Cat demonstrates electric underground mining truck prototype

Caterpillar recently demonstrated its first battery electric prototype underground mining truck for Newmont Corporation, a Colorado, US, mining company.

Caterpillar and Newmont employees gather at a demonstration of Cat’s new battery electric mining machines. Photo: Caterpillar

The electric battery and semi-autonomous unit serves as an underground companion to the recently unveiled electric surface mining unit, which Cat released in 2022.

The underground prototype was developed with input and support from Cat customers and Newmont. The companies are working together to satisfy Newmont’s stated vision of a “fully connected, automated, zero carbon emitting, end-to-end mining system.”

When paired together with Cat’s R1700 XE electric loader, the underground prototype and loader complete Cat’s first fully electric underground load and haul solution.

“This is a milestone for the entire Caterpillar team as we work closer than ever with Newmont to provide more sustainable choices for the underground mining industry,” said Denise Johnson, Caterpillar’s resource industries group president.

At the Newmont demonstration, Caterpillar also displayed its growing autonomy and automation capabilities, which includes autonomous trucks and machinery. The goal of these units is said to be to advance mine site safety by removing operators from potentially hazardous or remote sites. These machines are designed to improve visibility for mine site coordinators, which Cat said helps enable more consistent operations for both staffed and autonomous machines.

Johnson added, “We are building on our foundation of industry-leading autonomous solutions for surface operations, along with our deep experience in underground technology, to provide significant improvement in both productivity and safety for underground mining customers.”