Why Barrick Gold Corp. Has Ordered 35 All-New Ford F-150s After Secretly Testing F-150 Aluminum Cargo Boxes

•     Barrick Gold USA, one of three Ford customers chosen to blindly test two prototype F-150 pickups with experimental aluminum-alloy cargo boxes, has placed an initial order for 35 all-new 2015 F-150 trucks
•     Barrick testing helped improve the all-new, high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy-bodied F-150 – the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever
•     Barrick accumulated more than 100,000 miles on its two F-150 test vehicles, putting the trucks through the harshest challenges daily; workers would literally throw heavy pieces of equipment into the cargo bed, including large pumps, motors and specialty tools

After helping Ford torture test prototypes of aluminum pickup truck boxes, Barrick Gold USA is placing an initial order for 35 all-new F-150s – the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 yet.

From 2013 to 2014, Barrick’s mining survey team drove two prototype F-150s with experimental aluminum-alloy cargo boxes through severe terrain at the company’s Bald Mountain and Cortez mines in Nevada. Now, Barrick is ready to replace its entire fleet of hundreds of 2012 F-150s – many of which have more than 100,000 miles on them.

“We are proud Barrick is purchasing all-new F-150s after testing early prototypes in some of the harshest conditions,” said Fritz Ahadi, Ford Commercial and Government Fleet Sales general manager. “This is terrific proof that even our toughest, most demanding customers recognize the benefits of high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy to help them get the job done.”

F-150s are used in all of Barrick’s U.S. gold mining operations – from initial exploration and mine support functions to land reclamation. Typical equipment the trucks haul includes compressors, pintle hitches – a special hitch used for heavy towing – and a variety of heavy-duty tools. Barrick is the world’s largest gold producer and operates six mines in the western United States.

“The F-150s see tough duty from operations supervisors, exploration field technicians, project managers, maintenance technicians and closure personnel,” said Rebecca Caudill, Barrick Gold USA fleet manager. “Many of the trucks go into extremely rugged conditions during the planning and mapping out of new projects, core drilling and daily mining operations. Our trucks will see 30,000 to 35,000 miles per year, accumulating well over 100,000 miles in the 40-to-45-month lease rotation.”

Barrick has ordered all-new F-150 SuperCab 4x4 models with the 3.5-liter V6 and 5.0-liter V8.

Barrick has been using F-150s and a variety of other Ford models for more than two decades, and plans to purchase additional trucks, totaling in the hundreds, in the future.

Watch this video illustrating how Barrick Gold uses its F-150s in its mining operations.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 189,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit corporate.ford.com.

About Barrick Gold

Barrick is the world’s leading gold producer, with mines and advanced exploration and development projects on five continents. The company holds large land positions on some of the most prolific and prospective mineral trends. Our vision is to be the world’s best gold mining company by operating in a safe, profitable and responsible manner.