The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
Rio Tinto, Cat working together on next-gen mining trucks Metal Tech News - September 15, 2021
Caterpillar and Rio Tinto have teamed up to develop and deploy around 35 Cat 793 zero-emissions autonomous haul trucks to Rio Tinto's Gudai-Darri iron mine in Australia.
Caterpillar Resource Industries Group President Denise Johnson and Rio Tinto Chief Commercial Officer Alf Barrios sign an agreement for the development of Cat 793 zero-emissions autonomous haul trucks.
Rio Tinto and Caterpillar have entered into an agreement to develop and deploy around 35 Cat 793 zero-emissions autonomous haul trucks to Gudai-Darri, an already technically advanced iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
"Our ambition to reach net-zero emissions across our operations is a priority," said Rio Tinto Chief Commercial Officer Alf Barrios. "Reaching this ambition will require new and innovative solutions and partnerships with supplier partners like Caterpillar. This collaboration represents a small but important step on that journey."
Partnering with its mining customers to develop equipment and technologies that make mines more sustainable is being highlighted in the "Together, we're mining better" theme of Caterpillar's exhibit at MINExpo 2021.
"That certainly reflects Caterpillar's commitment to helping our customers mine more efficiently, safely, and sustainably," Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Jim Umpleby said during a Sept. 14 presentation at the mining show in Las Vegas.
Read more about the Caterpillar technologies on display at MINExpo at Caterpillar committed to better mining in the September 15, 2021 edition of Metal Tech News.
Toward this dedication to collaboration, Caterpillar has signed a memorandum of understanding to develop its future 220-metric-ton 793 zero-emissions autonomous haul truck.
To validate Caterpillar's emerging zero-emissions technology, this partnership will progress a series of development milestones to include a 793 prototype pilot program, testing, and pre-production trials.
"We look forward to working together to validate these zero-emissions haul trucks in just a few years' time," said Barrios. "The advanced technology at Gudai-Darri puts it at the forefront of new mining operations globally and we look forward to adding Caterpillar zero-emissions haul trucks to the site."
Once the development and trial phase is complete, it is anticipated that approximately 35 new Caterpillar 793 zero-emissions autonomous haul trucks will be in operation at Gudai-Darri.
"By leveraging these technologies across their sites, Rio Tinto can more safely increase productivity, efficiency and be more sustainable," said Caterpillar Resource Industries Group President Denise Johnson. "We are pleased to be part of Rio Tinto's sustainability journey and look forward to building on our long-standing collaboration."
In June, Rio Tinto announced it would deploy the world's first fully autonomous water truck at Gudai-Darri, which will also be produced by Caterpillar. The global miner is also assessing multiple project scopes for Gudai-Darri Phase 2 as part of an ongoing $44 million prefeasibility study for the technologically advanced iron mine in Western Australia.
With more than 16 years of covering mining, Shane is renowned for his insights and and in-depth analysis of mining, mineral exploration and technology metals.
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