Caterpillar and its dealer Finning International will replace the entire fleet employed at BHP Group’s Escondida mine in northern Chile. The mine’s strategic equipment renewal process calls for all 160 haul trucks to be replaced over 10 years.
Escondida is the world’s largest copper producer, according to Caterpillar.
The new 798 AC electric drive trucks will feature technology that delivers significant improvements in material-moving capacity, efficiency, reliability, and safety, the company says.
The first trucks are expected to arrive at the mine in the second half of 2023.
The agreement also allows the mine to accelerate the implementation of its autonomy plans by transitioning the fleet to include technology that enables autonomous operation. In addition, the agreements set forth a technological path that helps the mine meet its decarbonization goals, through the progressive implementation of zero-emission trucks.
“This agreement…will allow us to generate significant efficiencies at the operational level,” said James Whittaker, president of Escondida, in a prepared statement.
“The Caterpillar team is excited to support the successful deployment of machines and technology that will facilitate a step-function improvement in BHP’s operational excellence,” said Denise Johnson, group president resource industries, Caterpillar, in a statement.
Source: Caterpillar
