Fortescue has signed a landmark contract with Swedish mining equipment manufacturer Epiroc to supply more than 50 autonomous electric drill rigs.
The agreement, marking a significant step forward in its decarbonisation strategy — valued at up to $350 million — includes both platform and contour drills, which will be phased in as part of Fortescue’s plan to replace its ageing diesel fleet by 2030.
Once deployed, the electric fleet is expected to cut approximately 35 million litres of diesel use each year, translating to over 90,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions avoided annually.
The new electric drill rigs will be operated remotely from Fortescue’s Integrated Operations Centre in Perth.
The contract signing follows the arrival of Fortescue’s first Epiroc Pit Viper 271 E electric drill at its Solomon mine earlier this month. The rig is expected to begin operation within days and will be the first of its kind in use in Australia.
“We’re thrilled to be joining forces with Epiroc to bring cutting-edge electric mining equipment into our operations,” Fortescue Metals CEO Dino Otranto said.
“To decarbonise, we’re aiming to swap out around 800 pieces of heavy mining equipment with zero emissions alternatives by the end of the decade, as well as deploy 2-3GW of renewable energy and battery storage across the Pilbara.”
Epiroc President and CEO Helena Hedblom described the contract as a milestone for the company’s electric surface equipment.
“Fortescue is at the forefront of the mining industry in reducing emissions from operations and in using automation to strengthen safety and productivity, and we are proud to support them on this important effort,” Hedblom said.
For more renewable and solar news, subscribe to ecogeneration.