Mining giant Fortescue has announced it has inked a US$2.8 billion green equipment partnership with Liebherr that will see it produce zero-emissions trucks and mining solutions.
The partnership includes jointly developed technology that paves the way for carbon-free mining and features a total of 475 zero emission Liebherr machines – approximately 360 autonomous battery-electric trucks, presented to the industry at an exciting event at MINExpo; 55 electric excavators and 60 battery-powered dozers.
As part of the deal, Liebherr and Fortescue will deploy a complete autonomous battery-electric haulage solution for large scale mining operations.
This deal is expected to create one of the world’s largest zero emission mining fleets and represents a major breakthrough in the pursuit of a mining industry no longer reliant on fossil fuels.
It is the single largest equipment deal in the Liebherr Group’s entire 75-year history.
A zero emission battery power system used in the battery-electric trucks has been developed by Fortescue Zero, Fortescue’s technology arm.
Fortescue Zero’s battery power system will also be integrated into an electric version of Liebherr’s flagship mining dozer, the PR 776.
The large scale zero emission mining ecosystem developed by Liebherr and Fortescue will be available to the rest of the mining industry in the near future.
Together, the two companies will develop and validate a range of zero emission mining solutions, which will result in the supply of 475 new Liebherr machines featuring Fortescue’s innovative green technology to Fortescue’s operations in Western Australia.
This represents about two thirds of the current mining fleet at Fortescue’s operations. Liebherr and Fortescue are committed to having a comprehensive and large scale zero emission mining ecosystem operational by 2030. Both companies have confirmed that, through their continued cooperation, customers will be able to access this ecosystem for their own operations in the coming years.
“We are proud to have facilitated the single largest equipment deal in the entire 75-year history of the Liebherr Group,” Liebherr-Mining Equipment SAS executive vice president of sales and marketing Dr Jörg Lukowski says.
“Especially as the expansion of our collaboration with Fortescue is an important step forward in our shared goal to decarbonise mining activities worldwide.”
Fortescue executive chairman Dr Andrew Forrest says: “Partnerships with companies and people like Liebherr and Willi Liebherr – where ambition is backed by action – are critical. ‘This is an important next step in our 2030 Real Zero target – to eliminate emissions from our Australian iron ore operations by the end of the decade. The world needs Real Zero now – it simply cannot afford to wait.
The green solutions we need are here today, and Fortescue Zero is supplying them and rolling them out across our massive mining operations. Fortescue Zero developed this battery technology and jointly developed the Automated Haulage Solution, leading the way to provide green innovative solutions to eliminate emissions from heavy industry.
“We invite all companies in the mining, heavy industry and haulage sectors to join us. The solutions are there, and the missing ingredient is leadership.”
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