Innovation is revving up in the mining industry, with several big caps rolling out revolutionary battery technology overseas, including Rio Tinto, Fortescue and Newmont.
Rio Tinto will partner with China’s State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) to demonstrate battery swap electric haul truck technology at the Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia.
Battery swapping technology allows a battery-electric vehicle to quickly exchange a discharged battery pack for a fully charged one, instead of recharging the vehicle at a static charging station.
The technology is already applied on haul trucks in mining operations across China, and this collaboration will enable Rio Tinto to demonstrate a complete battery-electric truck and charging ecosystem at one of its operations.
The two-year project will demonstrate eight mining haul trucks (91t payload), 13 batteries (800kWh) and a robotic battery swap and charging station in non-production activities in the aboveground operations at Oyu Tolgoi.
Rio Tinto operates about 700 haul trucks across its global operations, of which 100 are classified as small or medium class (100-200t payload), meaning the outcomes of this project could be felt across the company’s portfolio as the company aims to reach its net-zero by 2050 target.
Rio Tinto chief decarbonisation officer Jonathon McCarthy says by partnering with the SPIC, the company will be demonstrating the latest technology and innovation available in China and assessing its potential to help decarbonise operations quickly and cost effectively.
“This demonstration will allow us to explore applications for battery swap technology that deliver more flexibility and less downtime than current static charging technologies,” he said.
“This work will complement the electrification pilots of ultra class mining haul trucks planned for the Pilbara.
“We look forward to partnering on more opportunities in the future to apply China’s innovations to the global resources sector and contribute to the world’s low-carbon transition.”
Technical experts from Rio Tinto and Oyu Tolgoi have worked closely with SPIC and truck manufacturer Tonly to adjust equipment design to align with Rio Tinto electrical and truck safety requirements.
The trucks will perform tailings dam rehabilitation work and topsoil movement and be operated and maintained by Oyu Tolgoi personnel.
Each battery is expected to last up to 8 hours, depending on the work performed, and the battery swap process takes around 7 minutes, enabling increased use of the equipment through minimal charging downtime.
The first truck is ready to arrive at Oyu Tolgoi this year and the remaining seven trucks, along with the battery swap and charging infrastructure, will be in operation by mid-2025.
Newmont receives first battery-electric large mining truck
Over in the U.S., Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) has commissioned its first battery-electric large mining truck at the Cripple Creek and Victor (CC&V) mine in Teller County, Colorado.
The vehicle, dubbed the Early Learner Cat® 793 XE, is an important milestone for Newmont, made possible through its strategic alliance with Caterpillar.
Newmont chief operating officer Natascha Viljoen says the arrival of the Early Learner Cat 793 XE underscores the company’s ongoing commitment to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its business.
“As we look toward the future, our focus remains on creating a safer and more productive mining environment and this battery-electric large mining truck is one more step we are taking to further advance our safety and sustainability commitments,” she said.
Currently, surface and underground mining diesel combustion machines are responsible for a significant portion of Newmont’s carbon emissions.
Caterpillar resources industries group president Denise Johnson comments on the achievement.
“As the mining industry navigates the energy transition, we know a diverse set of solutions will be required for our customers to achieve their operational and sustainability objectives,” she said.
“We are excited about our collaboration with Newmont and working with them to truly understand the implementation and impact of the Early Learner 793 XE at CC&V.”
Newmont and Caterpillar will focus on validating and testing the Early Learner 793 XE, providing insights into how mining operations can incorporate battery-electric large mining trucks.
Fortescue Zero kicks off U.S. manufacturing with Marine Battery Pack
Fortescue Zero (ASX: FMG) has announced its plans to begin operations at its U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Centre in Detroit, by producing a high-voltage (HV) Marine Battery Pack, made using its Scalable Battery Module technology.
The HV Battery Pack is the first product using Fortescue Zero’s Scalable Battery Module technology, which is planned to underpin multiple standardised and customised battery packs for customers across the mobility sector.
Advanced marine propulsion expert EVOA is the launch customer and will use the Marine Battery Pack as part of their high-performance marine powertrain.
Fortescue Zero’s Scalable Battery Module creates a flexible and easily scalable solution that can be used across the mobility sector, including marine, leisure and automotive applications.
Fortescue Energy chief executive Mark Hutchinson says Fortescue Zero is uniquely positioned with the expertise and experience to deliver the solutions needed to provide the zero emissions power systems to a wide range of sectors eager to decarbonise.”
“The Marine Battery Packs we have designed and will manufacture for EVOA in Detroit is just the beginning of what is possible with the technology we have created,” he said.
“Our Scalable Battery Module product is flexible and adaptable for a range of products and markets.
“We’ve pushed innovation and engineering to the limit everywhere from racetracks to mine sites and now our customers get to see the benefits of our real-world experience and get a neat solution for their battery needs that helps minimise investment and risk in their design and development program.
“Fortescue’s Advanced Manufacturing Centre is also the perfect place to deliver these products.
“It is a fresh start for the birthplace of the automotive industry, bringing a new generation of manufacturing projects that will help decarbonise business and heavy industry, and in turn create a strong future for manufacturing jobs in the United States.”
Construction began last year on refurbishing the site of Fortescue’s U.S Advanced Manufacturing Centre, preparing it to become a major production hub of automotive, marine and heavy industry batteries, fast chargers and other green technologies.
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