SURFACE MINING TRUCKS
HYDRA ’ S FCEV mining truck stationary powertrain prototype was recently completed
fleet of trucks at a specific mine site . This will allow the mining company to achieve its decarbonisation goals , while promoting the development of renewable hydrogen in Chile , this being the first step to becoming a potential exporter of renewable H2 .
Added to that the HYDRA Consortium now has a new member – mining truck and mining excavator major Liebherr Group . It joins ENGIE ,
Mining3 , CSIRO Chile , Mitsui & Co ( USA ), Inc , Antofagasta Minerals , Thiess , Reborn , Ballard & Hexagon Purus . Liebherr has a large mining truck fleet in Chile at operations like Collahuasi and Radomiro Tomic and has openly stated its multipronged approach to helping the mining industry achieve its GHG emission reduction goals . It also has trucks operating with fellow consortium member and global mining contractor , Thiess which has the mentioned ongoing contract at the Centinela mine plus others such as at Mantos Copper ’ s Mantos Blancos operation .
On its path to zero emissions in its mining equpiment , Liebherr ’ s Oliver Weiss , Executive Vice President R & D , Engineering and Manufacturing said last year : “ We have decided to go forward in two steps , immediate and medium-term solutions and initiatives . Firstly , we will offer low carbon emission solutions such as electric drive for all trucks and excavator types , trolley assist and cable reeler beginning in 2022 . Additionally , the first renewable fuel option for the internal combustion engine drive train for machines with Liebherr combustions engines is available . And secondly , we will offer proven fossil fuel free mining equipment by 2030 at the latest . The equipment for digging , hauling and dozing will be based on different drive train technologies such as a battery power module , a H2 fuel cell power module and internal combustion engines with several further renewable fuel solutions depending on the equipment type .”
Fortescue ’ s hydrogen truck journey & WAE buy
Fortescue Metals Group recently entered into an agreement to acquire UKbased Williams Advanced Engineering ( WAE ) from EMK Capital and Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited for £ 164 million ($ 223 million ) in a deal that closed in early March 2022 and will , FMG says , enable it to accelerate and support the decarbonisation of its mining operations as well as establish an important new business growth opportunity . WAE will be vertically integrated into Fortescue ’ s diversified resources and green energy business and will be managed via Fortescue Future Industries ( FFI ), Fortescue ’ s green energy and green technology division .
Fortescue has worked closely with WAE since early 2021 to design and build a prototype battery system to power an electric mining haul truck , an important first step in the decarbonisation of its mining haul fleet , the miner said . Together , Fortescue and WAE will develop battery-electric solutions for Fortescue ’ s rail , mobile haul fleet and other heavy mining equipment , to accelerate the rapid abatement of diesel usage to achieve the decarbonisation of Fortescue ’ s mining operations by 2030 . In addition , Fortescue and WAE will work together to grow WAE ’ s green technology and engineering business .
One of the first major projects to be developed will be a world leading battery-electric train concept . The two are also working on a 240 t allbattery-electric truck that is in development . WAE has begun testing the cells of a battery that will power the battery-electric truck before performance testing at FMG ’ s Pilbara mining operations . Fortescue , as a foundation customer , will support the development and manufacturing of battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell power units with the goal for WAE to become a major player in the growing global market for heavy mobile equipment and rail .
On the FCEV side of things , FFI took a older 221 t class Terex Unit Rig MT4400 AC electric drive truck that it already had in its fleet and converted it into a running fuel cell electric vehicle ( FCEV ), powered by green hydrogen and battery power ,
FFI ' s FCEV mining truck at its Hazlemere facility in Perth
in only 130 days . The prototype is limited to 15 km / h for safe operation at the Hazelmere , Perth test facility due to the size of the yard but by late 2022 , FFI is aiming to test at Fortescue iron ore minesites both this FCEV hydrogen fuel cell truck as well as the mentioned 240 t all battery electric truck .
FFI Chief Executive Officer Julie Shuttleworth recently told IM : “ The MT4400 AC was chosen as the base truck for the FCEV project as it had achieved its end of life for mining , it was available and is a good donor truck for this type of work .” When asked what made it possible to achieve an operating FCEV truck in only 130 days , Shuttleworth commented : “ Stretch targets are nothing new for Fortescue , and at FFI we have approached this as we have done with other stretch targets – by setting targets that others would consider impossible and then leveraging from our experiences through engineering , trades , and leadership to work collaboratively together as a fully empowered and entrepreneurial team .” She added on whether the current ratio of fuel cell to battery power on the FCEV truck finalised : “ Fuel cell to battery power modelling has been done extensively , which is why we will continue to move quickly and deploy machines out in an operational environment to learn more .”
Shuttleworth accepted that there are several challenges that need to be solved in getting the hydrogen FCEV and all battery trucks up to current conventional truck capabilities , adding : “ We are leveraging off known technologies to overcome these challenges and enable the machines to equal , or better , current operational performance .”
XCMG launches new 400 t ultraclass model
Looking at the Chinese market , rolling off its production line recently was the 400 t ( metric ) class diesel-electric AC drive XDE440 mining truck , claimed as the world ’ s largest by Xuzhouheadquartered Chinese construction and mining equipment giant XCMG . XCMG stated : “ The XDE440 , the world ’ s largest rear-drive rigid
64 International Mining | MAY 2022