Elphinstone: a cornerstone in mining innovation
Built on a passion for mining, and a commitment to deliver value to its customers, it’s no surprise Elphinstone has led the way in machinery innovation for over half a century.
The Elphinstone name is synonymous with the mining industry, designing and manufacturing specialised equipment for both underground and surface operations for over 50 years.
From underground mining support vehicles to off-highway extended-distance haul trucks and mine extraction equipment, the company is also a well-established Caterpillar OEM Solutions customer
With machines operating in over 25 countries across six continents, Elphinstone continues to strengthen its capabilities and expand its presence in multiple heavy-industry sectors.
A passion for mining
It was in 1975, when Dale was modifying Cat surface mining equipment for underground mining applications out of his father’s shed in Burnie, Tasmania, that Dale B Elphinstone Pty Ltd was established.
The sale of the company’s first underground machine, the Elphinstone 79C (a modified Caterpillar 769C), soon followed in 1976 and 1977, respectively, with innovation quickly expanding beyond expectations.
After pioneering a series of underground support vehicles, Elphinstone’s first purpose-built underground dump trucks, the AD13 and AD17, entered the market during the early 1980s.
An economic downturn followed in the mid-1980s, with mining companies deciding to reduce their tunnel size which would require smaller machines with equal capacity.
In 1986 Elphinstone rose to the challenge and in just seven months produced and sold its first fully designed and manufactured load haul dump loader (LHD), the R1500.
The following year, Elphinstone sold its first R1500 overseas to Freeport McMoRan’s Henderson mine in the US.
Dale recalls, “Someone said to me, ‘You realise that your machine price is double your competition’, and I said back to him, ‘I had no idea what the price of our competition was, because we sell the value of our product and what it will do for you’,” he said.
Elphinstone replaced 36 of the competitions’ loaders at Henderson with ten Elphinstone R1500 LHD loaders.
Innovation, growth, philanthropy
New developments followed with the release of the R2800 LHD (1988), the R1700 LHD and AD40 dump truck (1991), and the first R2900 LHD in 1994, delivering more than 200 LHDs globally by the end of that year.
The company’s success drew the attention of Caterpillar, and the two parties established a 50/50 joint venture in 1995, creating the business known as Caterpillar Elphinstone Pty Ltd.
Caterpillar later purchased the remaining 50 per cent of the business replacing the Elphinstone name with the Caterpillar trademark.
After the sale of its underground mining business to Caterpillar, Elphinstone accelerated its philanthropic efforts.
Initiatives included a 50 percent contribution towards the purchase of an MRI scanner, the purchase of a linear accelerator, local university scholarships for aspiring radiographers, and a partnership with the State Government to establish a state-of-the-art, regional cancer treatment facility.
In 2010, Caterpillar advised of its intention to relocate its underground mining manufacturing operations to Rayong, Thailand.
To retain the employment of skilled employees and local supply chain, Elphinstone worked with Caterpillar to “buy back” its brand and in 2016 launched a new range of specialised underground hard rock support vehicles.
A bright future
In his own words, Dale would say “one person doesn’t do very much” and attributes the Group’s 50-year success to its valued team of people.
Since re-entering the market in 2016, Elphinstone has designed and developed more than 20 underground support vehicle configurations which include both centre- and front-mounted three-person cabs hosting several utilities, such as concrete agitators, delivery trucks, scissor lifts, water cannons and tilt trays.
“The company will continue to invest in electrification projects driven by our customer’s applications, requirements and appetite for decarbonisation,” Elphinstone global sales and marketing manager Tim Mitchell told BE Infrastructure.
To this day, the Elphinstone brand is recognised as a pioneer of underground mining heavy vehicle solutions.
Elphinstone and Newmont
Since re-establishing its business in 2016, Elphinstone has developed strong relationships with world-renowned global mining customers.
The valued relationship between Newmont and Elphinstone began overseas in 2018 with the sale of three Elphinstone WR810 Scissor Lifts into Newmont’s Cerro Negro operations in Argentina.
Then in 2019, the same operation purchased a WR810 Fuel & Lube which has just logged over 22,000 hours. Additionally, the site purchased two WR810 6m3 Agitators and UG20K underground grader. In 2023 an order for a second UG20K was received followed by a WR810 Lube truck in 2024.
Meanwhile, Elphinstone’s support vehicle range began to draw interest from Newmont’s Australian operations
In 2019, Newmont’s Cadia operations in South Australia (formerly Newcrest) took delivery of four WR820 10m3 Agitators, and another three in 2024.
In the Northern territory, Newmont Tanami purchased a WR820 10m3 Agitator and E10 Water Cannon which piqued interest in Elphinstone’s range of highly configurable, class-leading E15 support vehicles. In 2024 they purchased an E15 Delivery [Flat Deck] and are soon to receive a new E15 Tilt Tray, and MED360 mine extraction device on-site.
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