Komatsu has its 300thth Global mining giant Rio Tinto has delivered an autonomous transport system (AHS) truck for its Pilbara operations in Western Australia, marking a major milestone for mining automation. This achievement marks the continuation of a long-standing partnership between the two industry giants, which began in 2011 with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the deployment of 150 AHS trucks.
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Thirteen years later, the collaboration is still strong, with both Rio Tinto and Komatsu committed to driving the adoption of automation in mining. This latest addition to Rio Tinto’s fleet underscores the company’s ongoing efforts to improve efficiency and safety through advanced technology.
Garry Povah, General Manager of Mining Automation at Komatsu Australia, said: “We have been an industry leader in mining automation since we started the Rio Tinto trial in 2008.”
“We delivered the first five AHS trucks to Rio’s mine sites in Australia in 2011 and it is incredible to see how much the company has embraced this technology over the years and how it has helped make its mines safe while also being highly productive.”
“AHS trucks are a critical solution both for mine safety and for addressing the industry’s labor shortage.”
“By removing human operators from potentially hazardous environments, AHS forklifts significantly reduce the risk of accidents and injuries and enable continuous operation, significantly increasing productivity on site.”
“The AHS fleet at Rio Tinto’s sites has completed 8.9 million operating hours and moved over 4.8 billion tonnes of material – while improving the effective utilization of their sites by 15 percent – a remarkable achievement.”
Rio Tinto’s 300 autonomous transport system (AHS) trucks are currently deployed across ten of its Australian mine sites and contribute around 80 percent of the company’s daily production capacity.
Jamie Sanders, Global Head of Procurement at Rio Tinto, said: “This significant milestone is an excellent example of the partnership approach Rio Tinto takes with its suppliers.”
“Komatsu has been a fantastic partner in helping us improve our health, safety and efficiency operations.”
“From the first test in 2008 to our collaboration with Komatsu today, they have played an important role in accelerating the automation of our mining processes. We look forward to continuing our collaboration in the future.”
