Vale Expands Fleet of Caterpillar Autonomous Haul Trucks

Vale will expand its fleet of autonomous Caterpillar haul trucks operating in the company’s Northern System iron ore mines in the Carajas region of Para, Brazil. The expansion will roll out over the next five years at the Serra Norte and Serra Sul units, with the goal of improving operational efficiency, strengthening safety performance, and supporting sustainability targets.

Vale will also implement a workforce development plan to prepare employees for new digitally focused roles.

Read today’s top news.

The Northern System currently operates 14 autonomous haul trucks with capacities up to 320 tons. Under the new agreement, the fleet is expected to grow to approximately 90 autonomous trucks by 2028. The units will use Cat MineStar Command for hauling and will include models capable of carrying up to 400 tons.

Vale said the initiative represents a significant operational shift. Autonomous haulage removes workers from high-risk areas, supports more inclusive working environments, and improves efficiency.

The company reports that other autonomous deployments have delivered up to 15% gains in operational performance and up to a 7.5% reduction in fuel use, contributing to lower carbon emissions. Since autonomous operations began in the Northern System in 2019, more than 260 employees have been trained for new digital and supervisory roles.

“The use of autonomous transport technologies in our operations in the Northern Corridor is a fundamental strategy to strengthen our culture of operational excellence and prepare our teams to lead the challenges of increasingly efficient, competitive, and sustainable mining,” Carlos Medeiros, VP of operations, said in a statement.

“By integrating autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, and advanced data analysis, we are modernizing our mining operations in the Northern Corridor, becoming a global benchmark in smart mining, promoting the transformation of the industry, and connecting us to international best practices,” Rafael Bittar, VP, technical, said in a statement.

“We’re proud to introduce Cat Command for hauling at Vale’s Carajas site,” said Marc Cameron, SVP at Caterpillar, in a statement. “By equipping Vale’s haul trucks with our autonomous technology, we will be delivering scalable solutions that meet their needs across a mixed fleet.”

The project’s expansion at Serra Sul will operate alongside Vale’s established truckless system, which uses long-distance belt conveyors to move ore without fuel consumption and with reduced carbon emissions.