Forming part of its initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, iron-ore and nickel major Vale and mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar have signed an agreement to test battery-electric trucks and energy transfer systems, as well as to conduct studies on ethanol-powered trucks.

This undertaking is aimed at decarbonising Vale’s mine operations, aiding in achieving its goals to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 CO₂ emissions by 33% and zeroing its net emissions by 2050.

Mining haul trucks powered by batteries are being developed by Caterpillar, with a 240 t model being assigned to Vale for testing at the miner’s Minas Gerais operation in Brazil.

Caterpillar is also developing energy transfer solutions for trucks which will be tested at the mining company’s operations in Para, Brazil over the next few years.

Diesel emissions from mine operations account for 15% of Vale’s direct CO₂-equivalent emissions, with haul trucks being the biggest consumer of diesel and therefore the biggest contributor to emissions.

In addressing its decarbonisation objectives, Vale announced an investment of between $4-billion and $6-billion in 2020 to reduce its direct and indirect emissions by 33% by 2030.

“For this reason, investing in initiatives to decarbonise mines and establishing strategic collaborations are fundamental to Vale's goals,” the miner reports.

Vale and Caterpillar will also commence a joint study on a dual-fuel solution for haul trucks operating on ethanol and diesel fuel.

“We are developing a portfolio of options to decarbonise Vale’s operations, including electrification and the use of alternative fuels in the mines,” says Vale energy and decarbonisation director Ludmila Nascimento, adding that the most viable solutions will be adopted.

“We believe that ethanol has great potential to contribute to the 2030 target because it is a fuel that has already been adopted on a large scale in Brazil, with an established supply network, which requires an active partnership with manufacturers,” notes Nascimento.

“There have been significant advances in the development of electric truck technology in recent years and these innovations will play an important role in bringing our net emissions to zero by 2050,” states Vale engineering for mine and plant operations director José Baltazar.

In this regard, he points out that Vale is offering its Brazil-based mines as a testing ground, with their specific characteristics, to contribute to achieving Vale’s goals and building a cleaner mining industry.

Caterpillar resource industries group president Denise Johnson notes that the voice of the customer is a critical element of Caterpillar’s product development process, and that Vale has been a key voice throughout Caterpillar’s long history of collaborating on technology and product deployments.

“We look forward to continuing that collaboration as we launch the next generation of our iconic mining solutions to support our customers’ operational and environmental objectives,” she adds.