HAUL TRUCK POWER OPTIONS

Powering Trucks for the Long Haul

Diesel engines may be here for the foreseeable future, but a host of alternative fuels, technologies
and electrification options are moving swiftly through the ranks
By Carly Leonida, European Editor

engine providers to broaden their power op-

tions for different applications and, where
options do not yet exist, some pioneers are
even creating their own — see Anglo Amer-
ican’s hydrogen-powered truck program.
To better understand the scope of pow-
er options available today and get a peek
at future truck developments, E&MJ invit-
ed six companies to share their thoughts
and solutions with its readers.

Bringing Sustainable Fuels

and Hybrid Into the Mix
Through its mtu brand, Rolls-Royce offers
diesel engines for haul trucks with pay-
loads from 100-500 short tons. The Se-
ries 2000 and Series 4000 models cov-
er the full power range from 783-3,000
kilowatts (kW).
“These engines have always featured
pioneering new technologies,” explained
Cobus van Schalkwyk, director of global
mining at Rolls-Royce Business Unit Pow-
er Systems. “For example, the mtu Series
Komatsu also has an aggressive trolley development and testing schedule starting in the second half of this year
4000 engine was the first commercially
for both standard and autonomous trucks. (Photo: Komatsu)
available engine with common rail injec-
There are many good reasons why the ma- announcements of electrified and low-car- tion when it launched around 25 years
jority of the 52,200 haul trucks in service bon haulage solutions — and, in the part- ago. Our current mining engine lineup ful-
today at mines across the globe (number nerships that vendors, OEMs and miners fills the latest emission regulations through
taken from The Parker Bay Co.) are, in have signed to jointly develop and deploy its optimized combustion process. In oth-
one way or another, powered by diesel next-generation trucks in a step toward er words, we minimize emissions at the
engines. The power density and flexibility their large-scale decarbonization targets. source instead of reducing them through
that these units offer, as well as the wide- According to McKinsey & Co., around exhaust aftertreatment, even for the strict-
spread availability of hardware, fuel and 40%-50% of CO2 emissions from mining est regulations such as U.S. Environmen-
service capabilities create a combination today come from diesel used in mobile tal Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4. Our key
that’s extremely hard to beat. equipment, with another 30%-35% from technologies to achieve this are our patent-
These advantages, coupled with the non-renewable electricity. Emissions inten- ed donor-cylinder exhaust gas recirculation
fact that haul trucks and diesel engines sity varies widely across sites, with com- (EGR) system, dual-stage turbocharging,
are relatively long-life assets, plus min- modities like copper and iron-ore at the common-rail injection and our in-house
ing companies’ general aversion to risk upper end of the spectrum. At an average developed engine control system.”
associated with “new” technologies, 25-million-ton-per-year (t/y) Western Aus- mtu engines are now available for all
mean that the bulk of new trucks joining tralian iron-ore mine, haul trucks are the relevant emissions regulations, including
the global fleet over the next three to five biggest source of carbon emissions on site, the strictest in the EU, U.S. and China,
years are also likely to feature engines ca- ahead of even comminution, accounting for and with CO2-optimized calibrations.
pable of running, partly or exclusively, on 20%-25% of the total. “Depending on the different markets
diesel. However, the tide is slowly starting Naturally, these miners are at the fore- and applications, internal combustion en-
to show signs of turning. front of haulage technology development gines will continue to play an important
This is evident, both in the number of and deployment today, and more are join- role for years to come,” van Schalkwyk
new technologies released over the past ing their ranks. Operators are leaning more said. “They are not only contributing to
year — MINExpo 2021 was awash with heavily than ever on OEMs, technology and keeping current operations running but will

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 HAUL TRUCK POWER OPTIONS

also play a major role in market transfor- Anglo Rolls Out Hydrogen-powered Haul Truck
mation over the coming years and in the Anglo American recently unveiled a proto- for external energy. This energy, stored in
net-zero future. This may sound counterin- type of the world’s largest hydrogen-pow- the battery, together with the hydrogen,
tuitive at first, but our engineers have made ered haul truck designed to operate in extends the truck’s range and reduces the
mtu engines much more efficient and envi- everyday mining conditions at its Mogalak- out of cycle time for the trucks, since hy-
ronmentally friendly over the past decades wena platinum group metals (PGM) mine drogen refueling is significantly faster than
and continue to optimize them for less fuel in South Africa. The 2-MW hydrogen-bat- recharging batteries.
consumption and lower emissions. Cou- tery hybrid truck, generating more power As part of the integrated nuGen solu-
pled with hybrid technology and sustain- than its diesel predecessor and capable of tion, Anglo has also built a hydrogen pro-
able fuels, internal combustion engines, carrying a 290-metric-ton (mt) payload, duction, storage, and refueling complex
including diesel engines, are an important is part of Anglo American’s nuGen Zero at Mogalakwena that incorporates the
part of our roadmap toward net zero.” Emission Haulage Solution (ZEHS). largest electrolyzer in Africa and a solar
Starting in 2023, Rolls-Royce will re- This is the first time a truck of this PV field to support the operation of the
lease mtu Series 2000 and 4000 engines size and weight (510 mt laden, which in- haul truck. nuGen is part of FutureSmart
for use with sustainable fuels, such as cludes a 220-mt gross vehicle weight and Mining, Anglo’s innovation-led approach
e-diesel and second-generation biofuels, a payload capacity of 290 mt) has been to sustainable mining, which brings to-
thus enabling climate-neutral operation converted to run on hydrogen that will be gether technology and digitalization to
in almost all applications. Electrification produced on-site in hybrid combination drive sustainability outcomes, includ-
will also play an important role. with a battery. ing its commitment to carbon-neutrality
“The mining industry aims for fully The nuGen truck uses a hybrid hydro- across its operations by 2040.
battery-electric trucks to achieve net-ze- gen fuel cell providing roughly half of the “nuGen is a tangible demonstration of
ro GHG emissions,” van Schalkwyk ex- power and a battery pack for the other our FutureSmart Mining program changing
plained. “But, to maintain the current half, to allow energy recovery from brak- the future of our industry,” Anglo American
autonomy of diesel-powered trucks with ing. Hydrogen enters the fuel cell from CEO Duncan Wanblad said. “With diesel
more than 12 hours before refueling, bat- the tank and mixes with oxygen to create emissions from our haul truck fleet ac-
teries need to be continuously recharged water in a chemical reaction catalyzed by counting for about 10%-15% of our total
during operation. The only proven tech- platinum. This generates electricity that Scope 1 emissions, this is an important
nology for dynamic external charging is is used to power the motors that drive the step on our pathway to carbon neutral op-
trolley assist. However, these systems are wheels. The only emission from the vehi- erations by 2040. The mining industry is
not always easy to deploy economically.” cle is water vapor. playing a considerable role in helping the
Rolls-Royce hopes to solve this chal- The 2-MW hybrid battery/hydrogen fuel world decarbonize, both through our own
lenge through technology, which it is ex- cell powerplant, which replaces the diesel emissions footprint and the metals and
ploring with its Hybrid Haul Truck Concept. engine installed, has been designed by An- minerals that we produce that are critical to
This is the first in a number of develop- glo American and First Mode in Seattle, low carbon energy and transport systems.”
ments that will lead toward the creation of USA. The power management and battery Over the next several years, Anglo plans
fully-electric trucks. The concept foresees a systems in the truck have been developed to convert or replace its current fleet of
vehicle that is battery powered and carries to improve overall efficiency by recovering diesel-powered trucks with this zero-emis-
a dynamic charger to avoid the limitations energy when the haul trucks travel down- sion haulage system, fueled with green
described above. To keep things afford- hill, through regenerative braking. By har- hydrogen. If this pilot is successful, the
able and simple, it would initially feature a vesting the regenerative energy created company could remove up to 80% of die-
downsized diesel engine that, when paired when driving downhill, it reduces the need sel emissions at its open-pit mines.
with sustainable fuels, is GHG-neutral.
“At the core of the concept are the en-
ergy storage solution and a sophisticated
power and energy management system for
multiple sources of power, i.e., the bat-
tery plus the source of recharging,” van
Schalkwyk said. “With improving energy
density of batteries and the advent of ad-
vanced dynamic charging solutions, the
concept allows for gradual downsizing
and eventual elimination of the combus-
tion engine and scaling up of the battery
to arrive at full electrification.”
van Schalkwyk was clear that the route
to electrified haul truck solutions is a
journey — potentially, a long one.
“These vehicles won’t just arrive and
take over from diesel one day to the next,” This is the first time a 290-mt haul truck has been converted to run on hydrogen. (Photo: Anglo American)

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 HAUL TRUCK POWER OPTIONS

he said. “We are convinced that our evo- We have already developed self-learning al- strator is operational at our plant in Fried-
lutionary approach makes CO2-saving gorithms for engine control, which will help richshafen, Germany, and, from 2025, we
technology for mining trucks available in us to optimize the operation of our engines. plan to deliver series-manufactured fuel
the fastest possible way. It also offers the “In fact, we are currently implementing cell systems in the megawatt range.
best protection of valuable assets as it Engine Health Monitoring technology as “We are also working on internal
can be retrofitted to existing machines.” part of a pilot project with several custom- combustion engines, which can run on
The concept was presented for the ers in the mining industry. The technology hydrogen. From 2023, mtu engines and
first time at the MINExpo 2021 trade- will enable mines to take preventive mea- conversion kits could become available
show in Las Vegas, U.S., and, according sures before engine component failures for use with up to 100% hydrogen. All
to van Schalkwyk, it garnered much pos- and thus minimize downtime. The system of these technologies will be relevant for
itive feedback. The team is currently en- allows the monitoring of entire fleets down mining applications in the future.”
gaged in dialogue with customers to ana- to the level of single parts. The final prod-
lyze their needs and refine the concept. uct which we will offer will be fully scalable Making Battery Technology
“We have many years of experience to exactly fulfill our customer’s needs.” Work for Heavy Haulage
with hybrid drive systems,” added van As hinted earlier, Rolls-Royce is cur- Diesel engines, hybrid solutions and alter-
Schalkwyk. “The first train powered by rently transforming itself from an engine native power options all require specialized
mtu Hybrid PowerPacks has recently en- manufacturer to a provider of integrat- vehicle platforms, but this hasn’t phased
tered passenger service in the U.K. after ed, sustainable power solutions. As part the OEMs. John Schellenberg, mining
thorough development. Our hybrid rail- of this, the company has founded a new product manager for trucks at Hitachi
drive system enables fuel and thus CO2 Sustainable Power Solutions business Construction Machinery, joined E&MJ to
savings of up to 25% while also offering unit, which focuses exclusively on devel- discuss the challenges and opportunities.
improved train performance.” oping sustainable and climate-friendly “Diesel engines will have a place in
solutions across all applications. mining for some time,” he said. “Not all re-
From Diesel and Digital “The mining application is a good ex- gions have the local infrastructure require-
to Hydrogen ample of a field for which our whole eco- ments to adopt zero-emission solutions.
Another area that offers both immediate system of future technologies is relevant, Modernized regions that have well devel-
and future reductions in engine emis- from sustainable fuels to hybrids, digital oped infrastructure or the ability to invest
sions is digitalization. Rolls-Royce is cur- solutions to energy storage systems and in infrastructure will drive the adoption of
rently working on digital systems that will hydrogen,” van Schalkwyk said. “Hydro- greener solutions. But globally, there are
bring benefits to both mine operators and gen-related technologies include fuel many places that are still developing and
the environment. cells and hydrolyzers. We have taken sig- don’t have that foundation yet. Some devel-
van Schalkwyk explained: “By capturing nificant first steps on this path: the mtu oping nations will be able to bypass current
drive system data and analyzing it in real fuel cell element for climate-neutral ener- diesel technology and transition directly
time, we will be able to optimize the oper- gy supply had its world premiere at the UN to a zero-emission solution, because their
ation of our engines, increase uptime and Climate Conference COP 26 in Glasgow local geography or resources are aligned to
availability, and reduce fuel consumption. at the end of 2021. A fuel cell demon- take advantage of the new technology. How-
ever, other nations will not have this luxury,
and will need to rely on carbon-based tech-
nologies to grow and develop.”
Hitachi Construction Machinery has a
strong background in all things electrical.
As such, the company’s current lineup of
mining trucks is built for diesel-electric
operation, with the choice of either Cum-
mins or mtu engines. Trolley and trolley-as-
sist technologies have also been part of
Hitachi’s truck solution package since the
1980s, and so this is a natural option on
all of the company’s mining truck models.
“Battery solutions have been part of Hi-
tachi’s rail portfolio for more than 10 years,
so transitioning rail/battery technology to
the truck lineup is a natural progression,”
Schellenberg said. “This is the direction
Hitachi Construction Machinery is pursu-
ing; utilizing our current technology and
adapting it to new applications. This limits
development risk, and helps our customers
Rolls Royce unveils its mtu Hybrid Truck Concept at MINExpo 2021. (Image: Rolls Royce) have confidence in our approach.”

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Schellenberg explained that, since

Hitachi Construction Machinery’s mining
truck product line already uses an elec-
tric drive system, the biggest challenge of
adopting new power sources for the exist-
ing platform is energy storage and man-
agement; there are onboard space and
weight limitations, due to the energy den-
sity of battery and/or hydrogen solutions.
“Current diesel trucks usually carry
enough fuel for 24 hours of operation,” he
said. “Depending on the battery technol-
ogy a mine selects, they are looking at a
maximum of 1-3 hours of operation using
today’s solutions. This means that it’s crit-
ical to utilize the energy as efficiently as
possible. They also need to consider how to
resupply that onboard energy. Current refu-
eling for diesel units is a 10- to 20-min-
ute process, once a day. If you need to re-
charge a battery 10 or more times in a day, The Hitachi EH4000AC3 in action. The company has a strong background in all things electric. (Photo: Hitachi)
you need to figure out how to do it quickly
and safely. So, energy storage and transfer as a whole to look at new ways of doing development programs focused on GHG
are very high on our ‘challenge’ list.” business. Based on a number of reviews reduction and zero-emission platforms for
Hitachi Construction Machinery is by Hitachi Construction Machinery and surface mining. The company’s recently
working with both suppliers and end us- clients, I believe that electrification is not announced power agnostic truck design
ers to help provide boundaries for its R&D only possible with today’s technology, but effort runs parallel with the development
in this area. The company is collaborating it can also achieve a better commercial of unique power modules for its trucks.
with battery suppliers to understand the rate of return than conventional tech- “The three basic types of Komatsu
limitations of different battery technolo- niques in a number of applications. power modules are: power supply, power
gies available today and is also actively “From an equipment development storage and hybrid supply,” Don Lindell,
supporting other business units that are point of view, the diesel engine has been director for the GHG Alliance and sustain-
working on the charging challenge. a constant in mobile equipment design ability, at Komatsu, said. “A power sup-
“Through these collaborations, we for almost 100 years now. Now we need to ply module generates power from sources
gain a better understanding of the over- change this ‘constant,’ which has not only like a diesel engine and may be combined
all technical possibilities for onboard en- influenced the overall shape and capacity with overhead trolley power for additional
ergy storage and energy transfer,” Schel- of mobile equipment, but mine design as savings. A power storage module collects
lenberg said. “We then have detailed well. This means equipment that will not power from off-board sources, like trolley or
discussions with end users to determine focus on a rotating mass at its center, and a static charging station, and stores it in
how to modify operational practices so power outputs will be broader to allow for batteries for use while the truck is unteth-
that the new technology can be lever- steeper haul profiles. How will end users ered from a power source. Hybrid supply
aged to meet their needs.” leverage these changes and apply them to modules generate and store power using a
Schellenberg added that the company mine design?” combination of technologies, like hydrogen
is watching a number of future technolo- fuel cells coupled with lithium batteries.
gies too, including hydrogen. Developing the Power Engagement with Komatsu GHG Alliance
“Hydrogen has a lot of potential, but Agnostic Truck members shows clear benefit from all three
there are both onboard and off-board chal- It’s a good question. One which hints at power modules depending on a mine’s tran-
lenges associated with the technology,” he the potential gains that could potentially sition strategy and deployment timing.”
said. “As a truck and excavator supplier, we be achieved if a sea-change is affected, The Komatsu GHG Alliance saw its
have ideas on how to solve the onboard is- encompassing the entire mine design and launch in August 2021. It was formed
sues, but we need to watch how other parts planning process. The tricky thing with by Komatsu and several of its customers,
of the industry solve the off-board issues mine design is that every site has unique including Rio Tinto, BHP, Codelco and
too. As of today, we are monitoring what is challenges and opportunities. Not all Boliden, to rapidly innovate in support
happening with this technology, including companies will be immediately ready to of carbon reduction targets. Through its
infrastructure development commitments overhaul their plans and processes to take framework, the partners are working with
made by end users and governments. advantage of green power sources, while Komatsu to collaborate on product plan-
“Overall, I think that powering mine others may race ahead. ning, development, testing and deploy-
haul trucks in different ways offers a To reflect this and provide greater op- ment of next-generation zero-emission
great opportunity for the mining industry tionality, Komatsu has several concurrent mining equipment and infrastructure.

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The alliance’s initial target is advancing means collaborating with OEMs to provide important that mining operations undergo-
Komatsu’s power agnostic truck concept, open-standard, vendor-agnostic solutions ing electrification also optimize their grid
which debuted at MINExpo 2021. The ul- that evolve as clients’ needs change.” connection to manage fluctuations in sup-
timate aim is to develop a series of haul- The “all-electric” mine market is grad- ply and demand, combined with accurate
age vehicles that can run on a variety of ually taking shape and the ecosystem of production forecasting and energy storage.
power sources, including diesel-electric, electric solutions, such as connectors, Again, this will increase in importance as
electric, trolley (wired), battery power and batteries and charging capabilities is mines become more automated too.
even hydrogen fuel cells. steadily evolving and maturing. However,
As part of this, Komatsu has an aggres- the need to run continuously in demand- LNG: Benefits for Today
sive trolley development and testing sched- ing industrial conditions imposes addi- and Tomorrow
ule starting in the second half of this year tional challenges, and there is a parallel For mines that have high diesel burn
for both standard and autonomous trucks. market shift toward renewable energy, im- rates, converting haul truck engines to
“The order or priority of these platforms plementation of energy storage solutions, accept a percentage of liquified natural
is in part determined by the market and the and more smart energy management. gas (LNG) is another way that mines can
GHG Alliance members,” Lindell said. “The Trolley assist, automated charging sys- reduce their operating costs today, while
Komatsu power agnostic platform will be tems for hybrid haul trucks and OEM col- also reducing their total GHG emissions.
released on several models and size classes laboration are already helping operators to GFS Corp.’s EVO MT System for haul
traditionally supplied with electric drives. achieve net-zero targets, but Ashnagaran trucks (and other mining machinery) has
“Members of the GHG Alliance pro- said it’s important to note that they are all been designed to allow for the relatively
vide guidance on demand and timing interconnected. For this reason, solutions simple retrofit of existing machinery with
through engagement on zero-emission such as trolley assist should not be viewed minimal downtime and no risk to produc-
strategy planning, which helps drive pri- in isolation, but rather as one component in tion relative to LNG operation.
orities,” Lindell said. “Early planning the industry’s journey to carbon neutrality. “Our design philosophy is to maximize
and collaboration are key to developing ABB provides technologies with open, cost savings for the customer while simul-
a successful long-term transition to the OEM-agnostic standards that provide a taneously ensuring that the trucks are al-
zero-emission economy.” complete solution and avoid customers ways able to operate on 100% diesel fuel
from being locked-in with a single specif- should the need arise,” Jason Green, pres-
Trolley’s Place in the ic vendor. ident at GFS Corp., said. “Although LNG
Electric Mine Ashnagaran explained: “ABB’s eMine availability is improving on a global basis,
Trolley assist is a proven technology in solution is backboned by ABB Ability the distribution and supply chain is not as
mining; one that has seen a renewal of MineOptimize, a unique approach to dig- robust and competitive compared to dis-
interest over the past five years. ABB ital transformation that unifies electrifi- tillate fuels and we believe it’s important
has been at the forefront of this revival. cation, automation and digital systems that operators have the ability to switch
It’s trolley installation at Boliden’s Aitik in a single system that is fully vertically back to 100% diesel mode in the event
operation (and now Kevitsa) in Sweden and horizontally integrated, from pit to that the LNG supply is disrupted.”
has attracted a lot of industry attention port. MineOptimize is the culmination of LNG is an attractive option for mines
and, such was the project’s success, the 40 years of ABB experience in providing that see fuel costs as one of their biggest
companies have now signed an agreement large-scale integrated electrical power operating expenses, alongside things like
with Epiroc to adapt the technology for use and control solutions. tires and explosives.
underground at the Kristineberg mine too. “ABB has extended this unique ap- “To make natural gas conversions worth-
Mehrzad Ashnagaran, global product proach to its trolley system. Here again, we while, mines need to have a certain level of
line manager for electrification and com- integrate electrification, automation and diesel fuel consumption,” explained Green.
posite plant at ABB, spoke to E&MJ digital technologies within an ecosystem “We find that midsized and larger mines
about the benefits and considerations that includes other OEMs and technolo- with a lot of machinery and a high fuel load
required for success with trolley-assist. gy partners. No one can make this jour- see the most benefit because, when build-
“The transition to all-electric mines is ney alone; instead, this unique, triangular ing a business case, mines need to factor
being driven by the need for the industry to model allows ABB and its project partners in, not just the retrofit costs, but also the
decarbonize and commit to net-zero emis- to accompany customers during their tran- investment in LNG infrastructure for on-
sions in line with evolving environmental sition to all-electric motors and mines.” site fuel storage and refueling.”
legislation, chiefly by eliminating diesel According to Ashnagaran, it can take A local source of LNG is also important.
from haulage trucks, a significant source time for customers to understand that in- At first glance, some projects may look vi-
of CO2 in many open-pit mines,” he said. tegrating a trolley assist system requires a able, but if the closest LNG terminal is
“This can only be achieved if digi- mine redesign and there are operational 1,000 kilometers away, then ongoing
tal, automation and electrification solu- implications around strategy, scheduling transportation and logistics costs can be
tions like trolley assist and automated and skill sets. significant. Aftermarket conversions can
charging systems for hybrid haul trucks Integrating a trolley system and also affect OEM and engine warranties.
are cost-competitive compared with ex- charging infrastructure also changes the Depending on the technology that’s
isting fossil fuel alternatives. For special- mine’s energy load requirements, often being retrofitted, a percentage of the
ist technology providers like ABB, that making them more volatile. It’s therefore truck’s diesel consumption is substituted

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with LNG; Green explained that the maxi- pler if mines could deal exclusively with and, where applicable, sustainable fuel
mum ratio GFS recommends is 70% LNG LNG but, to my knowledge, nobody offers substitutions, or accompanied by electric
to 30% diesel, although in reality, the mix 100% gas-fired engines for haul trucks motors, trolley assist and energy storage
is usually in the range of 40%-50% LNG yet; there are too many technological and as part of a hybrid solution.
with the balance made up by diesel. logistical limitations.” However, in the mid-long term (20+
“It depends on the duty cycle of the While most conversion projects are years), as miners begin to shrink their
haul truck and its operating mode,” he driven by cost savings, the emissions ben- carbon footprint and take more radical
explained. “Whenever the engine is op- efits that LNG offers are attracting more steps toward net-zero, the makeup of the
erating under mid- to high-load, that’s and more attention. global fleet will gradually begin to tip in
when it’s possible to optimize LNG sub- Green explained: “While some mining favor of electrified and fully-electric op-
stitution. When the truck is operating at companies are now pushing ahead with tions and, eventually, future technologies
light loads, idling or going down into the alternative fuels and/or technologies, we such as hydrogen.
pit, those modes are much less effective believe that the vast majority of mining It’s also worth remembering that, while
for diesel substitution.” machines will continue to use diesel for trucks are a very visible source of GHG
LNG has a lower energy density than the foreseeable future. Hybrid and bat- emissions, they are only one category of
diesel so, on a volume basis, it takes about tery solutions will become more com- equipment on site that’s responsible for
1.6-1.7 gallons of LNG to provide the monplace as those technologies contin- them. Excavators, dozers, crushing and
same amount of energy as 1 gallon of die- ue to develop.” milling equipment… all of these items
sel fuel. Because of this, more LNG must and more generate CO2 emissions, wheth-
be stored onboard the truck to provide the Haulage as Part of the er directly or indirectly, and therefore an
same performance as diesel. LNG storage Bigger Picture integrated approach to decarbonization
also requires specialized cryogenic tanks, In conclusion, the future of haul truck encompassing a long-term, reliable and
which can limit their location. power is a tale of two halves. In the short sustainable source of electricity, as well
Scheduling fleet activities to allow for to midterm — at least for the next 10 to as the appropriate power distribution and
refueling of both diesel and LNG is anoth- 15 years — the diesel engine will remain control systems are also crucial. Together,
er consideration. king of the global truck fleet, whether as these solutions offer a substantial oppor-
“That adds another layer of complex- the primary power option with accompa- tunity to make a step change in reducing
ity,” Green said. “It would be much sim- nying emission reduction technologies overall emissions from mining.

Caterpillar’s Zero-emission Ambition

Over the past 12 months, Caterpillar and its customers have ore reported an 11% reduction in fuel usage — resulting in a
signed a series of agreements to develop and deploy zero-emis- 4,740-ton-per-year CO2 emissions reduction — as well as an
sions mining equipment. 11% increase in hourly production, 50% higher maximum truck
The company is supporting Nouveau Monde Graphite to travel speed, and 35% improved tire life.
reach its goal of powering the Matawinie graphite mine in Qué- Over 500 autonomous trucks equipped with MineStar Com-
bec, Canada, with zero-emission machines by 2028. Caterpillar mand for hauling are now operating at 18 mine sites by 10
is the mine’s exclusive equipment, technology and services pro- companies, across three continents. Newmont recently joined
vider — developing, testing and producing an all-electric fleet the club, announcing it would introduce up to 16 autonomous
for the project. Cat haul trucks through 2023 at the Cripple Creek and Victor
In August 2021, following 12 months of discussions with mine in Colorado. In time, the miner plans to transition to an
BHP to analyze energy demands and possibilities for new tech- electrified fleet as part of its target to reduce its GHG emissions
nologies at the miner’s sites, the companies announced a part- by more than 30%.
nership to develop and deploy zero-emissions trucks to reduce Teck Resources is also looking to electrification as a means to
operational GHG emissions. reduce its carbon intensity. The company signed an agreement
And, in September 2021, Rio Tinto and Caterpillar signed a with Caterpillar in February to introduce 30 zero-emissions haul
memorandum of understanding to develop zero-emissions au- trucks at its mining operations. The companies said that decar-
tonomous haul trucks for Rio Tinto’s Gudai-Darri site in Western bonizing Teck’s vehicle fleet “represents a significant reduction
Australian. The collaboration will see Rio Tinto and Caterpillar in Scope 1 emissions as Teck works toward its goals to reduce
advance the development of the 220-metric-ton (mt) 793 auton- the carbon intensity of its operations by 33% by 2030 and be a
omous haul truck, including validation of Caterpillar’s emerging carbon-neutral operator by 2050.”
zero-emissions technology through a prototype pilot program, The companies plan to progress through a multiphased ap-
testing and pre-production trials. Following its success, 35 new proach that includes early development, piloting and deploy-
793 zero-emissions autonomous haul trucks will be introduced ment of 30 zero-emission vehicles, including Cat 794 ultra-class
at Gudai-Darri in a world-first deployment. trucks starting in 2027. Teck anticipates initially deploying ze-
Autonomous haulage offers many opportunities to create op- ro-emissions trucks at its Elk Valley steelmaking coal operations
erational efficiencies, including in fuel and energy consumption. in British Columbia, Canada. The operations are already pow-
And this, in turn, can play an important role in reducing the ered by a 95% clean electricity grid, making it an ideal location
carbon footprint of haulage. A recent five-year study by one of to introduce one of Canada’s first zero-emissions large haul truck
Caterpillar’s mining customers that is autonomously hauling iron fleets, with options for trolley-assist technology.

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