The next generation of underground mine trucks will be born from a new partnership between Epiroc and Gold Fields Australia.
Both companies entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) yesterday to develop an innovative diesel-underground mine truck, the Minetruck MT65 E-Drive, with the aim of having a prototype at the Gold Fields’ Granny Smith mine in WA at the start of 2024.
This collaboration combines the traditional combustion engine truck with an electric drive system technology, thereby reducing diesel consumption and increasing operational productivity.
“Epiroc has set ambitious sustainability goals for 2030 including halving our CO2 emissions, and our innovation agenda goes hand in hand with our customers’ sustainability agenda,” said Sami Niiranen, President of Epiroc’s Underground division.
“We are proud to partner with Gold Fields in the development of a future-proof, low emission mine truck in the large segment that will support them in reducing their emissions as well as overall TCO, without compromising on safety and productivity,” Mr Niiranen said.
Gold Fields’ Executive Vice President Stuart Mathews highlighted the alignment of sustainability targets as a key driver for the partnership.
“Gold Fields is committed to its decarbonisation targets and we have been a leader in the Australian mining sector at integrating renewable energy and battery storage into our operations,” he said.
“This agreement with Epiroc broadens that emissions reduction focus to our underground vehicles and equipment.
“We are pleased to be partnering with a company like Epiroc who are investing in technical solutions that support our target of reducing carbon emissions while maximising our potential from current assets like Granny Smith through innovative solutions.
