Finding better ways to find the materials the world needs
Oyu Tolgoi is one of the largest known copper and gold deposits in the world. It is also one of the most modern, safe and sustainable operations in the world
Get the latest news, stories and updates.
ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rio Tinto will partner with China’s State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) to demonstrate battery swap electric haul truck technology at the Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia.
Battery swapping technology allows a battery electric vehicle to quickly exchange a discharged battery pack for a fully charged one, instead of recharging the vehicle at a static charging station.
The technology is already applied on haul trucks in mining operations across China, and this collaboration will enable Rio Tinto to demonstrate a complete battery electric truck and charging ecosystem at one of its operations.
The two-year project will demonstrate eight mining haul trucks (91 tonne payload), 13 batteries (800kWh), and a robotic battery swap and charging station in non-production activities in the aboveground operations at Oyu Tolgoi.
Rio Tinto operates about 700 haul trucks across its global operations, of which 100 are classified as small or medium class (100 – 200 tonne payload).
Rio Tinto Chief Decarbonisation Officer Jonathon McCarthy said: “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.
“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.
“We look forward to partnering on more opportunities in the future to apply China’s innovations to the global resources sector and contribute to the world’s low-carbon transition.”
Chairman of State Power Investment Group Capital Holding Co., Ltd Han Zhiwei said: “Through our collaboration with Rio Tinto, we are bringing leading green transportation innovations to the international market, showcasing the strength of Chinese enterprises in the field of green technology innovation. We hope our low-carbon technologies will assist Rio Tinto in achieving its decarbonisation targets, and we look forward to continued cooperation between both parties to jointly promote the application of green energy.”
Oyu Tolgoi Chief Executive Officer Deirdre Lingenfelder said: “We are proud the Oyu Tolgoi team is playing a pivotal role in advancing this innovative technology on behalf of Rio Tinto. This project represents a significant step in our ongoing decarbonisation journey, aligning closely with Oyu Tolgoi’s strategic commitment to sustainable growth. By expanding our use of underground battery electric equipment and implementing other emissions reduction initiatives, we are actively driving progress toward a net zero-carbon future for our operations.”
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.
Rio Tinto is committed to reaching net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2050 and believes Chinese innovation and technologies can play an important role in achieving this.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241105713274/en/
Please direct all enquiries to media.enquiries@riotinto.com
Media Relations, United Kingdom Matthew Klar M +44 7796 630 637 David Outhwaite M +44 7787 597 493
Media Relations, Australia Matt Chambers M +61 433 525 739 Michelle Lee M +61 458 609 322 Rachel Pupazzoni M +61 438 875 469
Media Relations, Canada Simon Letendre M +1 514 796 4973 Malika Cherry M +1 418 592 7293 Vanessa Damha M +1 514 715 2152
Media Relations, US Jesse Riseborough M +1 202 394 9480
Investor Relations, United Kingdom David Ovington M +44 7920 010 978 Laura Brooks M +44 7826 942 797 Wei Wei Hu M +44 7825 907 230
Investor Relations, Australia Tom Gallop M +61 439 353 948 Amar Jambaa M +61 472 865 948
Rio Tinto plc 6 St James’s Square London SW1Y 4AD United Kingdom T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in England No. 719885
Rio Tinto Limited Level 43, 120 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 Australia T +61 3 9283 3333 Registered in Australia ABN 96 004 458 404
riotinto.com
Category: Oyu Tolgoi
Source: Rio Tinto
How we process personal data provided or obtained through this website.
With the exception of the use of cookies, Rio Tinto generally does not seek to collect personal data through this website. However if you choose to provide personal data to Rio Tinto through this website (for example, by sending us an email), we will process that personal data to answer your query and if relevant, to manage our business relationship with you or your company. We won't process that personal data for other purposes except where required to meet our legal obligations or otherwise as authorised by law and notified to you.
If you choose to subscribe to our media releases or other communications, you can unsubscribe at any time (by following the instructions in the email or by contacting us).
With your consent, our website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our website. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our site. A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that we store on your browser or the hard drive of your computer if you agree. Cookies contain information that is transferred to your computer's hard drive.
As some data privacy laws regulate IP addresses and other information collected through the use of cookies as personal data, Rio Tinto’s processing of such personal data needs to comply with its Data Privacy Standard (see Part 1 of our Privacy Policy), and also applicable data privacy laws.
With the exception of the use of cookies (explained below), Rio Tinto generally does not seek to collect personal data through this website. However if you choose to provide personal data to Rio Tinto through this website (for example, by sending us an email), we will process that personal data to answer your query and if relevant, to manage our business relationship with you or your company. We won't process that personal data for other purposes except where required to meet our legal obligations or otherwise as authorised by law and notified to you.
Part 1 of this Privacy Policy contains the Rio Tinto Data Privacy Standard, which provides an overview of Rio Tinto’s approach to personal data processing. There is additional information in the appendices to the Data Privacy Standard, including information about disclosures, trans-border data transfers, the exercise of data subject rights and how to make complaints or obtain further information relating to Rio Tinto’s processing of your personal data.
If you choose to subscribe to our media releases or other communications, you can unsubscribe at any time (by following the instructions in the email or by contacting us at digital.comms@riotinto.com).
With your consent, our website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our website. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our site.
A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that we store on your browser or the hard drive of your computer if you agree. Cookies contain information that is transferred to your computer's hard drive.
As some data privacy laws regulate IP addresses and other information collected through the use of cookies as personal data, Rio Tinto’s processing of such personal data needs to comply with its Data Privacy Standard (see Part 1 of this Privacy Policy), and also applicable data privacy laws.
These Cookies are used to provide a better user experience on the site, such as by measuring interactions with particular content or remembering your settings such as language or video playback preferences.
These Cookies allow us to analyse site usage in order to evaluate and improve its performance. They help us know how often you come to our site and when, how long you stay and any performance issues you experience whilst you are on our site.
These Cookies are used by advertising companies to inform and serve personalised ads to your devices based on your interests. These Cookies also facilitate sharing information with social networks or recording your interactions with particular ads.