Freeport-McMoRan plans to convert 33 Cat 793 haul trucks at the Bagdad mine in Arizona to an autonomous haulage system (AHS) using Cat MineStar Command for hauling.
Leadership at Freeport said it is the first copper mine in the U.S. to implement a fully autonomous haulage system. “We are excited about the numerous benefits it will bring to our Bagdad operation and employees,” said Kathleen Quirk, president. “The three-year conversion project is expected to improve safety, optimize our fleet, reduce greenhouse gas emissions through reduced idle time, and position us to capitalize on future technological advancements in electrification.”
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Command for hauling, Caterpillar has more than 620 autonomous trucks operating with 15 customers on three continents. While operating autonomously, these trucks have hauled more than 6.3 billion metric tons (mt) of material.
Located approximately 161 km northwest of Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., the Bagdad mine produces 9 million lb of copper cathode per year.
