Shovel teeth: 280–340 hours became 634.
Coeur Mining ran DCI deep-cryogenically treated shovel teeth against its standing wear baseline. Untreated teeth typically lasted 280–340 operational hours; the treated teeth averaged 634 hours — a wear-life improvement of more than 90%, measured by the mine, on its own equipment, in its own ore.
| Customer | Coeur Mining (U.S.) |
| Parts | Excavator shovel teeth |
| Baseline (untreated) | 280–340 operational hours |
| Treated average | 634 operational hours |
| Improvement | >90% vs baseline average |
| Against best untreated (340 h) | +86% |
| Who measured | The mine, on its own equipment |
| Treatment | −300 °F DCT, ~36 h recorded cycle |
Why does this study carry weight?
Because the customer measured it. The baseline was the mine's own standing figure for untreated teeth, and the treated result came off the mine's own equipment in normal service — not a lab coupon, not a vendor demo. We didn't grade our own homework.
What was actually done to the teeth?
A proprietary DCI production cycle: controlled descent in dry nitrogen vapor, an extended soak at up to −300 °F, and an in-chamber temper — one continuous, computer-recorded run of roughly 36 hours. No coating, no dimensional change. What happens in the metal →
What does a >90% result mean operationally?
Roughly half the tooth changes for that wear position: fewer exposure hours for the crew in the pit, fewer production interruptions — and treated-part economics that clear the bar even at a fraction of this result. The published range across mining parts is 20–60%; this study is the documented best case, not the promise. The ROI math →
Can this be replicated on your parts?
That's the right question, and it's answerable with your own data: your standing baseline, treated and control teeth from the same lot in alternating positions on the same bucket, measured the way you already measure, with stop criteria agreed before anything ships. If your alloy is a poor candidate, we'll say so up front. How honest verification works →
Start with your baseline numbers — quotes in two business days.