- On 4 July, Liebherr-Australia delivered an R 9600 excavator to Northern Star Resources at the Super Pit gold mine in Western Australia
- This is the first ultra-class Liebherr machine to join Northern Star Resources’ fleet
- A second R 9600 unit is scheduled to arrive in October
- The addition of these 600-tonne machines builds on the 17 Liebherr machines already operating across Northern Star Resources’ mining operations
Earlier this month, Northern Star Resources took delivery of its first ultra-class Liebherr excavator, a 600-tonne R 9600, at the Super Pit in Western Australia. The new machine joins 17 Liebherr machines already operating across Northern Star Resources’ operations. A second R 9600 is expected at the Super Pit in October.
Northern Star Resources’ adoption of the R 9600 excavator expands the range of Liebherr equipment operating at the Super Pit, one of Australia’s largest open-pit gold mines. The fleet now spans different classes of Liebherr excavators, as well as the OEM’s flagship mining dozer, the PR 776.
Northern Star Resources received its first Liebherr machine, an R 9400 excavator, in 2022. Since then, Northern Star Resources’ Liebherr fleet has grown to include more R 9400s, as well as a number of PR 776 dozers and R 9150 excavators across the Super Pit and Bannockburn gold mines in Western Australia. With the addition of these two R 9600s, Northern Star Resources will be operating 19 Liebherr machines between both sites by the end of 2026.
‘Breaking into the 600-tonne class at the Super Pit is an important step in our relationship with Northern Star Resources as, before this, we had primarily supplied 150- and 400-tonne-class solutions at the site,’ says Brian Boitano, executive general manager of sales, marketing, training and solutions for Liebherr-Australia. ‘This delivery also reflects the continued growth of our ultra-class excavator presence in Australia and Western Australia’s Goldfields.’
Australia and the R 9600
Australia is the biggest market for Liebherr’s 600-tonne excavator. Its remarkable fuel efficiency, reliability and productivity make it uniquely suited to the intense conditions often found in Australian mines like the Super Pit.
‘The R 9600 is the industry benchmark in the 600-tonne size class. Hands down, it can move more material than any other product in the range, with superior digging and breakout forces. Its German–French engineering also makes it the most reliable ultra-class machine in the market. And now that it comes with a Liebherr engine, we have unmatched overall fuel efficiency. Plus, we’re on track to exceed one million collective operating hours for the R 9600 worldwide,’ adds Boitano.
To ensure the smooth integration of the R 9600 into the Super Pit, Liebherr-Australia will provide comprehensive operator and technical training to Northern Star Resources personnel. With a growing presence in the Goldfields, Liebherr-Australia has also increased the number of components and spare parts at its Kalgoorlie and Perth branches, as well as expanding its Kalgoorlie team to better support the growing Liebherr fleet at the mine.
‘Liebherr-Australia has built a strong reputation for supporting large-scale mining operations,’ says Boitano. ‘As Northern Star Resources continues to expand its Liebherr fleet, we are focused on supporting their teams to help maximise machine performance across site operations.’
The second R 9600 excavator is set to be delivered to the Super Pit in October this year.
