Vale and Caterpillar have signed an agreement to test large battery electric trucks and energy transfer systems, along with ethanol-powered trucks, to help Vale achieve its goal of cutting scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 33% by 2030 and hit net zero by 2050.
No doubt Australian miners will be watching the trials with interest, particularly the battery electric ones. While the ethanol trial may be useful in Brazil, Australia lacks the support infrastructure to make it a viable proposition in its mines.
A Caterpillar-developed battery electric 240t payload truck will be tested at Vale's Minas Gerais iron ore mine.
Caterpillar is also developing energy transfer solutions for trucks, which will be tested at the mining company's operations in Pará over the next few years.
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The two companies will also develop a joint study on a dual-fuel solution for haul trucks operating on ethanol and diesel.
Diesel emissions from mine operations account for 15% of Vale's direct carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions.
Haul trucks are the biggest consumers of diesel in the mining fleet and, therefore, the largest contributors to emissions.
Vale energy and decarbonisation director Ludmilla Nascimento said the company was developing a portfolio of options to decarbonise its operations including electrification and using alternative fuels.
"The most viable solutions will be adopted," Nascimento said.
"We believe ethanol has great potential to contribute to the 2030 target because it is a fuel that has already been adopted on a large scale in Brazil, with an established supply network and which requires an active partnership with manufacturers."
Vale director of engineering for mine and plant operations José Baltazar said there had been significant development in electric truck technology in recent years.
"We are offering our mines in Brazil as a testing ground, with their very specific characteristics, in order to contribute to achieving our goals and building a cleaner mining industry," Baltazar said.
Caterpillar Resource Industries group president Denise Johnson said she looked forward to continuing working with Vale as Caterpillar launched its next generation of mining solutions.
"Voice of customer is a critical element of Caterpillar's product development process and Vale has been a key voice throughout our long history of collaborating on technology and product developments," Johnson said.
