IM 2020 April 20 | Page 28

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