Hello, folks. My name's Joseph Mwape, 47 years old, born and raised in Kitwe. I've been in the mining transport game for over two decades now, starting as a driver for a small contractor and now owning my own outfit with five trucks hauling ore and slag around the Copperbelt Province. We mostly run between the mines in Mufulira and Chingola, dumping loads at the smelters or processing plants – you know, the usual grind in Zambia's heartland.

Back in October 2024, I was tired of my old Japanese dumpers breaking down every other week on those rough gravel tracks leading out of the open pits. Parts were expensive, waits were long, and with the rainy season coming, I needed something tougher. A mate from Lusaka who'd just imported a few Chinese rigs pointed me to the Foton Auman EST 6x4 – the 350hp model built for African mining. I did my homework, saw it was rated for 55-ton loads with that Cummins ISGe3-350 engine, and figured why not? Landed one for around ZMW 1.2 million after duties, and drove it straight to the yard.

Fourteen months later, with 112,000 km on the clock (mostly off-road hauls), this truck's become my go-to for the heavy stuff. Let me break it down like I'm chatting over a Mosi at the pub.

First off, the power: That inline-six Cummins diesel puts out 350 horses and 1800 Nm of torque right where you need it – low revs for pulling out of muddy pits loaded with 50+ tons of copper ore. I've pushed it to 58 tons a few times (don't tell the inspectors), and it climbs those steep inclines near Nkana without gasping. The Sinotruk 12-speed manual shifts clean, even when you're juggling gears on slippery red soil after a downpour. Fuel? We're seeing about 55-60 liters per 100 km loaded, which is decent considering the stop-start in mine traffic. The 350L aluminum tank means I refuel once a shift, not twice.

The chassis is a beast – 9T front axle, 16T rear, with leaf springs that soak up the bumps from potholes bigger than my wheelbarrow. Frame's thick at 320mm section, no bending or cracks yet, even after hauling slag that's still hot from the furnace. Tires are 12.00R20 mixed pattern – they've held up against sharp rocks and thorns in the bush roads, only two punctures so far, fixed quick at the local garage.

Inside the cab, it's no luxury sedan, but for a Zambian miner truck, it's comfortable. Flat roof keeps it low for under conveyor belts, automatic AC blasts cold air in our 40°C summers, and the airbag seat saves your back on 12-hour days. Power windows, central locking, heated mirrors – small things that make life easier when you're covered in dust. The radio with USB keeps the tunes going, and we've added a dash cam for those wild encounters with elephants near the Kafue border.

Not everything's perfect, mind you. The ABS brakes are solid on dry, but in heavy mud, you still need to pump 'em old-school. Had one issue with the air filter clogging faster than expected in the dry season dust storms – swapped to a heavier-duty one for ZMW 8,000. And at 89,000 km, the clutch started slipping a bit; warranty covered the replacement, no fuss from the importer in Lusaka.

Overall, this Auman EST has cut my downtime in half compared to the old fleet. More loads per day means more kwacha in the pocket, and with the Euro III emissions, it's cleaner than some of the ancient rigs still chugging around Solwezi. If you're in Zambia's mining scene and looking for a reliable slag or ore hauler without breaking the bank, give this one a spin. It's not flashy, but it gets the job done – and that's what counts out here.

Joseph Mwape

Kitwe, Zambia

December 2025