On a mining contract, haulage cost per tonne decides profit. Quote too low and every trip loses money. Quote too high and the contract goes elsewhere. Many contractors still estimate it from diesel alone, missing ownership, tyres, maintenance and operators. The real number also moves daily with payload, cycle times, haul roads and availability. A few rupees per tonne can add up to crores over a contract of several million tonnes. This guide shows how to calculate it, and how mines use HVI fuel and maintenance data to get it right.
Mining Haulage Cost Per Tonne: How to Calculate and Reduce
Combine dumper ownership, diesel, tyres, maintenance and operators into one cost per tonne, and see how payload, cycle time and haul roads change it.
What Goes Into Cost per Hour
Every working hour of a dumper carries these costs. Leave any out and the rate will be too low.
| Cost | How to work it out | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | EMI or depreciation, insurance and finance cost per working hour | Purchase price and working hours per month |
| Diesel | Litres per hour × diesel price | Payload, gradients, idling and road condition |
| Tyres | Tyre cost ÷ expected tyre life in hours | Haul roads, loading area and pressure |
| Maintenance | Services, repairs and parts per working hour | Machine age, operation and maintenance quality |
| Operator | Salary and allowances per working hour | Shifts and operator numbers |
A Worked Example
One dumper on an overburden haul. All figures are illustrative, so replace them with your own.
What Moves the Number Most
Small changes in payload and cycle time have a big effect, because they change the tonnes behind every rupee. Starting from Rs 59.4 per tonne in the example:
Faster cycles cut cost per tonne by around 17% here, more than any single saving on diesel price. Haul roads, loading and queuing usually decide cycle time.
Base Every Rate on Real Costs
HVI records fuel, tyres, services, repairs and hour meter readings for every dumper, so your cost per hour is built on real data rather than estimates.
How Haul Roads Change the Cost
Haul roads touch almost every cost line. Investing in them often pays back quickly.
- Slower speeds and longer cycle times
- More diesel on soft or rough surfaces
- Tyre cuts and shorter tyre life
- More frame, suspension and driveline damage
- Steady speeds and shorter cycles
- Lower fuel use per tonne
- Longer tyre life
- Fewer breakdowns and higher availability
Haulage KPIs to Track Every Month
These measures explain why cost per tonne goes up or down.
Average payload
Tonnes carried per trip against rated capacity.
Cycle time
Minutes per round trip, including queues.
Availability
Share of shift time each dumper can work.
Fuel per tonne
Litres of diesel for every tonne hauled.
Tyre cost per tonne
Tyre spend divided by tonnes hauled.
Cost per Tonne by Dumper in HVI
A sample monthly view on the same haul. Comparing dumpers shows where cost is leaking.
| Dumper | Average payload | Cycle time | Availability | Cost per tonne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DM-03 | 37 t | 22 min | 92% | Rs 52.8 |
| DM-07 | 35 t | 24 min | 88% | Rs 59.4 |
| DM-11 | 31 t | 27 min | 79% | Rs 75.5 |
Haulage Cost per Tonne FAQs
How do I calculate haulage cost per tonne?
Add up the dumper's cost per working hour, including ownership, diesel, tyres, maintenance and operator. Then divide by tonnes moved per hour, which is payload multiplied by trips per hour. The result is cost per tonne.
What has the biggest effect on cost per tonne?
Payload and cycle time usually matter most, because they change how many tonnes share the hourly cost. Haul road condition, queuing at the loader and machine availability drive both.
How do I convert cost per tonne to cost per tonne-km?
Divide cost per tonne by the one-way haul distance in kilometres. For example, Rs 59.4 per tonne on a 3 km haul is about Rs 19.8 per tonne-km.
How does maintenance affect haulage cost?
Good maintenance raises availability and avoids costly breakdowns, so fixed costs are spread over more tonnes. Teams that track maintenance in HVI can see each dumper's real cost.
Can cost per tonne be tracked automatically?
Yes, when fuel, tyres, repairs and hour readings are recorded for each dumper and combined with production figures. Book a demo to see haulage cost tracking in HVI.
Know Your True Cost on Every Tonne
Track fuel, tyres, maintenance and hours for every dumper in HVI, and see real cost per tonne each month. Quote confidently, protect margins and find the savings that matter.
