Mining and the use of heavy equipment to unearth minerals

Caterpillar The heavy equipment used in mining continues to evolve. Among the many factors are efforts toward continuous improvements in safety, reduced costs, developing functionality and integration among existing equipment, working toward more efficient and less energyconsuming mines, and developing lighter vehicles that require less energy to function. Many of today’s original equipment manufacturers (OEM) have these in the forefront of their endeavors as they work toward more efficient and effective equipment for mines within the context of inflationary pressures, supply-chain challenges and geopolitical considerations around the globe. Battery-electric trucks and autonomous mining are key targets. Mining Engineering (ME) reached out to some of the major players to gather their perspectives on what is happening in the industry. ME conducted question-and-answer sessions with Caterpillar and Komatsu and received feedback from Hitachi, Liebherr and Sandvik. Presented here are some of these companies’ responses. Caterpillar Denise Johnson, group president, resource industries and Marc Cameron, senior vice president, resource industries sales, services and technology of Caterpillar responded to Mining Engineering. ME: What is Caterpillar’s timeline for the development and introduction of battery-electric, zero-emission trucks? Johnson: Our development timelines for battery-electric trucks align with our customers’ timelines. To do this, we created our Early Learner Program, which currently comprises seven mining customers: BHP, Freeport- McMoRan, NMG, Newmont, Rio Tinto, Teck and Vale. The program is designed to accelerate our development process so we’re working with these customers to test and validate the trucks directly at their sites. Starting in early 2024, we will have “early learner” trucks at customer sites where we’ll refine the requirements and do process development and product and technology validation. The pilot phase will begin in 2025 with the goal of validating multiple trucks at the site, focused on fleet optimization, autonomy and infrastructure learning. We plan to begin with full production starting in 2027. ME: What truck models will be emissions free? Johnson: Many of our mining customers have made public goals to reduce or eliminate carbon emissions from their operations. In support of these commitments, many of these same miners have signed collaboration agreements with us to develop a battery-powered large mining truck for their operations. We have announced plans to develop battery-electric 793 and 794 large mining trucks as part of these agreements. We also announced with Newmont we will develop our first battery-electric underground truck. Additionally, as part of our own 2030 sustainability goals, we announced that 100 percent of our future products will be more sustainable than the previous generation. ME: Is there other equipment, such as underground machines, that are included in the plans? Cameron: Underground mining is an early adopter of electrification. Given the depths of the mines, the intense temperatures below the surface, and other challenging conditions underground, it is an ideal environment to deploy battery-electric machines to solve these customer problems. We launched our R1700 XE battery-electric underground loader at MINExpo in 2021 and announced the development of its counterpart battery-electric truck, which we will develop as part of our collaboration with Newmont. We are excited to provide this complete, battery-electric underground load-andhaul solution for the industry. ME: Where will the new trucks be deployed? Where will they be tested? Cameron:As part of the Early Learner Program, we’re working with these seven customers to place the trucks, the infrastructure and the technology on their sites to allow us to validate the extremes: long-haul, haul roads, deep pit, high altitude, extreme hot and cold conditions. The objective is to ensure comprehensive testing in varying operations to support the mining industry across the globe once we go into full production. Caterpillar’s next-generation 785 offers a new integrated speedcoaching feature to give feedback on how to most productively operate the truck. It is designed for efficiency and equipped with features that automate functions. ME: How does Caterpillar fit in the global move to a green economy? Johnson: The energy transition brings great opportunity for Caterpillar and our mining customers. The transition will require more electric vehicles (EVs), battery storage, wind and solar power, grid modernization and stability. These solutions require a significant amount of critical minerals, such as copper, lithium, nickel and cobalt, and other commodities. To satisfy this increasing demand, mining companies will need to expand their footprints, open new mines and enhance utilization. We expect miners to increase capital spending, and Caterpillar’s technologies are designed to support reduced emissions while improving efficiency, automation, productivity and equipment utilization. ME: Who builds the EV batteries for Caterpillar equipment? What is Caterpillar’s outlook for sourcing the minerals and materials needed for EV batteries? Johnson: We are planning integrated CAT battery solutions for our zero-emission products. We recognize the advantage of fully integrating the battery and power management system, as we see it as integral to a highly productive and cost-effective solution for our customers. We also recognize the importance of a secure supply chain as we introduce our sustainable products and solutions and are actively working the endto- end value chain. ME: What is the status of Caterpillar’s autonomous plans? How many of Caterpillar’s autonomous vehicles are currently battery powered? Cameron: Caterpillar’s leadership in mining autonomy continues to progress as the team achieved an industry first in September reaching more than 5 Gt (5.5 billion st) of material moved autonomously. But what is more important is that it has been achieved with zero lost time injuries. Safety remains a top priority for our customers, and we are happy to help support them on this continuous journey. Caterpillar has more than 560 trucks (spanning the 200 to 370-t, or 210-st to 410-st class) running autonomously at 24 sites with 13 customers on three continents. The fleet has grown more than 40 percent in the past two years, and some customers are realizing up to a 30 percent increase in productivity combined with up to 20 percent cost reduction. We’ve announced plans to expand autonomous hauling to the 140-t (154-st) Cat 785 truck class to accommodate the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron greenfield site. It is the first lithium-boron greenfield site in the United States. None are battery powered at this time, but we do have electric-drive models. Our autonomous solutions now manage oil sands, copper, gold, coal, lithium and phosphate mines. We expanded our autonomous solutions to other support equipment like dozers, drills, underground load haul dump (LHD) and water trucks. The value proposition continues to improve, with as few as 10 to 15 trucks for a positive value proposition, enabling us to scale autonomy into smaller sites with fewer trucks. We are also working with mining customers on changes to mine design, length of mine life and other factors to improve overall value. Autonomy provides good synergy with electrification, and we have already expanded our autonomous solutions to other support equipment, such as dozers, drills, water trucks and underground loaders. ME: The power requirements for running a mine site are going to be much greater in the future with many sources of power generation and storage needed. How is Caterpillar working with its customers to find solutions for these needs? Johnson: The energy transition will fundamentally change the way our customers mine in the future. The energy required to run a mine site moving forward is going to be far greater than what it is today. There’s likely to be many more sources of power generation and storage on the mine site in the future; for example, renewables combined with energy storage solutions that could include battery or hydrogen or other reciprocating and gas turbine energy generation. Miners will have to consider where to source renewable energy to power the site, how much power they will require to manage the peaks and remain stable, as well as an overall charging and energy management strategy. The combination of key technologies including automation, connectivity and electrification will also be critical to maximize the site outputs. This will require holistic site solutions, which Caterpillar is uniquely positioned to deliver, given the breadth of our portfolio offerings including machines, technologies and energy solutions. Patrick Singleton Komatsu Patrick Singleton, product director, electric drive trucks, Jim Krellner, director of battery center of excellence, and Martin Cavassa, business development manager, autonomous systems for mining technology solutions of Komatsu responded to Mining Engineering. ME: What is Komatsu’s timeline for the development and introduction of battery-electric, zero-emission trucks/equipment? Singleton: Komatsu has a thorough development plan including an existing batterypowered truck at the Komatsu Arizona Proving Grounds (AZPG). The intention is to continue to develop an understanding of the overall system and give battery technology the opportunity to mature as we work on the development of the future truck platform and accompanying infrastructure. Although Komatsu currently has a battery test truck, we envision that we will begin to release diesel-electric hybrid models in 2025 and all-electric models in 2026. Krellner: All Komatsu underground softrock machines and some underground soft-rock haulage machines (battery haulers and scoops) are battery powered. Battery haulers have a lithium-ion battery (LIB) option for industrial mineral applications. Plans are underway for all underground hard-rock machines to ultimately have electrified options. The first to market will be the ZJ/B32B followed by the ZJ/B21B and WX04B. ME: What truck models/equipment will be emissions free? Singleton: The intention is to eventually make the entire product line all-electric capable where it makes sense economically. ME: Is there other equipment such as underground machines that are included in the plans? Singleton: Komatsu is evaluating the entire product portfolio to determine where full electrification makes sense. We already have a significant portion of our products hybridized and electrified with the electric-drive wheel loaders and electric mining shovel product line. Those principles can apply across the board from a loading tool perspective. ME: Where will the new trucks be deployed? Where will they be tested? Singleton: Early testing will be completed at AZPG with future testing completed at various customer mine sites. Final locations are still being determined. ME: How does Komatsu fit in the global move to a green economy? The Komatsu 980E-5 electricdrive mining truck in operation at Komatsu Arizona Proving Grounds. Singleton: Komatsu focuses on aligning with five of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals, including goal 13: climate action, which urges us to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. To do so, we are taking action across our value chain to move toward cutting our carbon emissions in half by 2030. We have the goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. ME: Who builds the EV batteries for Komatsu equipment? What is Komatsu’s outlook for sourcing the minerals and materials needed for EV batteries? Singleton: As we continue to monitor the progress of battery development, Komatsu is evaluating several different potential battery suppliers. Battery supply will be as much about the performance characteristics of the battery as the ability to provide reliable supply of components for manufacture and support of our haul trucks. Krellner: Komatsu underground soft-rock machines currently utilize EnerDel LIBs on its battery haulers and Komatsu has announced a collaboration with Proterra for LIBs on its underground hard-rock machines. While Komatsu doesn’t manufacture the battery cells, we work closely with our supplier partners to make sufficient and ethically sourced cells available for our products. ME: What is the status of Komatsu’s autonomous plans? How many of Komatsu’s autonomous vehicles are currently battery powered? Cavassa: Electrification of Komatsu’s autonomous haul truck models is tracking closely with Komatsu’s electrification development initiatives across its entire electric-drive truck lineup. Komatsu is expecting its first autonomous trolley-assisted truck model to be available within the coming year and extending that capability to all autonomous haul truck models the year after. Longer term, it is envisioned that Komatsu’s battery-electric truck offerings, as they become available, will be fully autonomous capable. ME: The power requirements for running a mine site are going to be much greater in the future with many sources of power generation and storage needed. How is Komatsu working with its customers to find solutions for these needs? Singleton: There is no question that power requirements from previously diesel-powered equipment will put a greater demand on the overall power supply and utilities. Komatsu is focused on understanding truck interoperability with a variety of both static and dynamic charging options. As we work to freeze the design requirements on these first-generation trucks (and infrastructure), we will have a better feel for the impact of electrified haulage on mine site power requirements overall. For Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., the road to zero emission for today’s mine sites hinges on the efficient use of energy. Electrification and energy management are two key focus areas. Next-generation batteries Caterpillar recently introduced prototypes for 48-V, 300-V and 600-V batteries for the power needs of its third-party OEM off-highway applications. The battery range harnesses lithium-ion technology and a modular design for performance and packaging. The use is for inverters, motors, electronic controls, digital services and other critical technologies designed to deliver performance, reliability, durability, maintainability and long-term value to equipment buyers working in harsh operating environments. Caterpillar has committed that 100 percent of its new products through 2030 will be more sustainable than the previous generation. The new batteries are designed to support industrial power customers during the energy transition to a lower-carbon future; they are also engineered for potential reuse and recycling at end of life. BHP, Caterpillar and Finning International recently announced an agreement to replace BHP’s entire haul truck fleet at the Escondido Mine, where there are currently 160 haul trucks. The mine is the world’s largest copper producer, located in northern Chile. The agreement will include new Caterpillar 798 AC vehicles, an electric-drive truck that features the latest technology and promises significant improvements in material-moving capacity, efficiency, reliability and safety. Energy transition Hitachi sees the demand for minerals continuing to increase as they are vital to the batteries, computer chips and technical devices powering the emerging energy transition. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies are also pushing mining solutions that consider these factors as companies try to meet the growing demand for critical minerals. Some of the world’s largest mining companies are driving toward carbon neutrality and sustainable mining, and Hitachi said it believes electrifying mobile machines can have a large environmental impact and help companies to meet these goals. Hitachi is developing solutions to reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in its mining equipment while continuing to research and develop cleaner technologies. The company has well-established expertise in the electrification of mine-site equipment with ultralarge hydraulic excavators wired for electric power and AC-drive haul trucks. Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. (HCM) recently announced a collaboration with Swissbased ABB, which has strength in electrification, automation and digital technologies for mining machinery. ABB has experience throughout the mining process, including with mining equipment management solutions. Together, the companies are working to achieve net-zero emissions and innovative products that improve efficiency and scalability of mine sites. One of the first projects in their collaboration is the development of a battery-electric haul truck that will use trolley assist to charge onboard batteries while simultaneously providing energy to power the truck. According to ABB, mining trucks regularly carry 3,000 to 5,000 L (792.52 to 1,320.86 gal) of diesel and consume 300 to 400 L/h (79.25 to 105.67 gph) while traveling up a 17-km (10.56- mile) ramp in 30 minutes. By going electric, the vehicles on-trolley use around 30 to 50 L/h (7.93 to 13.21 gph), saving as much as 350 L/h (92.46 gph). “Battery solutions have been part of Hitachi Limited’s rail portfolio for more than 10 years, so applying this rail/battery technology from our corporate network to transition HCM’s truck lineup is a natural progression,” said John Schellenberg, mining product manager for HCM. “I believe that electrification is not only possible with today’s technology, but it can also achieve a better commercial rate of return than conventional techniques in a number of applications.” A battery-electric haul truck, for example, could use battery power to travel between the trolley, the loading site and the dump site. The trolley would then recharge the battery while simultaneously powering the truck. One benefit of a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) system is that it is capable of more than 70 percent efficient use of energy when calculating from generation to material mover compared to a standard haul truck that might run at 35 percent efficiency. And although every mine site has unique challenges with differing haul lengths, the biggest difficulties going forward will be energy storage and management. The approach needs to be beyond simply electrifying its product lineup. Hitachi believes mine sites not only need to focus on fuel consumption and efficiency, but also on digitization and automation. Hitachi launched in January 2022 the ConSite Mine, which introduced internet-of-things technology and artificial intelligence to provide data that can improve operating efficiency and may contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emissions. ConSite remotely monitors mining machines 24/7, giving insight into machine performance and operability, and helps dealers and customers predict maintenance issues before they occur. The Fortescue Future Industries team working on the T 264 in Australia. The Liebherr Mining Assistance Systems are advanced onboard products and applications designed to support operators to become more efficient through analytics. Carbon neutrality Some of the world’s largest mining companies are driving toward carbon neutrality. Mining is energy intensive, and almost every part of the process consumes fossil fuels. Large mining companies are adopting ESG policies, and there is a push to create more sustainable mining solutions in the move toward meeting the growing demand of critical minerals. Some of the more progressive mine sites are already moving toward electrification and are exploring renewable power options, like solar arrays, to complement traditional power sources. One of the first steps a mine can take toward reducing carbon emissions is to reduce its diesel fuel consumption. While Hitachi sees diesel engines here for the foreseeable future due to their power density, flexibility and widespread availability, emerging technologies and electrification can provide opportunities to reduce carbon emissions and start down the path toward net-zero emissions. According to McKinsey & Co.’s 2021 article on “Creating the zero carbon mine,” 40 to 50 percent of carbon dioxide emissions come from diesel fuel used in mobile equipment and another 30 to 35 percent of emissions come from the production of nonrenewable electricity. While emissions vary widely across the broad range of mine sites, haul trucks are responsible for most of them. Hitachi has been a leading proponent of electrification. The company was selected in March 2022 to be a constituent of the MSCI Japan ESG, a major ESG investment index that looks at the top 500 Japanese companies by market capitalization and targets best ESG performers relative to their sector peers. Hitachi has been working to achieve carbon neutrality of its factories and office sites by 2030, and carbon neutrality through its entire value chain by 2050. The world’s largest batteryelectric truck for underground mining, the Sandvik TH665B, is set to make its Australian debut at the International Mining and Resources Conference in Sydney, Australia this month. Tackling decarbonization Liebherr-Mining has 50 years’ experience in design manufacturing and support of mining machinery. Liebherr announced a partnership with Fortescue Metals in June 2022 to create zero-emission mining equipment. As part of the agreement, Liebherr will integrate zeroemission power system technologies being developed by Fortescue Future Industries and Williams Advanced Engineering into its T 264 haul truck. The phased supply of trucks is expected to commence following a two-year joint development effort. The development period will allow for integration of Fortescue’s proprietary-owned battery-electric and fuel-cell electric power system into Liebherr’s proprietary-owned base truck. Liebherr will use its OEM expertise in the design and manufacturing of machinery and machinery core technology, such as electric drive systems, engines, hydraulics and electronics to engineer, manufacture and supply the new mining haul trucks. The Liebherr-Fortescue partnership tackles the challenge of decarbonizing heavy mobile equipment in the mining industry, supports global initiatives to reduce emissions, and allows each company to achieve their respective commitments to address global emissions. “This project provides an excellent opportunity for us to accelerate the integration of clean-energy battery and fuel-cell power systems into our mining equipment, which supports our vision and defined strategy to offer future zero-emission equipment with the best suitable power train technologies,” said Oliver Weiss, chief technology officer of Liebherr- Mining. “As a leader in green technologies for the international heavy industry and a worldclass mining owner-operator, Fortescue is an ideal partner for decarbonized mining equipment and technology initiatives, sharing the same vision as us.” “A mining product that will be developed through a close partnership of two tier-one companies, including access to the latest zeroemission technology, will create an immense industry opportunity and demand,” said Jörg Lukowski, executive vice president for sales and marketing of Liebherr-Mining. “It also supports our future investment as we expand Liebherr’s already extensive manufacturing capability, including at our truck facility in Newport News, VA, and of course into our service and support network in Australia.” Fortescue chief executive officer Elizabeth Gaines said, “The signing of this contract with Liebherr marks a significant step in the delivery of our industry-leading decarbonization target to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.” “We are on a march to achieve net zero by 2030, strengthening the economics of our business and making our products acceptable to a zero-pollution future,” Fortescue chair and founder Andrew Forrest said,“Every day our Fortescue and FFI family take forward the technology, hard work and willpower of going green, the world mining industry takes one step closer to being the first globally leading industry to go fully green.” Liebherr was set to unveil its latest hydraulic mining excavator model at Bauma 2022 in Munich, Germany in October. This is the introduction of a new mid-size class generation 8 hydraulic excavator equipped with the latest Liebherr technology products. The excavator has entered the testing phase, and the company expects to start production in early 2024. Liebherr will also showcase the T 274 in Munich, a 305-t (336-st) machine that provides fast cycle times, higher production rates, low fuel consumption and a low cost per tonne. A range of options are available for the T 274 and the entire Liebherr haul truck product line, including the trolley assist system and the next generation of interoperable machine automation solutions, both of which will be showcased at Bauma. Sandvik is an engineering group working in mining and rock excavation, metal-cutting and materials technology. The company invests in research and development and has deep knowledge of industrial processes and digital solutions. Sandvik sees sustainability as a driving force behind technology advancements for mining in automated and electric mining equipment. It is positioning itself to help in the move toward ecologically and economically efficient rock-processing solutions for its customers. The TH665B, the world’s largest batteryelectric truck for underground mining, will make its Australian debut at the International Mining and Resources Conference in Sydney in November. The TH665B will then head to Western Australia for a trial with Barminco and AngloGold Ashanti at Sunrise Dam gold mine. The 65-t (72-st) truck’s lithium iron phosphate battery and electric driveline deliver 640 kW of continuous power with zero emissions underground. Sandvik believes battery-electric vehicles are essential to help mining companies reduce emissions. The company is also rolling out new solutions for development drills and advanced simulation packages. A single drill for multiple and different applications is in the mix, and being able to use a single drill for boring, bolting and meshing improves flexibility for customers and increases commonalities in spare parts, service principles and ease of use. In September, Sandvik announced expansion of its plant in Turku, Finland, where it is incorporating the manufacture of battery-electric vehicles for underground mining. The expansion is estimated to be completed in the second half of 2023, and the entire plant for load and haul will be enhanced and modernized. The investment in Turku is more than 10 million euros and is in response to increasing demand for load and haul equipment and the industry’s increasing trend toward electrification and digitalization.

Mining and the use of heavy equipment to unearth minerals

Authored by:
Nancy Profera

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To view the past issues of the UCA magazine you must be a member of SME/UCA.

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