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Tyre Protection Chains for Lithium Mine

Posted 22/03/2026
Tyre Protection Chains,

RUD FELS Titan X23 tyre protection chains outperformed a competitor in a real-world trial at Mt Marion, delivering 40% longer service life (+1,592 hours) under harsh lithium mining conditions. The result was more predictable wear, reduced downtime, and lower cost per operating hour.

The Background

Mt Marion located 40kms southwest of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia contains the world’s second biggest high-grade lithium concentrate (spodumene) reserves. It is a challenging site with highly abrasive, hard-rock conditions, which is why tyre protection is critical to extend tyre life, reduce downtime and ensure consistent machine performance.

To evaluate performance under real operating conditions, a comparative trial was conducted on the front axle of a large loader CAT 992 (WL2240), assessing the durability and wear characteristics of RUD FELS Titan X23 chains against an equivalent competitor product.

The Challenge

Lithium mining environments such as Mt Marion present extreme wear conditions due to high silica content and sharp, abrasive rock. These factors accelerate chain wear, increase maintenance intervals and drive up cost per hour if products do not perform consistently.

The key challenge was to identify a tyre protection chain solution that could:

  • Deliver a longer service life under identical operating conditions
  • Maintain a stable and predictable wear pattern
  • Reduce maintenance frequency and associated downtime
  • Lower the overall cost per operating hour

We required a direct comparison to determine which product could provide the best lifecycle value in this demanding terrain.

The Solution

RUD conducted a side-by-side performance evaluation using two chain sets installed sequentially on the same machine under similar site conditions.

Parameters RUD Fels Titan X23 Competitor X23
Fitment Date
Machine Hours
04/04/2024
12,307 Hours
15/05/2025
17,852 Hours
Removal Date
Machine Hours
05/12/2024
17,852 Hours
17/02/2026
21,805 Hours
Service Life Achieved 5,545 Hours 3,953 Hours
End Of Life Wear ~95% ~95%
Wear Profile Stable and predictable throughout the lifecycle  Accelerated and less predictable

The Result

Total life advantage: +1,592 hours
Service life improvement: +40%
Operational impact: Reduced downtime, fewer change-outs and improved planning reliability

Pictures from top to bottom:
1. RUD Tyre Protection Chains installed April 2024
2. RUD Tyre Protection Chains wear Dec 2024
3. Competitor Tyre Protection Chains installed May 2025
4. Competitor Tyre Protection Chain wear Feb 2026

What the customer says

"The RUD solution demonstrated not only a longer operating life but also a more consistent wear curve, enabling better maintenance forecasting and reduced operational disruption".

Article copyright to RUD. This information is accurate at the time of publication and RUD Australia takes no responsibility for any errors, inadvertent or otherwise. Some pictures are for illustration only. For more details on how RUD can help with your tyre protection, please call us on 07 3809 1300 or fill out an enquiry form here.

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