World’s Top 10 biggest mining dump trucks (update 2023)

By Patrik Eder · August 13, 2020

The biggest rigid dump trucks or haul trucks are off-highway vehicles that are primarily used for the transportation of mined materials and at heavy-duty construction sites, quarries and mines. The dump trucks are constantly being manufactured bigger in size as there is a demand for larger payload capacities. Due to the fact that haul trucks are so large and able to transport a huge amount of material, the customers often prioritise to use only one large dump truck rather than a whole fleet of smaller trucks which is more economical. The largest mining trucks are able to transport hundreds of tons in just one go and they often work in pairs with the biggest mining excavators which can fill whole giant dump trucks in just a few scoops. The largest mining dump trucks are so huge that they cannot be driven on public roads. Instead, they are being disassembled into pieces and shipped to the customer and later assembled straight on site. Nevertheless, these are not the cheapest machines. One mining dump truck can cost around $5 million (€4,3 million). Check the following article and find out the Top 10 biggest mining dump trucks in the world according to their payload capacity!

1. BelAZ 75710 – 450 t (496 US t)

2. Caterpillar 798 AC – 372 t (410 US t)

3. Caterpillar 797F – 364 t (401 US t)

4.-8. Liebherr T 284 – 363 t (400 US t)

4.-8. Terex MT6300AC – 363 t (400 US t)

4.-8. Komatsu 980E-5 – 363 t (400 US t)

4.-8. XCMG XDE400 – 363 t (400 US t)

4.-8. Komatsu 980E-4 – 363 t (400 US t)

9. BelAZ 75604 – 360 t (397 US t)

10. Caterpillar 795F AC – 338 t (372 US t)
 

The following two models just did not make into into the top 10 ranking, but deserve to be mentioned: Caterpillar 796 AC and Komatsu 960E-2K, both offering a nominal payload of 327 tonnes. The CAT 796 AC was introduced in 2018 and, as the model name suggests, is equipped with an AC electric drive system. The Caterpillar 796 AC dump truck was further given a CAT C175-16 diesel engine that meets US EPA Tier 4 emissions standards. The engine provides a gross power of 2610 kW (3500 HP). The 796 AC was tested in Western Australia and is expected to be deployed in Canada and the US.

Komatsu 960E-2K, launched in 2011, offers the same payload capacity as its Caterpillar competitor. The Komatsu dump truck also uses an electric drive and is equipped with Komatsu SSDA18V170 engine offering the exact same power of 2610 kW as its rival. The 960E-2K is an upgraded version of the 960E-2 mining truck, however, the 960E-2K features the Komatsu Drive with Siemens liquid cooled insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor and improved torque capacity. Few units of the 960E-2K are operating in the US and Australia.

Nominal Payload	327 t
Gross Power	2610 kW (3500 HP)
Travel Speed	64 km/h
Nominal GVW	576 t
Heaped body capacity	214 m³ / 234 m³

The 10th biggest quarry dump truck in our ranking, the 795F AC, is also manufactured by Caterpillar. The machine was introduced in 2009 as the first industry’s single-sourced electric drive truck. The current version of 795F AC offers a nominal payload of 338 tonnes and a heaped body capacity of 252 m³. The 16-cylinder engine is capable of producing a gross power of 2535 kW (3400 HP) and travel speed of 64 km/h. Nevertheless, Caterpillar decided that the 795F AC will not be Tier 4 Final compliant but only Tier 2 ready. The usage of this mining truck is therefore limited to those locations that do not require newer emissions standards.

Nominal Payload	338 t
Gross Power	2535 kW (3400 HP)
Travel Speed	64 km/h
Nominal GVW	576 t
Heaped body capacity	252 m³

One of the models from the Belaz-7560 range, BelAZ 75604, is the 9th largest dump truck in the world according to our ranking. There are currently four models in the 7560 range (75602, 75603, 75604 and 75605) that offer the exact same payload of 360 t, however, they differ in engine and drive configuration. The Belarusian manufacturer fitted this giant dump truck range with a body capacity of 218m³ and nominal payload of 360 tonnes. The 75604 is equipped with a 2800 kW engine and special design that allows it to work in harsh climatic conditions ranging from -50 to +50 degree Celsius. This allows the 7560 mining dump trucks to be used for example in frosty Siberia.

Nominal Payload	360 t
Gross Power	2800 kW (3750 HP)
Travel Speed	64 km/h
Nominal GVW	621 t
Heaped body capacity	218 m³

All mining dump trucks ranked at positions 4. - 8. offer the exact same payload of 363 tonnes. We will start with the Komatsu 980E-4 introduced in 2016 in North America. The capacity of 363 tonnes (400 short tons) matches the buckets of largest crawler excavators such as Komatsu PC8000-6 that can load the 980E-4 in just three to five passes. The dump truck is equipped with an 18-cylinder Komatsu SSDA18V170 diesel engine rated at 2610 kW (3500 hp). Komatsu is well-known for its Autonomous Haul System (AHS) and its currently largest mining dump truck, the 980E-4AT, is a modification of the 980E-4 hauler, offering the same payload capacity. Komatsu 980E-4 can be seen at some of the biggest mines in Canada, the United States and Australia.

Nominal Payload	363 t
Gross Power	2610 kW (3500 HP)
Travel Speed	61 km/h
Nominal GVW	625 t
Heaped body capacity	250 m³

The Chinese giant XDE400 built by Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group (XCMG) is a massive dump truck that belongs to the same sector of 363 metric tonnes (400 short tons). The machine's total vehical mass is 623 t and its curb weight 260 t. The dump truck XDE400 is powered by a large engine rated at 2,800 kW with a maximum torque of 15,000 Nm. This powerdrive enables the truck driver to achieve a maximum speed of 64 km/h. The XDE400 is capable of maximum grade ability at 19% and has a minimal turning diameter of 32 m.

Nominal Payload	363 t
Gross Power	2,800 kW (3,750 HP)
Travel Speed	64 km/h
Nominal GVW	623 t
Heaped body capacity	250 m³

The Komatsu 980E-5 is also the 4th - 8th largest earth moving dump truck in the world with a nominal payload capacity of 363 tonnes (400 mt). The 980E-5, introduced in 2019, is the successor and a new generation of Komatsu 980E-4. The newer model features enhanced cab design, improved drive system or upgraded satellite-based communication system KOMTRAX Plus 2. The haul truck is powered by an 18-cylinder Komatsu SSDA18V170 engine providing 2610 kW (3500 HP) of power and the machine is capable of driving 64 km/h. Similarly to his older brother, the 980E-5 is used in mines in North America and Australia.

Nominal Payload	363 t
Gross Power	2610 kW (3500 HP)
Travel Speed	64 km/h
Nominal GVW	628 t
Heaped body capacity	250 m³

Terex MT6300AC is one the largest mining dump trucks in the world. The truck giant was introduced in 2008 by Terex as its biggest mining dump truck. As you may know, Terex’s mining division was sold in 2011 to Bucyrus, including dump trucks. Subsequently, Caterpillar acquired this division from Bucyrus, renamed the series and the MT6300AC became Unit Rig MT6300. The machine’s maximum travel speed is 64 km/h and nominal gross vehicle weight is 603 t. The dump truck is equipped with an engine rated at 2796 kW and heaped body capacity of 230 m³.

Nominal Payload	363 t
Gross Power	2796 kW (3750 HP)
Travel Speed	64 km/h
Nominal GVW	603 t
Heaped body capacity	230 m³

Introduced in 2012 as the largest mining dump truck in the world, the fourth mining dump truck in the 363-tonne range is Liebherr T 284, which is the successor of popular truck T 282 C. However, this machine is equipped with the most powerful engine in the class, MTU 20V4000 C22 rated at 3000 kW (4023 HP). The nominal gross vehicle weight of the T 284 is 600 tonnes and maximum travel speed is 64 km/h. The model has no standard body capacity as all bodies are customized. The Liebherr T 284 haul truck can be fully loaded in just five passes when paired with Liebherr R 9800, the largest hydraulic excavator from Liebherr. The T 284 was used, for example, in mines in Central and South America.

Nominal Payload	363 t
Gross Power	3000 kW (4023 HP)
Travel Speed	64 km/h
Nominal GVW	600 t
Heaped body capacity	custom

The third biggest mining dump truck in the world is the Caterpillar 797F that beats the 363-tonne range of haulers by exactly one tonne. The CAT 797F was introduced in 2008 and has been produced since 2009. Caterpillar’s giant truck is powered by a 20-cylinder CAT C175-20 engine rated at 4000 HP (2983 kW). The motor meets Stage IV Final emission regulations and EU Stage V is available for applicable markets. A perfect on-site pairing is represented by the CAT 6090 FS hydraulic shovel, that is capable of filling the 797F in just 5 passes. According to Caterpillar, the 797F is the best-selling dump truck in its class. Do you wonder what the price tag of this giant hauler is? Well, that depends on the equipment and configuration but the price generally ranges from $3.5 million to $5 million.

Nominal Payload	364 t
Gross Power	2983 kW (4000 HP)
Travel Speed	68 km/h
Nominal GVW	624 t
Heaped body capacity	252 m³

The second place of the Top 10 largest dump trucks goes to Caterpillar 798 AC with a nominal payload of 372 tonnes. The ultra-class truck was introduced in 2018 as the Caterpillar’s biggest dump truck. The electrically-driven machine is powered by a 16-cylinder CAT C175-16 engine providing power of 2610 kW (3500 HP) and the machine is capable of travelling 64 km/h. The heaped body capacity of 266 m³ and 59/80R63 tyres ensure that the 798 AC hauls in average a larger amount of ore than most of its competitors. The colossus is currently being used in Australian and Canadian oil sand mines.

Nominal Payload	372 t
Gross Power	2610 kW (3500 HP)
Travel Speed	64 km/h
Nominal GVW	624 t
Heaped body capacity	266 m³

The winner of our ranking of the Top 10 largest mining dump trucks is BelAZ 75710 that comes from Belarus. The behemoth has a nominal payload of 450 metric tonnes, which is almost 500 short tons! The Belarusian manufacturer introduced the 75710 in 2013 and delivered the first machine to a coal mining area in Kuznetsk Basin, Siberia. The overall size of this giant is pretty astonishing: 20.6 m length, 8.17 m height and 10.6 m width. Furthermore, imagine that the driver is sitting 7 metres above the road. Even though standard mining trucks use 6 tires, the 75710 hauler is equipped with 8 tires that symmetrically distribute the weight. 
 

The largest dump truck in the world weighs 810 tonnes and provides a heaped body capacity of 268 m³. Nevertheless, two 16-cylinder engines with a total gross power of 3430 kW (4600 HP) are able to run the truck 64 km/h. This is approximately the same power as five Formula 1 cars. Belarus seems to be pretty proud of BelAZ 75710 as the giant quarry truck was featured on a Belarusian stamp, highlighting the popularity of the largest dump truck in the world. And what about the price? Well, if you would like to own one of the biggest machines ever built, have a pack of $6 million ready.

Nominal Payload	450 t
Gross Power	3430 kW (4600 HP)
Travel Speed	64 km/h
Nominal GVW	810 t
Heaped body capacity	268 m³