Archives: Automation

Global copper, gold and moly miner Freeport McMoRan has just published an updated version of its Climate Change report for 2021, in which it firmly outlines its commitment to an electric future for its mining fleets. Entitled “Electrifying the future” in the opening statement, Richard C. Adkerson Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer[…]

Metso Outotec is launching NextGen Pelletizing™, a visionary concept for the next generation of pelletising plants that, it says, strive to be carbon-neutral and autonomous. This concept is a part of the company’s Planet Positive offering focused on environmentally efficient technologies. Attaul Ahmad, Vice President, Ferrous and Heat Transfer business at Metso Outotec, said: “NextGen[…]

Mining giants BHP, Rio Tinto and Vale are establishing a Mining Taskforce within CharIN, supported by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM). The partners said the future of electric mine haul trucks is one step closer to reality with global mining giants and manufacturers collaborating on interoperability standards to decarbonise haul truck fleets. CharIN[…]

Austmine has been appointed as Consortium Manager to the new BluVeinXL Project, providing its members with a central and independent management body. Austmine will support BluVein in engaging with leading global mining companies to join as funding members and assist in accelerating the next generation dynamic fast charging technology to a pilot demonstration. Austmine’s Director,[…]

Epiroc says its new Boomer E10 and E20 mark another breakthrough for automated face drilling rigs, offering “outstanding” operator assistance features, optional battery-electric driveline for zero-emission tramming, and “great” flexibility and coverage. Besides being compact enough for mine development, both drill rigs feature BUT 45-booms with telescopic feed beams. These powerful booms fit a wide[…]

Anglo American has announced the start of commercial copper operations at its Quellaveco project in Peru, following the successful testing of operations and final regulatory clearance. Quellaveco is expected to produce 300,000 t/y of copper-equivalent volume on average over its first ten years. The milestone follows unloading of first ore to the primary crusher in[…]

The OZ Minerals Board has greenlit the build of the West Musgrave copper-nickel project in Western Australia, paving the way for the development of a remote asset using dry grinding technology, autonomous haulage and a significant volume of renewable power. West Musgrave is set to become OZ Minerals’ fourth operating asset when it starts producing[…]

Roughly nine months after reaching the 4-billion-tonne (4.4-billion-ton) autonomously hauled milestone, trucks equipped with Cat® MineStar™ Command for hauling have now moved over 5 billion tonnes (5.5 billion tons), the OEM says. Cat autonomous trucks are on pace to eclipse previous record totals of materials hauled in a calendar year, projected to be more than[…]

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions today introduces its AutoMine® Concept Underground Drill, the company’s second technology demonstrator for its future autonomous mining vision. The AutoMine Concept Underground Drill is a fully autonomous, twin-boom development drill rig capable of drilling without human interaction. The cabinless battery-electric drill can plan and execute the entire drilling cycle from[…]

Stantec says it has been selected by Resolution Copper Mining LLC to deliver a $16 million feasibility study providing engineering and technical services for the Resolution Copper mine in Superior, Arizona. The proposed underground mine, a joint venture between Rio Tinto (55%) and BHP (45%), has the potential to be one of the largest producers[…]