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Mining Tech / Autonomous Mining


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  • Cat 793 haul truck rounds a bend on its way to be loaded at the Bagdad Mine.

    Autonomous Cat trucks coming to AZ mine

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Nov 15, 2023

    Freeport partners with Caterpillar to convert fleet of 33 mining haul trucks at Bagdad copper mine in Arizona to autonomous Cat MineStar models. Bringing the autonomous mines of the future one large step to present-day reality, Freeport-McMoRan is converting the 33 human-driven, 250-ton Cat haul trucks at its Bagdad copper-molybdenum mine in Arizona to a fleet of the latest self-driving trucks built by Caterpillar. "We look forward to partnering with Caterpillar to become the...

  • Self driving autonomous mining loader glass labyrinth underground mine

    Robotic mines of the future are here

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Jun 8, 2023

    Minerbots unite! With an arsenal of lasers and explosives able to reduce mineral-rich bedrock to rubble before morphing into trucks, loaders and other heavy equipment to deliver ore to processing plants that extract the sought-after metals, the Transformers of movie fame would make great miners! While today's mines do not currently employ Optimus Prime-like automatons to produce the metals the world needs and wants, they have developed non-transforming robots on a grandiose...

  • A Komatsu mining truck hauling copper ore at the Los Bronces Mine in Chile.

    Komatsu autonomous trucks at Chile mine

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Apr 16, 2023

    Komatsu Ltd. will be showcasing its FrontRunner autonomous haulage system at Anglo American's Los Bronces open pit copper mine in Chile. Coupled with Komatsu's DISPATCH fleet management system, the FrontRunner autonomous technology for mining trucks has an established 14-year track record of increasing productivity, lowering maintenance costs, and improving safety at mines. FrontRunner was first commercially installed on trucks at the Codelco's Gabriela Mistral copper mine in...

  • A Cat loader dumps iron ore into a Scania autonomous mining truck.

    Will autonomous trucks shrink mines?

    Shane Lasley, Mining News|Updated Oct 18, 2022

    Rio Tinto, Scania are reimagining mining with more agile and efficient self-driving truck. Will the automation and electrification of mining trucks shrink the size of equipment used to dig up and haul ore and waste rock at mines around the globe? Rio Tinto believes it could and has teamed up with Scania to develop more energy-efficient and agile autonomous haul trucks at the Channar iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. "Rio Tinto is excited to partner...

  • A view from inside the cab of an autonomous Cat mining truck.

    Self-driving Cat trucks speed past milestone

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Sep 27, 2022

    Autonomous Cat mining trucks surpass 5 billion metric ton mark Accelerating at an accelerating rate, Caterpillar Inc.'s mighty mining trucks have now autonomously hauled 5 billion metric tons of material at mines around the globe. This self-driving milestone comes just nine months after the "Yellow Iron" manufacturer reported that its trucks equipped with Cat MineStar Command for hauling surpassed the 4-billion-metric-ton mark. Currently, more than 550 mining trucks are...

  • The shores of Qinngorput, a district part of the capital of Greenland, Nuuk.

    Amaroq signs autonomous equipment MOU

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Aug 30, 2022

    Leading vehicle automation provider ABD Solutions has signed a memorandum of understanding with Amaroq Minerals Ltd. to investigate the potential for introducing autonomous mining systems for vehicles at a gold mine Amaroq hopes to develop at its Nalunaq project in Greenland. The long-term goal of the MOU is to provide a framework for ABD Solutions to deliver the support, software, and hardware solutions needed for the company to operate a diverse range of automated equipment...

  • A photo of a Sandvik underground haul truck deep inside a tunnel.

    Oyu Tolgoi goes underground, autonomous

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Jul 12, 2022

    Rio Tinto is leveraging the safety and productivity advantages of Sandvik's autonomous mining equipment as it heads underground at the enormous Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in the South Gobi Desert region of Mongolia. Oyu Tolgoi, which began operations as an open pit mine in 2013, produced 359.4 million pounds of copper, 468,000 ounces of gold, and 977,000 oz of silver last year. Turquoise Hill Resources, a company that is majority-owned by Rio Tinto that operates Oyu Tolgoi,...

  • Caterpillar autonomous heavy haul truck water truck record 2021 milestone

    Cat autonomous trucks set new record

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Jul 12, 2022

    Caterpillar Inc.'s enormous autonomous mining trucks hauled 1.2 billion metric tons of ore, waste, and other materials during 2021, a world record that will likely only stand for a year as more mining companies turn to the safety and efficiency Cat autonomous haulage has to offer. Autonomous trucks equipped with Cat MineStar Command for hauling, a solution developed by Caterpillar for fully integrated autonomous mining systems, are hauling iron ore, oil sands, copper, coal,...

  • Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions Exyn Technologies automated drones PDAC

    Glimpse of mining future unveiled at PDAC

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Jul 10, 2022

    The future of automated underground mining – where drones self-navigate through a labyrinth of underground mine workings and send back high-accuracy 3D data that can be used to guide autonomous mining equipment – is closer than you think. Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions (formerly Sandvik Mining and Rock Technologies) and Exyn Technologies Inc. offered Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention attendees a glimpse of the mining autonomy horizon...

  • Caterpillar ioneer autonomous truck mining Rhyolite Ridge Nevada MineStar

    Cat, ioneer build autonomous partnership

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Jul 10, 2022

    Australia-based ioneer Ltd. has signed a memorandum of understanding with Caterpillar Inc. to further pursue the use of a fleet of Cat autonomous trucks at the future mine at ioneer's Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project in Nevada. Ioneer and Caterpillar recently completed a joint study to explore the benefits of early adoption of the Cat Command autonomous haulage system at Rhyolite Ridge. Recognizing that fully integrated autonomous haulage could significantly improve...

  • Autonomous mining Block caving Newcrest Ltd. Australia Aaron Brannigan

    Autonomy makes block cave mining safer

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Jul 10, 2022

    Newcrest Mining Ltd.'s Cadia East gold-copper-molybdenum mine in Australia is a bit safer with the integration of a remote operated MacLean water cannon into the fleet of automated equipment there. Mining water cannons, essentially water hauling trucks with a high-pressure water jet, are used to blast out wedged rocks that get lodged in underground block cave mining drawpoints. Block caving is a relatively new underground hard rock mining technique that involves mining under...

  • Autonomous battery electric underground loader technologies

    Sandvik joins sustainable mining group

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Jul 10, 2022

    Sandvik has added its name to a group of Swedish mining, equipment, and technology companies working together to create the digitized, autonomous, and carbon dioxide-free mine of the 21st century. Already leading the global charge when it comes to the development of autonomous and electric powered underground mining equipment, Sandvik has join Sustainable Underground Mining, a collaboration put together by Swedish iron miner LKAB in 2018. LKAB put together this group known as...

  • Sandvik Innovation in Mining Virtual Event autonomous mine technology

    Sandvik reimagines the underground mine

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Jul 10, 2022

    From electric loaders with self-swapping battery packs to complete autonomous mining systems, Sandvik is reimagining the future of underground mining. The Sweden-based leader in underground mining equipment unveiled their avant-garde vision for mining at the Innovation in Mining Virtual Event on Sept. 29. During this online event, Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology introduced AutoMine Concept, a fully autonomous and operational electric-powered underground loader that is...

  • ControlMaster G dash remote autonomous mine equipment display

    Evolution of autonomous gold mining fleet

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Jul 10, 2022

    RCT, an Australia-based autonomous solutions specialist that delivers products and support to clients in 71 countries around the globe, said it has successfully commissioned the underground loader fleet at Evolution Mining's Mungari gold mine in Western Australia with RCT's proprietary ControlMaster automation technology. "RCT's automation solution was previously established at one of Evolution Mining's other projects and is now helping the Mungari operation further optimize...

  • Sandvik autonomous underground mining equipment Exyn Technologies drones

    Global mining robot leaders join forces

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Jul 10, 2022

    Two world leaders in mining robotics – Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology and Exyn Technologies Inc. – have formed a partnership that is expected to set the standard for fully autonomous underground mining. A world leader in mining automation, Sandvik has been implementing digital mining solutions for more than two decades. The global mining supplier offers both underground mining equipment and advanced systems for autonomous and remote operations of equipment. Sandvik's...

  • Automous mining trucks Zyfra sensors Huawei 5G network SUEK coal mine Russia

    Russian coal miner puts 5G to the test

    A.J. Roan, For Metal Tech News|Updated Jul 10, 2022

    SUEK, among the world's largest coal and energy companies, is testing autonomous trucks using 5G network at its Chernogorsky open pit mine in Khakassia, Russia. A pilot project at the coal mine in southern Russia is testing the potential of 5G to network 130-ton BELAZ-7513R equipped with an autonomous haulage system developed by Zyfra, a Finnish-Russian industrial digitization leader. The trucks are part of the Zyfra Intelligent Mine system, a mining automation platform that...

  • Rio Tinto autonomous mining haul truck sensors allow for predictive maintenance

    Predictive maintenance dodges downtime

    A.J. Roan, For Metal Tech News|Updated Jul 10, 2022

    Advanced wireless sensors are being developed to accompany automated vehicles in next-generation artificial intelligence-operated heavy machinery in mining and other sectors, to help predict malfunctions before they arise. With a fleet of futuristic self-driving equipment being set up to operate standalone, a system for maintenance of these vehicles is necessary to circumvent untimely failures. Typically, standard preventative maintenance is applied, which is just routine...

  • Roy Hill Epiroc executives sign autonomous mining equipment conversion deal

    Roy Hill crosses threshold toward autonomy

    A.J. Roan, For Metal Tech News|Updated Jul 2, 2022

    Roy Hill, an iron mining company with operations in Western Australia's Pilbara region, has signed a deal with global mining equipment and service provider Epiroc, and automation specialist ASI Mining to convert 77 of their human operated fleet of trucks and excavators to autonomy. Taking a different approach to the future, Roy Hill has chosen to modify their existing fleet and give them a futuristic upgrade. Epiroc and ASI Mining will collaborate to meet Roy Hill's...

  • Komatsu autonomous bulldozer remote control operated Minas-Rio ProVision

    Komatsu tests remote control bulldozer

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Apr 5, 2022

    Bulldozer operators at mining operations may soon be trading in the loud and jarring cabs of these large earthmoving machines for remote-control consoles in air-conditioned offices. Komatsu Ltd. is testing such remote-control dozer technology at Anglo American's Minas-Rio iron ore mine in Brazil. Under an agreement between Brazilian subsidiaries of the two companies, a tele-remote Komatsu D375Ai-8 dozer that weighs in at 72.9 metric tons and is able to push 22 cubic meters...