Sweden-based mine equipment provider Sandvik has introduced the seven-tonne Toro LH307 loader, which it says offers improved productivity and capacity for underground miners. 

The company said the Toro LH307 features many design updates and new options for both hardware and software. It can carry more than the previous Sandvik LH307, which had a capacity of six tonnes.

The vehicle also has an integrated weighing system (IWS) and traction control, which measures the payload when lifting the boom and the number of buckets lifted during a shift; the traction control system reduces wheel slippage, which extends tire lifetime cuts rubber waste, Sandvik claimed.

Additionally, Sandvik said specific attention had been paid to "digitalisation readiness," and the loader includes an updated control system and a seven-inch colour display. It is designed for use with Sandvik's AutoMine advanced mining automation system, which the company said provides "increased safety, productivity and reduced cost."

Operators can integrate the loader into AutoMine by ordering an optional onboard package for the new loader for immediate autonomous use or selecting the automation readiness option, allowing easy retrofitting of AutoMine later in the loader's lifetime.

Sandvik OptiMine, another option, delivers descriptive and predictive insights to improve operations and data analytics.

The loader is powered by two 160 kW engine alternatives from Volvo Penta. The standard engine is an eight-litre Stage III A, which can operate on diesel fuels with up to 3,000 sulphur content.

The engine also has an optional passive diesel particulate filter exhaust reduction system designed to cut emissions and fossil fuel consumption.

Earlier in February 2022, Sandvik unveiled a prototype of the Sandvik TH665B, the world's largest capacity battery-electric truck for underground miners.