AngloGold Ashanti continues its journey towards net zero with the introduction of a 100% electric loader at the Cuiabá Mine in Sabará, Minas Gerais. The initiative is in line with the company’s decarbonisation strategy to achieve a 30% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030, from a 2021 baseline and is part of the journey to net zero Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2050.

Compared to the traditional diesel version, the new Epiroc Scooptram ST14 SG is zero carbon. Running on battery power, the miner says the loader will reduce diesel oil consumption by approximately 9,120 litres per month, which corresponds to a reduction of 500 kg in CO2 emissions during a six-hour shift and a 285-ton reduction over the course of a year.

The fleet electrification project is to be expanded to Cuiaba Mine’s other loaders after this pilot test phase. The equipment has the potential to bring an 8% increase in loading productivity, as a result of the gain in speed and displacement generated by the instantaneous torque. It also has systems with minimal heat and noise emission rates, increasing employee safety.

The Cuiabá complex includes the Cuiabá and Lamego underground mines and the Cuiabá and Queiroz plants. Ore from the Cuiabá and Lamego mines is processed at the Cuiabá gold plant. The concentrate produced is transported by aerial ropeway to the Queiroz plant for processing and refining. Total annual capacity of the complete Cuiabá circuit is 1.75 Mt. The Queiroz hydrometallurgical plant also produces around 1900,000t of sulphuric acid as a by-product, which is sold commercially in local Brazilian markets.