Wuxi-based conveyor systems major Boton has been consolidating and deepening some of its key partnerships with mining majors in recent weeks, with visits from both Hancock Iron Ore and BHP to its HQ.
A senior BHP delegation once again completed a tour of China, reconnecting with its own China-based teams, as well as customers and partners including Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group, XCMG and Boton, which BHP Chief Commercial Officer Rag Udd said “brought fresh clarity to both the opportunities ahead and the role we play in shaping them.”
He added: “A highlight was marking our Global Framework Agreement with Boton in Wuxi, an important step that takes our partnership beyond supply into co-developing more intelligent, efficient and lower‑carbon conveyor solutions for our operations.” Boton has supplied to date almost 600 km of conveyor belts to BHP’s operations in Chile and Australia.
The latest agreement builds on a comprehensive strategic collaboration that was announced in 2024 which aimed to take the partnership beyond supply of conveyor belt products to include a series of higher-level cooperation projects related to conveyor related intelligence and green initiatives.
Also present was Rashpal Bhatti, BHP’s Global Chief Procurement Officer; who was also in Wuxi in 2025 with Alejandro Tapia, President of Escondida copper mine – during that meeting, it was agreed that Boton would continue to supply high performance belting to BHP’s mines in Chile ie Escondida and Pampa Norte (Spence and Cerro Colorado).
Boton is also participating in Escondida’s pioneering project for the intelligent upgrade of the overall conveyor system at the mine. This includes the use of AI-powered automated monitoring, X-ray digital scanning and intelligent belt thickness measurement to establish a real time conveyor monitoring and maintenance early warning system.
Through the deployment of a comprehensive monitoring system and edge computing devices, this project has established a three-dimensional early warning and protection system for mine transportation systems, enabling real-time digital mapping of equipment operation status. Based on big data analysis and machine learning algorithms, the system can provide early warnings of equipment failures, significantly reducing the response time for repairs and improving the overall efficiency of the equipment. These advanced solutions are expected to safeguard multiple conveyor lines at the Escondida site, helping the mine achieve its operational goals of making bulk material transportation greener, safer, more efficient, and less costly.
In more detail, the AI-based longitudinal tearing monitoring system uses deep learning algorithms to detect tears with precision down to the millimetre level. The X-ray intelligent scanning system employs high-precision imaging technology to identify damage within the conveyor belt in real-time. The intelligent inspection robot is equipped with autonomous navigation and multi-sensor fusion capabilities, enabling continuous and uninterrupted safety inspections for 24 hours. The remote monitoring system for drones utilises 5G transmission and AI image recognition to provide comprehensive and three-dimensional monitoring of the transportation system.
Recently, a delegation led by Greg Hawkins, Chief Commercial Officer of Hancock Iron Ore (formerly Roy Hill), and including Chief Executive Officer Gerhard Veldsman, also visited the Boton headquarters to exchange views on conveyor system services, intelligent applications, and future cooperation opportunities. During the visit, the team toured Boton’s Hongshan Intelligent Manufacturing Base, with a particular focus on high-performance conveyor belts as well as Boton’s innovations and application practices in intelligent conveying technologies.
Boton team on recent visit to Roy Hill iron ore mine in Western Australia
Boton said it marked another milestone in the continued deepening of the long-term partnership between the two companies. Boton: “From mining and port operations in northwestern Australia to R&D and manufacturing facilities in Wuxi, China, Boton and Hancock Iron Ore have consistently strengthened collaboration around conveyor system reliability, efficient service support, and intelligent operational upgrades.”
During the exchange, both parties focused on high-performance conveyor belts, conveyor system reliability, on-site service coordination & intelligent maintenance solutions including demonstrations of quadruped robot inspection, belt rip detection, X-ray non-destructive inspection & automatic belt alignment technologies, via which the Hancock Iron Ore team gained further insight into Boton’s ongoing transition from conveyor belt supply toward system-level service capabilities and digitalised operational support.
Since 2022, Boton says it has continuously supported the operation of Hancock Iron Ore’s mining and port conveyor systems through high-performance conveyor belts and related services, while gradually expanding collaboration into intelligent monitoring and digital management platforms. Previously, the two parties signed a Conveyor Belt and Service Partnership Agreement to further strengthen collaboration across the full lifecycle management of conveyor systems. Through the deployment of intelligent monitoring equipment and digital platforms, both sides have continued exploring conveyor management models centred on TCO optimisation, helping mining operations achieve improved safety, higher reliability, and greater operational efficiency.