Source : BUSINESS NEWS
Two battery-electric haul trucks have been polished up to showcase progress made by Australia’s two largest miners to decarbonise their Pilbara operations.
BHP, Rio Tinto, and Caterpillar started trialling the battery-electric Caterpillar haul trucks at the Big Australian’s Jimblebar mine in the Pilbara earlier this year.
The trucks have clocked up about 100 hours of operation and more than 200 test laps to test their safety and technology chops, and maintenance requirements.
On hand for the demonstration were WA Premier Roger Cook, Mines Minister David Michael, Pilbara MLA Kevin Michel, Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA chief executive Aaron Morey, a busload of Rio Tinto, BHP and Caterpillar staff, and another busload of media.
But as much as the day was hosted to highlight ambition, it also served as a message about the enormous task ahead to decarbonise the Pilbara’s largest two iron ore miners.
Caterpillar resource industries product management vice president Thad Litkenhus said replacing diesel machinery required more than just new trucks.
“There are three other dimensions that are equally, if not more important, and that’s the people, the processes and the infrastructure that it takes to run these trucks,” he said.
“What it really means is upskilling workforces, it means thinking about developing new site processes and procedures, and we have to build out the charging infrastructure with the mining customer sites.
“One of the fundamental problems when you think about the viability of transferring energy onto a truck and keeping that truck being productive is keeping the tires rolling.”
The Caterpillar early learner trucks are two of 600-plus haul trucks the two miners operate in the Pilbara.
A larger fleet would likely be needed to account for downtime while charging, a process which even at its speediest takes longer than refuelling with diesel.
One solution BHP, Rio Tinto and Caterpillar are looking at is charging-on-the-go technology.
That is a divergence from Fortescue’s direction, where fast-charger technology has been developed which can reportedly recharge a battery-electric Liebherr haul truck in 30 minutes.
The F word was barely mentioned amid commentary about Pilbara miners working together.
Andrew Forrest’s miner has been pressuring BHP in recent weeks on its Pilbara decarbonisation credentials.
BHP Australia president Geraldine Slattery played a straight bat when asked about diesel fleet replacement and renewable energy infrastructure.
“Decisions on fleet and infrastructure is something that we’ll consider as we de-risk and understand what’s needed in solving the technologies and the operation here, so that’s too early to talk to the specifics in that,” she said.
Ms Slattery said the miner was on track to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, from 2020 levels.
Rio Tinto iron ore chief executive Matthew Holcz said Rio was open to learning from all parties.
“If I step back and look at the Pilbara, it’s got an amazing track record,” he said.
“You think about automation in mining, I think the Pilbara really led the way, whether it’s automation of trucks, of drills, of trains, as well.
“We have got an opportunity with battery electric haul trucks as well.”
Making the Caterpillar trucks truly green will require renewable energy. Rio Tinto has a large swath of land earmarked for such purposes but has so far worked with Yindjibarndi Energy to contract power for its sites.
BHP is now looking at Yindjibarndi Energy as a source for its electrons too.
Fortescue aside, the Pilbara’s other renewable energy proponents are yet to green light their projects.
- The journalist is a BHP shareholder
