September 14, 2026 - Michelin is bringing together mining tires, digital technologies, technical services and industry expertise through its Michelin Better Mining approach, with the goal of helping mine operators improve safety, increase productivity and reduce environmental impacts.

The initiative extends beyond supplying tires for large mining equipment, combining tire selection and monitoring with consulting, training, tire management and technical support designed to address challenges throughout mining operations.

Safety is one of the principal areas of focus. Michelin combines tire technology with testing, monitoring systems and technical expertise to help mines manage tire performance and identify potential problems before they disrupt operations.

Pressure and temperature monitoring can provide mine operators with greater visibility into tire conditions, while Michelin's technical teams assist customers with tire selection and management for demanding surface and underground applications.

The company also subjects its mining tires to real-world testing at a dedicated facility in Almería, Spain, where specialized teams evaluate their performance under challenging operating conditions. 

More Than 65 Years of Mining Tire Innovation

Michelin's involvement in mining tire technology stretches back decades. The company introduced its first radial earthmover tire in 1959 and developed what it describes as the mining industry's first 63-inch tire in 1995.

The company is continuing to develop tire technologies as mining equipment evolves, including solutions intended to meet the changing demands associated with electric and autonomous mine vehicles.

Michelin Better Mining also emphasizes the use of operational data to improve productivity.

The company's account managers, customer engineering support personnel and service engineers work with mining operations to analyze tire performance and recommend management practices based on individual mine conditions.

Those efforts can extend beyond the tire itself. Tire and operational data can help mining teams examine haul road conditions, truck routes, equipment cycle times and other factors that can affect tire life, equipment availability and overall mine productivity.

Reducing unplanned downtime is particularly important in large surface mining operations, where tire-related issues involving high-capacity haul trucks can affect production throughout the haulage system.

Reducing Mining Tire Environmental Impact

Sustainability represents another component of Michelin's mining strategy, with the company taking a life-cycle approach that considers everything from raw materials and manufacturing to tire operation and eventual disposal or recycling.

Michelin uses Life Cycle Assessments to examine environmental impacts throughout a tire's life. According to the company, approximately 70% to 90% of a tire's environmental impact occurs during its use phase, making improvements in energy efficiency an important opportunity for reducing overall impact.

Michelin is also working toward incorporating 100% renewable or recycled materials into its tires by 2050 while maintaining the performance required for demanding applications.

Finding solutions for the enormous tires that reach the end of their service lives at mines is another priority.

In Chile, Michelin established a mining tire cutting and shredding facility in Antofagasta, where end-of-life mining tires can be reduced in size in preparation for additional processing. The company has also participated in recycling initiatives in Peru and Brazil and is exploring partnerships in other major mining regions.

The combination of tire technology, monitoring, data analysis and on-site expertise reflects a broader shift in the mining industry toward managing tires as part of the overall mine operating system rather than as individual components.

Through Michelin Better Mining, the company says it intends to help operators use those capabilities to improve tire performance, limit downtime, support safer operations and reduce environment.