Chile’s Sociedad Punta del Cobre SA has ordered circa-US$25 million worth of Epiroc’s largest underground mining trucks in a continuation of a long-running alliance between the two companies.
Sociedad Punta del Cobre, or Pucobre, has also bought a “package of digital solutions” with the MT65 S 65-tonne-payload trucks for its Punta del Cobre, Granate and Mantos de Cobre mines.
Epiroc has acquired and built a broad portfolio of mining technologies, ranging from planning and modelling software to vehicle control and automation systems, over the past seven years.
The Swedish company said Pucobre’s digital package would enable “advanced monitoring and performance tracking of the machine fleet which will boost fleet efficiency and lower emissions”. The miner would use Epiroc’s Fleet+ and Fleet+ ShiftGoals for machine performance and goal tracking via a My Epiroc interface. Targeted benefits include reduced fuel consumption, improved fleet utilisation and increased operator safety. Epiroc’s Asset Health Information Service will also give Pucobre mine teams high-frequency sensor data and alerts.
Epiroc will also provide service and spare parts for the equipment.
It signed a collaboration agreement with Pucobre in 2019. The Chilean company’s CEO, Sebastian Rios, said this week: “We are committed to driving more modern, safer and more sustainable mining operations. The addition of the MT65 S fleet and Epiroc’s digital solutions will allow us to optimise our processes, reduce costs and advance our environmental goals with cutting-edge technology.”
Epiroc CEO Helena Hedblom said: “We are happy to strengthen our collaboration with Pucobre further as it upgrades its mines to become even more modern, cost efficient and sustainable. By adding on our leading digital solutions Pucobre will achieve long-term efficiency gains and even better progress towards its sustainability goals.”
