WhyAfrica feeling like pocket-sized humans

WhyAfrica feeling like pocket-sized humans

Have you ever had that sinking feeling of being nothing more than a pocket-sized human.

By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions

One often feels like that when visiting mega open pit mines and sitting in their gargantuan equipment.

Here we are at Barrick’s Lumwana mine checking out their brand-new ultra class Rigid Dump Truck (RDTs).

Largest working vehicles on earth

These haul trucks are among the largest working vehicles on earth, designed to move enormous volumes of rock in a modern open-pit mine.

They can carry roughly 290 to 320 tonnes of ore in a single load.

Think of it this way; that is equivalent to the weight of about 180 family cars.

Riding on monster tyres

Each truck rides on six giant tyres, typically about 3.8 to 4 metres high.

These monster tyres are almost the size of a small bakkie or SUV.

Costing between USD40,000 to USD60,000 (that’s R750,000 to R1.1-million) depending on size and make, a single new tyre can burn a real big hole in your pocket.

Covering your blind spot

The driver sits about 7 metres above the ground. Modern trucks are equipped with 360-degree camera systems, radar proximity sensors, fatigue monitoring, and collision-avoidance technology, helping operators detect smaller vehicles and hazards in what would otherwise be large blind spots.

Advanced safety systems also include automatic fire suppression, reinforced rollover protection structures, and powerful electric braking systems designed for steep haul roads.

These monster machines are mobile industrial platforms engineered to ensure extreme productivity in one of Africa’s largest mining operations.

Visiting Lumwana with WhyAfrica

I visited Lumwana with WhyAfrica on the 2026 WhyAfrica Business Trip to Zambia.

The trip was organised and operated by WhyAfrica sister company tour operator Endorphin Expeditions who, together with WhyAfrica’s amazing partners and sponsors made it all possible.

Thank you BBF Safety Group, NSDV Law, SRK Consulting, ATA International Holdings, Geotheta, Peqon, Menar, Kal Tire, Rham Equipment ProjectLink

WhyAfrica feeling like pocket-sized humans