Adani Mining, the company behind the $16.5bn Carmichael coal project in Australia, has placed an order with Komatsu for 55 units of its 960E-2 and 930E-4SE super-large dump trucks, due for delivery in the second half of 2016.
Earlier this year, it was revealed by Adani Mining CEO Jeyakumar Janakaraj that the project is being planned as the world’s first fully autonomous mining operation incorporating mine, railway and port.
“We will be utilizing at least 45 360-tonne driverless trucks. All the vehicles will be capable of automation. When we ramp up the mine, everything will be autonomous from mine to port,” he noted.
Komatsu first equipped its 930E-4 electric drive trucks with autonomous haulage systems in 2008 to supply to Codelco’s Gaby copper mine in Chile and later Rio Tinto’s Pilbara iron ore operations in Western Australia.
The deal with Komatsu is one of the last remaining pieces for the project, after Adani contracted Downer EDI to work on the mine infrastructure, and POSCO to handle the EPC for a new rail line connecting the project to existing transport links.
Adani is expected to sign deals for the coal handling plant and mine construction later this year.
Upon completion, the mine is expected to produce 60 million tons of coal a year, with an estimated operating life of 90 years. It is expected to deliver 10,000 jobs and $17bn in taxes and royalties by the time the project reaches its half-life.
