Mining partnership aims to create safer vehicles

Vehicle manufacturers have teamed up with the mining industry as part of a plan to develop safer and cleaner vehicles.

The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) and leading suppliers made the announcement during the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) in Melbourne.

The Innovation for Cleaner Safer Vehicles program brings together 27 of the world’s leading mining companies and some of the best-known truck and mining equipment suppliers to accelerate innovation to develop a new generation of mine vehicles.

The ICSV program aims to:

• introduce greenhouse gas emission-free surface mining vehicles by 2040
• minimise the operational impact of diesel exhaust by 2025
• make collision avoidance technology available to mining companies by 2025.
   

The initiative has CEO-level support within all participating mining companies and equipment manufacturers. The program will benefit the entire mining sector, not just ICMM members, and is open to other equipment manufacturers who would like to join.

“This new collaboration between ICMM and the world’s leading mining equipment manufacturers will drive innovation to help us tackle global warming and improve mine safety. We hope that this ambitious program will lead to the development of a new generation of cleaner, safer vehicles, and we look forward to working with our new partners,” said Tom Butler, ICMM’s Chief Executive.

“ICMM is focused on improving the safety, social and environmental performance of the mining and metals industry. The launch of the ICSV program is a practical example of how our members are mining with principles to tackle the major social and environmental issues that affect us all. This collaboration will deliver more together than any individual company could achieve on its own and shows how the metals and mining industry can act as a catalyst for change.”

“From the outset we could see the ambition of the program and are excited to be involved. The collaboration between such a range of mining companies and suppliers can further the safety and environmental performance of mobile mining equipment,” said Denise Johnson, Caterpillar Group President, Resource Industries.

The program will be guided by a CEO advisory group comprising six representatives: three from ICMM company members — Andrew Mackenzie (CEO, BHP), David Garofalo (CEO, Goldcorp) and Nick Holland (CEO, Gold Fields) — and three from participating suppliers — Denise Johnson (Group President, Resource Industries, Caterpillar), Max Moriyama (President, Mining Business Division, Komatsu) and Lars Engström (President, Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology).

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