The truck received from Scania is the first to run on natural gas in the history of mining, and will operate in Minas Gerais

Gerdau, the largest steel producer in Brazil and one of the main suppliers of long steel and special steel, received a truck powered by gas from Scania. This is the first truck powered by natural gas, in the history of Brazilian mining, which will be used in the operation of the Várzea do Lopes mine, in Itabirito, in the State of Minas Gerais.

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Since October 2019, Scania, a Swedish company that manufactures Trucks, Buses, and Diesel Engines, has sold 70 gas trucks to various sectors, such as cosmetics and food. The truck received by Gerdau will be operated by Fagundes Construção e Mineração SA

Gerdau and Scania reported that “The first gas-powered truck in the history of mining in Brazil, a G 410 6×4 model, was delivered on Wednesday (15) by the concessionaire WLM Itaipu. The start of the demo will start this Friday (18). For this, all Fagundes drivers will undergo specific training to operate the equipment, which will transport iron ore and overburden”.

The Swedish manufacturer says that in Brazil, the truck is viable due to its potential to reduce consumption and CO2 emissions compared to diesel, whether using natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) or biomethane lines.

Silvio Munhoz, Scania Solutions Sales Director in Brazil, said, “Scania has been leading the transition to a more sustainable transport system. The gas truck has been a success in road transport. Now, let's innovate the off-road market again. An action that is also unprecedented globally for the brand. We are certain that the results will surprise and create a trend”.

The fueling time is very short, about 15 minutes, which will not affect the availability of the truck in daily work. The expectation is that it will have an autonomy of 10 cubic meters per hour, which means running between 250 and 300 kilometers.