Industrial, Sourcing Renewables  -  September 17, 2021

Rio Tinto and Caterpillar Develop Zero-Emission Mining Work Truck

Rio Tinto and Caterpillar announced Sept. 14 that they are partnering on the development of zero-emission autonomous haul trucks.

The two companies completed a memorandum of understanding in which Rio Tinto will help Caterpillar continue the development of its 220-ton 793 zero-emission truck for use in one of Rio Tinto’s Western Australian mining operations. The project will also include the validation of Caterpillar’s zero-emissions technology and would supply the Guadi-Darri iron ore mine with 35 new zero-emission Caterpillar trucks.

“Our ambition to reach net zero emissions across our operations is a priority,” Alf Barrios, Rio Tinto’s chief commercial officer, said in a statement. “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. We look forward to working together to validate these zero-emissions haul trucks in just a few years’ time. 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.”

Together, Rio Tinto and Caterpillar will conduct a pilot program, testing and pre-production trials before deploying the trucks at the mines.

Rio Tinto is assessing multiple project scopes for Gudai-Darri Phase 2 as part of an ongoing $44 million pre-feasibility study.

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