Australia's first battery-powered Cat 793 XE Early Learner electric dump trucks have arrived at the Jimblebar iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, marking the start of large-scale testing of zero-emission heavy mining equipment.
The project is part of a unique collaboration between BHP$BHP (-1,36%)Rio Tinto $RIO (-1,04%)
$RIO (+0,43%) and Caterpillar $CAT (-3,04%) and aims to test the viability of electric drives as an alternative to diesel fuel in large iron ore mines.
Once the safe commissioning phase has been completed, the machines will be put into operation under real production conditions. As part of the tests, the companies will not only evaluate the technical characteristics of the dump trucks, but also the readiness of the associated infrastructure: charging systems, energy management, stability of the power supply and component supply logistics. The data obtained will form the basis for planning future mines with low greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the companies, the decarbonization of mining in Pilbara is only possible with technological breakthroughs and accelerated investment in research and development. For this reason, BHP and Rio Tinto are working with Caterpillar and the support of WesTrac to prepare their fleets for a large-scale transition as quickly as possible.
Based on the results of joint testing, each company will decide separately on the transition to extended testing and commercial implementation of the technology. The project is part of BHP and Rio Tinto's long-term strategy to achieve zero operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, making it one of the most important steps in the green transformation of the mining industry.
》A reminder《
BHP Group increased its iron ore production by 1% year-on-year to 263 million tons in financial year 2024/2025 (ending June 30). The production forecast for the 2025/2026 financial year is estimated at 258 to 269 million tons.
Rio Tinto reduced ore production at its Pilbara operations by 1% year-on-year to 328 million tons in 2024. For 2025, the company expects to ship 323 to 338 million tons of raw materials.
