Original-equipment manufacturer Caterpillar’s theme for this year’s MINExpo International is “together, we’re mining better”.

The company’s 5 124 m2 exhibit will feature a range of product displays, new equipment introductions, previews of what the future holds and remote operating stations.

The exhibit will be grouped under three specific core areas, comprising environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainability; technology and automation; as well as equipment life-cycle management solutions.

“After waiting an extra year, the mining industry is ready to reconnect at MINExpo,” commented Caterpillar Resource Industries group president Denise Johnson in a statement issued in June.

“We recognise that many of our dealers and customers will not be able to travel to the show. Therefore, we are also creating a digital Caterpillar experience at cat.com/mining, where we will place MINExpo-specific content.”

Mining Sustainably

Caterpillar is able to provide a full site approach, which combines offerings with integration expertise to identify and provide the best possible solution for each specific mine. Several of these solutions will be on display at the event.

Useful in the vision of the all-electric underground mine of the future, the new Cat R1700 XE load, haul, dump (LHD) machine will feature 100% battery-electric propulsion that generates significantly less heat and noise. It offers a 15-t payload, 24 190-kg lift and tilt breakout force, and 18 km/h top speed. To optimise runtime and improve safety, batteries stay on the machine for charging.

Fully charging the R1700 XE in as little as 20 minutes, the new portable Cat MEC500 Mobile Equipment Charger is the first of its kind in the industry, Caterpillar claims. It can be moved by towing, fork truck, or the R1700 XE, eliminating the need for regular battery handling and swapping.

The new R2900 XE LHD diesel-electric drivetrain, which will also be on display, features a significant reduction in maintenance and repair costs, while minimising emissions. Its redesigned lift arm and components deliver up to a 39% improved lift breakout force over the R2900G, making this model up to 31 t/𝓵 more fuel efficient.

Additionally, Caterpillar will unveil what it claims is the world’s largest, most powerful and efficient electric drive dozer with high drive. The new Cat D11 XE dozer will be the “most advanced, lowest emission-per-ton dozer in the industry, built to deliver the lowest cost of bank cubic meters ever”.

Exhibited alongside the D11 XE, the new Cat D10 dozer offers up to 4% less fuel consumption than the previous model, up to 3% more productivity with high-horsepower reverse and up to 6% more efficiency with combined load-sensing hydraulics and stator clutch torque divider.

The recently introduced Cat 992 Wheel Loader delivers up to a 32% increase in productivity. It reduces maintenance costs by up to 10% and has demonstrated, in field testing, up to 48% greater payload-per-fuel efficiency in applications where a four-pass match to 90.7-t trucks was achieved against five passes with the 992K.

The MINExpo exhibit will also include a range of renewable and storable power displays, including the Cat Microgrid system. The Cat 3516 engine will feature dynamic gas blending, which enables mines to save fuel and reduce emissions without sacrificing diesel performance.

Driving Technology and Automation

“Technology and automation are critical components for substantially improving machine uptime availability and productivity,” says Caterpillar Resource Industries VP Marc Cameron. He explains that, through Cat MineStar Solutions, Caterpillar can offer customers scalable technologies to fit their mine’s specific needs.

“The exhibit’s technology and automation stage will focus on the real value that Caterpillar technology options provide customers,” he adds.

Cameron notes that MINExpo might be the first opportunity for many attendees to learn more about the recently introduced Cat MineStar Edge, which brings visibility to the entire mining operation to show how activities early in the process impact those further down the value chain. MineStar Edge makes it possible to measure, manage, analyse and improve the entire mining operation.

Equipped with MineStar Command for hauling, the new Cat 777G Water Truck autonomously lowers dust levels while maintaining haul road safety. Featuring a unique autonomous water delivery system, the machine integrates truck, tank and sprayer, knowing where and when to water haul roads.

Representing the Caterpillar fleet of autonomous trucks, the displayed Cat 794 AC electric drive will be factory-installed with Cat MineStar Command for hauling. Recently, autonomous trucks using Cat MineStar Command for hauling surpassed three-billion tonnes of material hauled, safely travelling more than 110-million kilometres.

Accurate to the centimetre, the exhibited Cat MD6310 rotary blasthole drill offers technology, efficiency, safety and productivity improvements. Fully integrating Caterpillar’s proven components and systems, including technology and automation, the drill is capable of up to 42 149 kg of bit load and targets 203-mm to 311-mm hole diameters.

The Cat MineStar Detect Driver Safety System (DSS) display details how the system monitors eye-closure and head pose to alert the driver by seat vibration and audio alarm the moment fatigue or distraction is identified. The Cat MineStar DSS has been shown to reduce 97% of the most significant fatigue events, 80% of average fatigue events and 91% of distraction events.

Several Cat Command stations and trailers will be on display for attendees to experience effective remote control and semi-autonomous drilling, dozing and underground operations from many kilometres away.

Caterpillar will occupy Central Hall exhibit #6229 at the Las Vegas Convention Centre from September 13 to 15.