Resource World Magazine

MININGWORLD Trimac Transportation serving a variety of mining needs by Ellsworth Dickson The trucking industry is an integral part of the mining sector. Not only do tractor-trailers deliver petroleum products to mining operations, they are used to carry coal, ferrous granules, ingots, mineral concentrates, ore, salt, sand, flyash, lime cement, gypsum as well as huge pieces of machinery. Over the past 65 years, Trimac has grown to more than 40 branches across Canada and 51 in the United States. The company has 4,406 employees, including contractors, across North America – 2,311 in Canada and 2,095 in the U.S. – and serves most areas of both countries. In an interview, Ryan Collinge, National Account Director, Resource Commodities, at Trimac Transportation Ltd. [TMATSX], discusses his company's trucking applications and challenges. "Trimac is committed to leveraging our relationships with equipment manufacturers and suppliers in order to produce the most value for our customers," said Collinge. "We try to find the most creative, flexible and cost-effective solution for specific mine site services, as there are different needs for different products in different areas," he said. "The goal is to match the hurdles that our customers face with things like commodity price fluctuations, permitting issues, and even the general remote nature of the mining industry." Collinge pointed out that Trimac continues to work with regulatory departments to find permits that allow it to maximize payloads on any given hauling. In many instances, Trimac will customdesign a tractor-trailer to fit a customer's requirements. With Northern Resource Trucking as a partner in Saskatchewan, Trimac has the ability to move giant pieces of mining 54 www.resourceworld.com Trimac utilizes specialized equipment in the field to haul a variety of mining products such as concentrates, ores, and coal. Here, a clam dump b-train unit is seen outside Trimac's Trail, BC branch that will deliver lead and zinc concentrate. Photo courtesy Trimac Transportation Ltd. machinery. In cases where Trimac does not happen to have a suitable tractor-trailer to complete a job, they will broker an agreement through its third party transportation logistics services arm, Bulk Plus Logistics. The company has supplied specifications for trailer units for various mining projects anywhere from the general regulation of about 42 tonnes of product for coal, gypsum, petroleum coke, and copper concentrate all the way up to 100-tonne payloads in the Territory of Nunavut. "There is permitting that allows you to get to any payload within reason," explained Collinge. Sometimes it is necessary to transfer commodities to and from railway trains. "We have a division with Trimac that is dedicated to handling trans-loads and have these kinds of stations across Canada," said Collinge. "For example, at the Thompson Creek Metals' recently-opened Mount Milligan Mine in British Columbia, we handle all their concentrate trucking, bring it down to a rail siding, and transfer it from truck to a warehouse and on to rail." In addition to mineral commodities and machinery, Trimac also hauls a variety of petroleum products and other liquids into and out of mine sites, including shipping out by-products, bringing in fuel, and processing chemicals. Looking to the future of trucking, Collinge said that Trimac is now utilizing natural gas powered tractors and has begun ordering these types of units. Working with Westport Engineering in the US, Trimac is testing natural gas powered vehicles in different climates and mile ranges. "The mining industry has a great interest in being environmentally responsible, so if we can help out in that area, we will," said Collinge. Collinge said that acquiring qualified drivers is a major issue facing the trucking industry. To rise to this challenge, Trimac positions itself on the leading edge of hiring and recruiting drivers by continuing to increase the operating standards in the bulk trucking and mine site services by providing the safest and most professional offerings in the industry. By its very nature, the mining industry is cyclical and its trucking needs can vary. "I think the outlook for the bulk commodity trucking industry is bright," said Collinge. "Obviously, the mineral reserves are not going anywhere, and with the prices of commodities fluctuating, we need to be flexible in the way we approach our business and continue to support our customers at their mine sites where they are trying to keep their costs down," he said. n november 2013

• Cover