Boosting Mining Productivity with the Right Road Geometry

Running a mine isn’t just about digging and hauling material. At the Wawohine Mine in Amonggedo District, Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi, haul road design plays a key role in meeting production targets. With a goal of 18,200 tons per month, actual production in October and November 2020 only reached 15,498 tons and 16,902 tons. So, what’s the issue?

The Haul Road Challenge

The 6 km haul road connecting the mining area to the stockpile has several sections that don’t meet proper geometric standards. Some roads are only 7 meters wide, even though a Hino FM 260 JD dump truck ideally needs 8.8 meters. When two trucks meet, one has to stop, which stretches the cycle time to 53.67 minutes—slowing everything down.

 
Gambar 2. Standar Jalan Angkut pada Jalan Lurus

 
Gambar 3. Standar jalan angkut pada tikungan ke kanan.

 
Gambar 4. Standar lebar jalan angkut pada tikungan ke kiri

Fixing the Road, Boosting Productivity

Studies show that straight roads should be at least 8.8 meters wide, and curves need up to 15 meters of width. The maximum recommended gradient is 11.7%, and the ideal curve radius is 18.5 meters. Simulations suggest that these adjustments could cut travel time by up to 15 seconds at each bottleneck. With these road improvements, productivity could jump to 22,885 tons per month—exceeding the company’s target.

 
Gambar 5. Grafik Kemiringan Jalan (Grade).

Equipment Efficiency Matters Too

Beyond road design, the efficiency of excavators and dump trucks is also a factor. Right now, their "match factor" is 0.6, meaning excavators often sit idle waiting for trucks to return. Optimizing equipment use, along with road upgrades, could significantly improve overall productivity.

 
Gambar 6. Grafik Produktivitas Alat Mekanis

 
Gambar 7. Grafik Target dan Capaian Produksi.

Upgrading the haul road at Wawohine Mine to meet recommended standards is a smart move—not just for hitting production targets but also for improving safety and efficiency on-site.

Source: Salu, S. P., Syafar, M., & Rustan, F. R. (2024). Evaluation of haul road geometry from the mining front to the stockpile in achieving production targets at PT. ST Nickel Resources, Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province. Stabilita: Jurnal Ilmiah Teknik Sipil, 12(2). https://ojs.uho.ac.id/index.php/stabilita_jtusho

Hello, APT Friends! 👋👷‍♀️👷‍♂️

Have you ever imagined that one of the key factors for efficient mining operations is having the right road geometry?

One of the mines that has drawn attention is the Wawohine Mine in Konawe, Southeast Sulawesi. This mine features dynamic road geometry, which directly impacts its productivity.

So, what challenges does it face, and what are the solutions? Find out the answers in this post! 
#MiningProductivity #MiningInnovation #RoadGeometry #MiningServices #ConstructionServices"