Newmont Corporation, the world’s largest gold mining company, has announced a strategic alliance with Caterpillar to deliver a fully connected, automated, zero carbon emitting, end-to-end mining system. Together, they will collaborate to create a safer, more productive mine, and substantially support Newmont in reaching their 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets of more than 30%, with an ultimate goal of being net zero carbon by 2050.
Under the agreement, Newmont plans to provide a preliminary investment of $100 million as the companies set initial automation and electrification goals for surface and underground mining infrastructures and haulage fleets at Newmont’s Cripple Creek and Victor (CC&V) mine in Colorado, U.S.A. and Tanami mine in Northern Territory, Australia. The goals include:
- Introduction of an automated haulage fleet of up to 16 vehicles at CC&V planned through 2023, with a transition to haulage fleet electrification and implementation of Caterpillar’s advanced electrification and infrastructure system with delivery of a test fleet in 2026. Actions include validating first-of-a-kind battery electric haulage technology in the years prior to full production of autonomous electric haulage equipment.
- Caterpillar will develop its first battery electric zero-emissions underground truck to be deployed at Tanami by 2026. The deployment includes a fleet of up to 10 battery electric underground haul trucks, supported by Caterpillar’s advanced electrification and infrastructure system. This includes first-of-a-kind battery electric haulage technology for underground mining in 2024, the introduction of battery autonomous technology in 2025, with full deployment in 2026.
Together, Newmont and Caterpillar plan to validate equipment, infrastructure, technologies and processes to transform both surface and underground mining, focusing on safety, automation, decarbonization, optimization, data and asset management across Newmont’s global operations.
Newmont’s surface and underground mining fleets are responsible for approximately 40% of the Company’s carbon emissions. Building a new model for surface and underground mining is critical to delivering on Newmont’s emissions reduction targets.
Newmont will also be supporting Caterpillar’s validation of evolving features and functionality within the MineStar suite to be deployed across Newmont’s surface and underground assets globally. This deployment facilitates centralized production and asset management.