Rio Tinto said it is partnering with China’s State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) to demonstrate battery swap electric haul truck technology at the Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia.
The technology, which allows a battery electric vehicle to quickly exchange a discharged battery pack for a fully charged one, is already applied on haul trucks in mining operations across China.
The two-year project will demonstrate eight mining haul trucks (91 tonne payload), 13 batteries (800 kWh), and a robotic battery swap and charging station in non-production activities in the above ground operations at Oyu Tolgoi.
“By partnering with the State Power Investment Corporation, we will be demonstrating the latest technology and innovation available in China and assessing its potential to help decarbonise our operations quickly and cost effectively,” said Rio Tinto Chief Decarbonisation Officer Jonathon McCarthy.
“This demonstration will allow us to explore applications for battery swap technology that deliver more flexibility and less downtime than current static charging technologies. This work will complement the electrification pilots of ultra-class mining haul trucks planned for the Pilbara.”
Technical experts from Rio Tinto and Oyu Tolgoi have worked closely with SPIC and truck manufacturer Tonly to adjust equipment design to align with Rio Tinto electrical and truck safety requirements. The trucks will perform tailings dam rehabilitation work and topsoil movement and be operated and maintained by Oyu Tolgoi personnel.
Each battery is expected to last up to 8 hours, depending on the work performed, and the battery swap process takes around 7 minutes, enabling increased use of the equipment through minimal charging downtime. The first truck is ready to arrive at Oyu Tolgoi this year and the remaining seven trucks, along with the battery swap and charging infrastructure, will be in operation by mid-2025.
Source: Rio Tinto