This article is 4 years old. Images might not display.
WesTrac has delivered and commissioned the first few autonomous Cat 793F trucks onsite.
The autonomous trucks are the first to be applied in the gold mining industry, although other big miners BHP and Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group have had similar vehicles across their respective iron ore projects for some time.
Newmont made the decision to introduce autonomous haulage last year, investing US$150 million in the 29-vehicle fleet.
The company said the haulage systems would improve safety and productivity, as well as extend the life of the Boddington mine.
According to Newmont the trucks should generate an internal rate of return of more than 35% due to more controlled and efficient haulage.
"Newmont has acknowledged that the understanding and maturity of autonomous haulage systems in Western Australia is world-leading, and when combined with the extensive experience across the WesTrac team, the company sees the delivery timeline as readily achievable," WesTrac technology general manager Alister Macpherson said.
Newmont's workforce is being trained to manage the vehicles at WesTrac's education facility in Collie.
The global mining automation market is expected to reach US$6.2 billion by 2025, according to Grand View Research.
