Reportedly, Rio Tinto and BHP will work with manufacturers Caterpillar and Komatsu to conduct independent trials of trucks, including testing of battery and static and dynamic charging systems, to assess performance of the vehicle in the Pilbara environment.
The collaboration reflects all the companies’ individual commitment towards net zero operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Trials will begin with two Cat 793 haul trucks from the second half of 2024, followed by the trials of two Komatsu 930 haul trucks from 2026 at the Pilbara mine sites. The Pilbara is Australia’s and the world’s mining heartland, producing a number of minerals. In FY2020-2021, the region was the world’s second-largest producer of bauxite and the third-largest of gold. These commodities contributed around US$15 billion (A$23 billion) to the Australian economy.
The Pilbara is also famous for iron ore mining, producing over 800 billion tonnes in FY2021.
Japanese aluminium buyers recently agreed to pay premium above $170/t for Q3 shipments
