First Cat Next Gen 6040 Exceeding Expectations

Earlier this week we showcased some smaller Caterpillar equipment at Desford in the UK, but today we are going back “Down Under” for something much bigger!

Glencore Australia’s McArthur River Mine lies about 970 kilometres south-east of Darwin and 60 kilometres south-west of Borroloola in the Northern Territories. This massive operation is a remote fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) mining location that ranks among the world’s largest deposits of zinc, lead, and silver.

The mine has taken delivery of the World’s first Next Generation Cat 6040 mining excavator to be commissioned as part of a collaboration by Australian Cat dealers Hastings Deering, with MRM and Cat Mining.

The 400-tonne machine specified in backhoe configuration is said to have delivered elite level productivity from day one, whilst also maintaining outstanding uptime levels.

In the promotional video below, we see a number game changing features including, the new Next-Gen cab, which is spacious and comfortable, in addition to offering a stunning 40% increase in the field of view for improved visibility.

There is also an operator assist system which is designed to reduce operator fatigue during long working shifts, whilst optimised hydraulics slash fuel consumption and reduce excess heat build-up.