54 www.resourceworld.com
J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 1 8
MININGWORLD
F
inning Canada, a division of Finning
International Inc., the world's largest
Caterpillar, Inc. [CAT NYSE] equip
-
ment dealer, is headquartered in Edmonton,
Alberta.
Their bright yellow Cat equip-
ment is a familiar sight on worksites in most
industries the world
over.
In recent years, the technology around
vehicles, whether cars, trucks or indus-
trial equipment, is advancing by leaps
and bounds.
Huge advances in battery
technology are making possible the electri-
fication of vehicles of all kinds. Autonomy,
a
parallel game-changing technology, is
advancing just as quickly. Autonomous
buses, rapid transit and taxis are begin-
ning to be accepted as inevitable. Industry,
however,
has been at the forefront of
autonomous vehicle development for some
time.
Caterpillar has multiple fleets of auton
-
omous 793F CMD (Command) trucks,
running in iron
ore mines in the Pilbara
region of Western Australia with great
success. Their flagship autonomous fleet
at Fortescue Metals Group in Pilbara has
moved millions of tons of ore without a
single lost-time injury since implementa
-
tion five years ago. The company has also
seen a 30 percent
increase in productivity.
According to Brent Davis, VP mining
solutions with Finning, "Cat Command for
Hauling takes advantage of sophisticated
technologies. It enables the operation of
mining trucks, interaction with other
equipment, and integration with the cus
-
tomers' mining processes and systems.
All of this allows
busy mine sites to work
safely and productively, without the need
for an operator in the cab."
Finning Canada told Resource World
they have entered into a joint agreement
with Caterpillar and a company working
in the Fort McMurray area of Alberta.
Together, they'll test the use of autono
-
mous haul trucks at the company's oil
sands operation. Finning will provide
expertise and support services during the
Finning Canada testing
autonomous hauling
by Kathrine Moore
A Cat® autonomous truck stages for
loading as a shovel completes loading
another 793F CMD. Photo courtesy of
Finning Canada.
