Alaskan Mines Feeling Pinch of OTR Tyre Shortage

(Akron/Tire Review) According to a recent article in The Anchorage Daily News, the worldwide shortage of OTR tyres is forcing Alaskan mining operations to look for new ways to extend tyre life.

The Alaskan newspaper reported that “vendors” are saying the situation is so bad that an international black market is emerging, new trucks and earthmovers are being sold without tyres, buyers are paying new-tyre prices for retreads and some companies are buying used equipment just for the tyres.

Brian Hewitt, manager of Tire Distribution Systems Inc. in Fairbanks, Alaska, was one of the vendors quoted. Hewitt told the paper that tyres are going missing from shipments and that people are paying inflated prices for the tyres.

The newspaper also reported that Fort Knox, Alaska’s largest gold mine, is placing chains around the OTR tyres on front-end loaders in an effort to protect the tyres from rough surfaces and therefore prolong wear. Fort Knox’s operations manager told the newspaper the mine will aggressively focus on extending the life of every tyre until the situation improves.

Additionally, the Usibelli coal mine in Healy, Alaska, is conducting more frequent air-pressure checks and tire rotations, and its road maintenance programmes are becoming more aggressive.