They’ve been mining in Grant County, New Mexico since before the Civil War, and huge copper mines like Chino and Tyrone still drive the local economy. It’s an economy that has been in high gear the past couple years, thanks to rising copper prices which have prompted mine owners to run their operations around the clock; three shifts a day, seven days a week. While this non-stop activity is undoubtedly good for the economy, it means there is no time to rest. Huge dump trucks and other heavy equipment are in constant demand, moving hundreds of thousands of tons of material a day. Maintenance crews are constantly busy, fixing one thing or another. Often their work involves gouging out old welds, a necessary first step before they can begin the actual work of repairing a truck bed or replacing a mold board liner on a track dozer.

Contributed By:

Hypertherm Inc