Newmont to Own World’s First Autonomous Gold Mine

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Newmont Corporation announced that its Boddington mine in Australia will be the world’s first autonomous open-pit gold mine, once it begins operations in 2021.

According to company press release, the company Board of Directors gave unanimous approval to the proposed plan to invest in an Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) at the mine, aimed at enhancing safety and productivity and extending mine life by at least two years.

 The total investment in driverless Caterpillar AHS system is projected at $150 million. The move is unlikely to result in job redundancy as the company has already started efforts to ensure transition of haul truck drivers to AHS support jobs, by providing necessary reskilling and training. In addition to warranting more controlled and efficient haulage operation, the AHS will generate an internal rate of return of more than 35%, said Tom Palmer, President and Chief Executive, Newmont Corporation.

Newmont plans to replicate the AHS system at its other operations as well. It must be noted that the company owns the Borden mine in Ontario, Canada, which is considered as the world’s first “all-electric” gold mine.