Sandvik will supply 13 LH514 loaders, similar to the above, to Codelco’s El Teniente. (Image: Sandvik)
Sandvik won a $17 million order from Codelco for an AutoMine Fleet automation system and six autonomous loaders for use in the Recursos Norte operations at the El Teniente mine in Chile. In 2023, Codelco will receive six Toro LH514 loaders and an AutoMine Fleet system that can support up to 13 machines.
The system and loaders will be used in a new block caving area.
From 2024 to 2027, Sandvik will provide seven more loaders and an expansion for the AutoMine Fleet system. Afterwards, Codelco will have more than 40 autonomous Sandvik trucks and loaders at El Teniente.
The order coincides with the launch of an automation journey at the mine, leadership at the mine said. “We have a major challenge to transform our operations into a fully autonomous mine in the next few years,” said Rodrigo Andrades, mine manager, El Teniente Underground Mine. “Our main goal is to enhance our workers’ quality of life, improve our safety standards, and to take our productivity processes to the next level.”
