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The mining company Vale intends to add ten autonomous trucks to its fleet in the coming months at Carajás, the largest open pit mine in the world.
Taking workers out of the risk, the mining company Vale is investing in 10 more autonomous trucks for the Carajás mine, which do not need an operator in the cabin and still help reduce carbon.
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Trucks controlled by computer systems
The autonomous trucks, which will be used at the Carajás mine, have a capacity to transport up to 240 tons and are being tested on the route between the iron ore unloading area and the mining front.
According to Vale, the autonomous trucks are controlled by computer systems, without the need for an operator in the cabin and rely on GPS, artificial intelligence and also radars.
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Upon detecting any risk, they paralyze their operations until the path is authorized. Vale will invest in Carajás, US$ 40 million (R$ 200 million) in its autonomous truck program in 2021 alone. The company's objective is to expand the Carajás mine fleet to 50 trucks by the end of 2024.
A 100% autonomous Brazilian mine
The mining company is currently operating 13 autonomous trucks in Brucutu, in São Gonçalo do Rio Baixo (MG), the first fully autonomous mine in Brazil. Since 2016, when the first tests began, autonomous trucks have already transported 100 million tons. Since then, there have been no accidents with the vehicles, according to Vale.
According to Kléber Gonçalves, Brucutu's operation and infrastructure manager, the equipment has sensors that identify and map the relief, obstacles and people, so the technology can stop the operation of one or more vehicles in cases of changes that are not foreseen in the route determined by the control center.
Reduction of 4 thousand tons of carbon
In total, 1,8 million kilometers have already been driven by vehicles in Brucutu alone. Therefore, fuel consumption is 11% lower than in manned trucks, resulting in a reduction of 4,3 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
According to Vale, production is also higher and the amount of ore in Brucutu increased by 11%. Showing that it cares about its employees, the mining company trained the operators who stayed in the cabins that were relocated to other functions, such as in the control room.
According to the executive manager of the Brucutu and Água Limpa Complex, Jefferson Corraide, the most important advance achieved through implementation was the reduction of people's exposure to risk.
