The project will allow the mining company to advance BHP's global target of net zero operating greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
It considers an investment of approximately US$ 250 million for the installation of infrastructure that will electrically assist the movement of extraction trucks, in areas where the highest fuel consumption currently takes place.
Escondida | BHP submitted an Environmental Impact Statement (DIA) to the Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA), to advance in the "Implementation of the Mining Truck Electrification System in Escondida Norte" project, which seeks to assist the movement of these pieces of equipment inside the mine by means of a trolley system.
The project includes the construction of a new electrical substation and transmission lines both inside and around the Escondida Norte pit. These facilities will electrically assist the movement of trucks inside the mine in the areas where they go up loaded with ore and, consequently, consume more fuel. With this new technology, instead of using diesel, they will be propelled by electrical power, thus reducing the operational greenhouse gas emissions and improving productivity associated with truck performance given the higher travel speed.
About the project, President of Escondida | BHP, Alejandro Tapia, said that "the electric trolley system is one of the initiatives with which we seek to move towards a safer and more sustainable way of operating hand in hand with technology. This project will allow us to reduce the fuel consumption of our extraction trucks and thus advance our goal of net zero operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2050."
The initiative considers an investment of approximately US$ 250 million and during its construction phase an approximate workforce of 112 people on average per day and a maximum of 160 people will be required.
The trolley project is in addition to other technological transformation initiatives that the company maintains in different stages of study and execution, including the progressive incorporation of autonomy in its mining equipment. To date, Escondida | BHP has six autonomous trucks in full operation and by 2025 it expects to have the largest fleet of autonomous equipment in South America.
