TIRE / OTR TYRE / EARTHMOVER TIRE / EARTHMOVER TYRE / MINING TIRE / MINING TYRE / GIANT TIRE / GIANT TYRE /

Inflating earthmover tyres with nitrogen is not a new concept but with the continuing tire shortage many mines are looking for creative ways to get more life out of their tyres and run them more safely. With that in mind I ran accross this brief article on the use of nitrogen in earthmover tyres

Construction Equipment Resource Center - 2004

“Pressure loss is one of the biggest problems with tire maintenance because even when there are no leaks, oxygen molecules can sneak out between the rubber molecules of the tires.

Nitrogen (N2) molecules are fatter than oxygen molecules, so they can’t get through the rubber. Nitrogen-filled tires, therefore, maintain pressure more reliably and are less prone to damage caused by under-inflation. Several companies make nitrogen-fill compressors for use in the shop or on maintenance vehicles, or you can buy nitrogen in a cylinder.

Michelin recommends nitrogen inflation in applications where checking tire pressure is difficult or likely to be overlooked. Because nitrogen is inert, Michelin also recommends it where there is increased risk of fire or explosion, in hot environments, and in areas where there is a risk of electrical discharge.” 2004

Furthermore, consider this statement by Harold J Herzlich in a Tire Business article dated October 24, 2005: “Nitrogen’s slower permeability characteristics coupled with its bone-dry nature may partially ameliorate some field abuse conditions, including long term inflation maintenance neglect, improper repairs and certain types of tire pressure monitor malfunctions. Even though high purity nitrogen is no guarantee of performance and will not undo the many forms of damage or abuse that can lead to tire failure, it offers a low cost, risk free and positive service opportunity that has finally become commercially and technically practical”.

With over 50 years of experience in the tire industry I think Mr. Herzlich’s words may deserve some consideration. What do you say?

Those in the OTR tire or mining industry should all now be aware of the ongoing tire shortage.

Over the past 18 months I have been travelling the globe in an effort to source tires and provide solutions to mining companies. As these shortages have been upon us since late 2003 – early 2004 I find it very ironic that now, late 2007 that many mining companies are still ignoring the issue and running tires to destruction. Surely to retread these giants would be a better option?

On another note, many companies do not seem to manage tires well enough to use the full tread of their tires. I have seen companies scrap tire piles with up to 80 percent of the tires showing as premature failures due to poor tire management. Why does this continue to happen?

Just think of how many thousands of tires worldwide put back into the system by way of retreading or better management, how this would impact the shortage?

Many of you will answer these questions with the word economics. My reply would be how this can be as most tires related issues will have a direct affect to the operational efficiency of the mine and also the maintenance schedule of the machinery.
It is not my intention to be controversial, having been involved in the industry now for 25 years I have a real passion toward the OTR tire industry and these are some questions that have remained unanswered in my mind for a number of years.

Come on please can someone put my mind at rest.

Agora Tire, Inc. recently announced the addition to their website (Spot Market) of the first ever spot market price index for OTR tires. Taking a cue from other industries such as metals and plastic resin that have made commodity pricing available in order to establish a benchmark for fair pricing; Agora Tire has taken on the responsibility of providing this information to the OTR industry. Says Brad Harris, President of Agora Tire, “We simply felt compelled to provide this knowledge to the end-users in the industry in the midst of all the chaos in the market.”

Assembly of the pricing chart on the Agora website requires daily input from scores of vendors, manufacturers and other suppliers buying and selling OTR tires in the spot market. Dedicated Agora staff input the data and a custom database compiles and sorts the data. Reports are run that show the average monthly pricing by size and tire type. Says Harris, “To our knowledge, this is the only OTR tire price index that is available to the public, and it’s no secret that it was sorely needed.” What Harris refers to is the shortage of OTR tires over recent years and the subsequent escalation of pricing, sometimes up to four times what would have been previously paid for the same tire. “We’re committed to continuing to help end-users by providing this tool for a more stable business environment.”

In fact, Agora is willing to go a step beyond providing the general pricing index. Harris says, “We also have the capability of doing more detailed analysis upon request. For instance, if an end-user is preparing to negotiate a sale and needs a pricing index for a specific type of tire that isn’t listed on our website, we can help them out.”

While the Agora Tire price index is a welcome reference tool, Harris cautions OTR tire suppliers and end-users not to use the index as the sole means for determining selling prices. The index is a useful guide, but it can’t capture buying or selling practices and nuances that are unique to a given business and/or relationship. Says Harris, “It’s not that we lack confidence in the accuracy of our numbers. There are multiple dynamics that could contribute to a higher or lower actual sales price. The real purpose of this index is to provide a tool for benchmarking historical pricing and predicting future trends which will enable anyone engaged in purchasing or selling OTR tires to make better informed decisions. Supplier and end-user negotiations will still dictate final purchase agreements between a given supplier and end-user.”

Agora Tire Inc. is a trusted business partner and supplier of choice to many of the world’s leading companies in the mining, exploration, construction and earth moving industries. Customers look to Agora for the most hard-to-find OTR tires and rely on
them to deliver results. Utilizing a worldwide network of suppliers and manufacturers, Agora is a reliable, solutions-oriented resource for any OTR tire need.

For more information on the Agora Tire OTR Spot Market Price Index, visit www.agoratire.com or contact Brad Harris, President of Agora Tire, Inc.