Members of the International Council on Mining and Metals are planning a collaborative effort to test hydrogen and other zero-emission technologies to move away from diesel-powered vehicles.
According to Rohitesh Dhawan, chief executive officer of ICMM, the participants, which include manufacturers BHP Group and Glencore Plc, offer sites for pilot technologies, including electrolysis plants, a haul truck and regenerative braking. The group plans to select 50 sites over the next two months to form a development network that will be shared with the rest of the industry.
While the mining industry is now using more renewable energy to power its operations, it has only just begun testing prototype vehicles, which are key to achieving zero emissions targets. Governments and investors have become more sensitive to environmental issues.
The test network follows a push to bring mining companies and manufacturers together to accelerate the development of zero-emission vehicles. While the mass availability of hydrogen and electric trucks is expected in 2027 - compared to an earlier forecast for 2040 - Dhawan hopes to shorten that cycle even further.
“We are focused on what we can do as an industry to make sure we get them in place and accelerate their rollout as quickly as possible,” he said in an interview on the sidelines of a conference in Peru. "Inevitably, this will mean working with national governments to find out what their plans are."
