MINING TRUCKS
Some of the Inner Mongolia North
Hauler NTE240 trucks at the factory
in Baotou before shipment to
Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi
Pushing payloads
From the latest ultraclass haulers to hit the market, more
automonous fleet introduction & refrofitting plus growing
trolley interest, Chinese OEM developments & alternatives to
diesel, Paul Moore gives a uniquely comprehensive market
review of the mining truck world in 2020
he latest additions to the ultraclass line-
ups from the major OEMs such as
Caterpillar’s 798 AC, Komatsu’s 980E and
Hitachi’s EH5000AC-3 are now bedding in at a
number of major operations while at the other
end of the mining truck payload scale, the new
100 t class machines like Volvo’s new R100E are
also gaining traction. Looking at truck
automation, new projects continue to be
announced in all the major mining hubs as it
moves into the mainstream plus as independent
technology providers advance the retrofit market.
Even some major contractors are looking to offer
autonomy as part of their services. Some
technical advances with AHS systems as well the
“OEM agnostic” view are covered in a separate
autonomy report in this issue with input from
Caterpillar, Komatsu, Zyfra Mining, ASI Mining
and contract miner U&M.
Another trend to mention is the resurgence of
trolley assist continuing – perhaps the easiest
medium-term option in the move to reducing
emissions. But all the major OEMs, and some of
the major miners, are also working on the road to
zero emissions for surface mining truck fleets,
with everything from hydrogen fuel cell trucks to
hybrids incorporating batteries or even full
battery trucks, under development or
consideration. Caterpillar even has a name for its
project, which is referred to as “Project Verde”
and for which more news can be expected at
MINExpo 2020.
Finally, perhaps the most interesting latest
trend. After years of trending to larger trucks,
miners have started evaluating different sized
T
26 International Mining | APRIL 2020
mining trucks combined with autonomy as part of
an effort to determine the most cost-effective size
for a given operation. Basically, with the much
higher availability of auto trucks, then the same
productivity can potentially be achieved with
more smaller trucks, with savings made on
maintenance and lower aftermarket costs. Maybe
not the “swarms” of small cabless trucks that
some dream about, but smaller trucks all the
same.
New truck automation projects
There have a been a number of notable
announcements in this regard. Two recent ones
worth singling out are those at Roy Hill and at
Boddington. Newmont’s Boddington operation, in
Australia, is to become the world’s first open-pit
gold mine with an autonomous haul truck fleet
after the miner’s Board of Directors unanimously
approved investment in an Autonomous Haulage
System (AHS) from Caterpillar.
The move, which will enhance safety and
productivity and is expected to be fully
operational in 2021, will also see the Boddington
mine life extended, according to Newmont.
Tom Palmer, President and Chief Executive
Officer, said: “Not only does Boddington continue
to deliver strong performance, our investment in
autonomous haul trucks will generate an internal
rate of return greater than 35% with a more
controlled and efficient haulage operation.
“We are also uniquely positioned in the gold
sector to support effective implementation and
operation of the fleet thanks to the technical
capabilities and previous experience of leaders in
our business. Simply put, Boddington will be a
safer, more productive world-class gold mine in a
top-tier jurisdiction.”
Total net investment in Boddington’s AHS will
be $150 million, with efficiencies expected to
extend the mine’s life by at least two years,
Newmont said. The project will involve adding
some new AHS-enabled Caterpillar 793Fs to the
haulage fleet and retrofitting some existing
793Fs with AHS capabilities, a Newmont
spokesperson confirmed. The company said it
also saw additional upside potential from the
replication of the AHS at other Newmont
operations.
The company said: “Boddington’s autonomous
Caterpillar haul trucks will feature rigorous safety
controls that reduce employee exposure to
potential vehicle interactions. No injuries have
been recorded from AHS operations since their
introduction into the mining industry.”
Newmont said it is also executing a “robust
people strategy” at Boddington, providing
opportunities for reskilling and redeployment of
haul truck drivers to other roles supporting the
AHS.
ASI Mining has signed a subcontract with
Epiroc to supply its autonomous haul truck
solution to Roy Hill in Western Australia. This
signing follows the recent award by Roy Hill to
Epiroc, a global leader in mining equipment and
drill automation, as the prime contractor for the
project.
For its part, ASI Mining will supply the
technology and systems to convert Roy Hill’s
mixed fleet of 77 haul trucks from manned to
autonomous operation. The project also includes
integration with fleet and other mining
management systems. For vehicle conversions to
drive-by-wire capability, ASI is utilising its partner
Danfoss, a major supplier of hydraulics and
electronically controlled components for haul
trucks, and recognised market leading supplier of