Environmental Mining Improvements from Komatsu, GM – and OKO…

We at OKO HQ were very interested to read about the joint initiative from General Motors and Komatsu to develop a hydrogen fuel cell that can power future electric drive versions of Komatsu’s 930E mining truck, the world’s best-selling ‘ultra-class’ haul truck. As it is generally used in single mine locations, the challenges of refuelling are less than with more mobile fleets of vehicles.

This is an important part of both companies’ drive to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 (GM) and 2050 (Komatsu). OKO has achieved carbon negative status (we capture more CO2 than we generate) due to the significant extra life we create for tyres, which are largely un-recycled. Our users gain significantly in terms of their operating cost, efficiency, reduced downtime, and environmental impact reduction.

OKO Mining X-Tra Heavy Duty is our strongest anti-puncture tyre sealant; it instantly seals tread-area punctures of up to 20mm diameter; and it retains air that is usually lost due to the porosity of tyres, thus maintaining correct pressure and lessening heat build-up. The rubber stays more flexible; and the overall result is a life extension of 20% or more. Fuel consumption is also generally improved, by 3% +. The overall payback is immense.

OKO LifeLong is not a sealant: it is designed for the super-sized wheels and tyres of the biggest mining vehicles, where the multiple-ply rubber reduces the incidence of punctures: but external damage to the tyres limits their working life to a few months. Wheel rim corrosion in harsh working conditions is another challenge. LifeLong is free-flowing and it completely coats the inside of the tyres as well as the wheel rims, where it fights corrosion and even reduces existing rust. Its UV component alerts workshops to any sidewall or O-ring leaks. It has an even greater cooling and pressure-maintenance effect than our sealant, adding 30% on average to the life of these mega-expensive tyres.

We therefore urge mining, quarrying and other heavy-duty operators to include our liquid solutions in their overall environmental improvement strategies. We have Distributors in over 100 countries – and growing – so we can supply operators on a worldwide basis.