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Published on Tuesday, 21 February 2012 08:57
Mining giant Rio Tinto will run the world's first automated long-distance heavy-haul rail network, with a USD 518 million investment (Rio Tinto's share at USD 478 million) in driverless trains in the Pilbara region (Western Australia). The first driverless train will be launched in 2014, with the AutoHaul automated train programme scheduled for completion a year later.
AutoHaul is being pioneered as part of the automation component of Rio Tinto's 'Mine of the Future' initiative that also includes driverless trucks and autonomous drills. On its 1,500-kilometre (932 miles) rail network, Rio Tinto currently runs 41 trains from mines to ports, comprising 148 locomotives and 9,400 iron ore cars, company officials explain.
Automating train operations allows Rio Tinto to expand Pilbara production capacity without needing to make a substantial investment in additional trains.
It will also drive productivity improvements, with greater flexibility in train scheduling and the removal of driver changeover times creating extra capacity in the rail network. Other benefits include more efficient fuel use, resulting in lower energy costs and a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions for each tonne of iron ore produced, Rio Tinto says.
AutoHaul and the overall expansion of rail operations are subject to a number of Wester Australia State Government and other approvals.
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