In its just published updated 2022 Climate Report, global copper miner Freeport McMoRan (FCX) reveals that in mid-2023, it approved a new project to convert the fleet of 33 Caterpillar 793 haul trucks at its Bagdad mine in Arizona to become fully autonomous over the next three years. This conversion project will make Bagdad the first US mine with a fully autonomous haulage system.
The mining company continues: “This project is expected to optimise our fleet, improve operating efficiency and contribute to safety by removing our people from this area of the operation. The first two years of the conversion project will be spent retrofitting the existing haul trucks with autonomous technology, installing new supporting equipment and infrastructure, and training our workforce to safely operate and service the new technology. In the third year, the autonomous haul trucks are expected to come online.”
By embracing this technology, Bagdad’s GHG emissions from haul trucks are projected to decline as a result of reductions in idle time and overall efficiency improvements. Manned trucks often have to sit idling for, among other things, operator breaks, shift change, fatigue and coaching. Preliminary estimates indicate that FCX will be able to reduce idle time by more than 10,000 hours per year.
But the automation is also linked to long term electrification plans. “Although full electrification of haul trucks on a large scale is still years in the future, autonomous haul truck technology is an important step toward electrification. Rather than waiting for electrification technology to be developed and attempting to embrace it all at once, by transitioning Bagdad now, we believe we will be able to learn more about autonomous technology and how to leverage that technology before battery-operated haul trucks are introduced.”
“We look forward to partnering with Caterpillar to become the first US copper mine to implement a fully autonomous haulage system and are excited about the numerous benefits it will bring to our Bagdad operation and employees,” said Kathleen Quirk, President, Freeport-McMoRan. “The three-year conversion project is expected to improve safety, optimise our fleet, reduce GHG emissions through reduced idle time and position us to capitalise on future technological advancements in electrification.”
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Command for hauling, Caterpillar has more than 620 autonomous trucks operating with 15 customers on three continents. While operating autonomously, these trucks have hauled more than 6.3 billion tonnes (6.9 billion tons) of material and travelled more than 230 million km (143 million miles) without causing any reported injuries.
“We are pleased to collaborate with FCX as they transition to fully autonomous haulage at Bagdad,” said Denise Johnson, Group President of Caterpillar Resource Industries. “The Cat 793 haul truck remains Caterpillar’s most popular autonomous truck model and is well proven to enhance safety, increase productivity, and reduce idle time across multiple operations, including copper mines. Additionally, Caterpillar continues to work with Freeport, and other mining companies, to introduce new electrification technologies supporting their sustainability objectives.”
Elsewhere, looking at its wider truck fleet in the Americas, Freeport, traditionally a user of mechanical drive trucks, is evaluating diesel-electric, ultra-class haul trucks to potentially integrate into its decarbonisation roadmap for its open-pit mines. It states: “These high-payload-capacity, diesel-electric haul trucks can add value through reduced fleet sizes which can support improved operating efficiencies and reduced unit costs.”
As part of its evaluation process, FCX has commissioned seven 400-ton class diesel-electric trucks – four from Caterpillar (798 AC) and three from Komatsu (980E) – for use at its Cerro Verde operations in Peru. “As the trucks operate and generate critical data on haulage variables such as fuel efficiency and timing, we are leveraging the learnings for ourselves, and we are sharing the data and learnings with Komatsu and Caterpillar to help inform future models and drive continued innovation.”
It adds: “The diesel-electric trucks can also provide us with a more flexible platform for the future as we evaluate and consider enabling technologies, such as trolley assist systems. When diesel-electric trucks are coupled with these technologies, we estimate fuel consumption could be reduced by 20% to 30% compared to mechanical-drive trucks.”
In 2022, Freeport joined Caterpillar’s Early Learner program and Komatsu’s GHG Alliance, which are focused on the development and advancement of zero- emissions mining trucks and other potential decarbonisation solutions. Each program outlines a potential equipment decarbonisation roadmap for haul trucks, which currently accounts for a significant portion of FCX’s Scope 1 emissions. “The programs are designed to support companies as electrified equipment and supporting electrical infrastructure and technologies are deployed at our sites, while simultaneously accelerating the development of viable solutions with a focus on safety, cost, production and decarbonisation.”
