Epiroc and Fortescue, this week, announced the handover of Australia’s first Pit Viper 271 E (PV271E) electric-driven blasthole drill rig at MINExpo 2024 in Las Vegas.

Marking a key milestone in Fortescue’s decarbonisation journey, the PV271E will soon be deployed at Fortescue’s Pilbara iron ore operations making it the first electric PV271 in Australia to operate on a mine site.

This versatile drill rig is designed to enhance productivity while eliminating the need to operate on diesel. With the ability to drill single-pass holes up to 18 m deep and 270 mm in diameter, the drill rig has a 34 t bit load capacity, ensuring reliable operation across diverse mining conditions, Epiroc says.

Enhanced automation features also maximise safety and productivity, making the PV271 a crucial step forward for reducing emissions in mining practices.

President of Epiroc’s Surface Division, José Manuel Sánchez, said: “For Epiroc, partnering with Fortescue to deliver Australia’s first electric-driven autonomous Pit Viper drill is a milestone achievement in our shared pursuit of a zero-emissions, sustainable mining industry. The electric-driven Pit Viper 271E, equipped with advanced automation features, will play a vital role in making mining more sustainable while ensuring safety and productivity.”

Fortescue Metals CEO, Dino Otranto, said: “At Fortescue, we’re moving at speed to decarbonise our iron ore operations by deploying a green mining fleet and locomotives. The deployment of the electric Pit Viper marks another milestone in our decarbonisation journey and the first step in our ability to deploy zero emissions blasthole drill rigs across our sites. By acquiring the Epiroc PV271 we’re proving that the technology for zero emissions mining is here now.”