The initial phase of automation of Roy Hill’s truck fleet will begin with up to eight trucks. (Photo: Roy Hill)
Epiroc AB has signed a contract with Roy Hill to deliver a fully automated haul truck solution for its iron ore mining operation in Western Australia. Epiroc, in partnership with automation specialist ASI Mining, will convert Roy Hill’s haul trucks from manned to autonomous use.
Epiroc and ASI Mining will also be working closely with Hitachi and Wenco on truck conversion and integration of the Wenco fleet management system.
“Epiroc is proud to collaborate with Roy Hill, ASI Mining and other partners to automate Roy Hill’s haul truck fleet, boosting safety and productivity for a crucial aspect of its mining operation,” Epiroc Senior Executive Vice President Mining and Infrastructure Helena Hedblom said. “This is a very strong example of how automation will take a mining company’s operation to the next level.”
Roy Hill CEO Barry Fitzgerald said now was the right time to bring together all these companies to convert its fleet.
“Roy Hill is well-positioned to transition to automation,” Fitzgerald said. “Our teams on site and in our Remote Operations Center (ROC) in Perth have demonstrated a clear capacity to deliver complex projects, sustainable change and operational excellence with the recent success of our autonomous drill program and fleet optimization initiatives.”
He added that automation of the haulage fleet is central to delivering safety and production improvements.
The project will see a phased implementation, with testing and production verification of up to eight trucks in the initial phase prior to the second phase of full fleet expansion from mid-2021.
Roy Hill is an iron ore mining project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Its ROC in Perth provides end-to-end integration of operations.
U.S.-based ASI Mining provides technology solutions for the autonomous operation of mining vehicles. Epiroc announced in October 2018 that it had acquired 34% of ASI Mining.
