Copper goes green in Zambia with new 70t LiuGong electric haul trucks

An Africa copper mine is taking big steps towards modernizing and decarbonizing its copper mining operations and strengthening its partnerships with Beijing through the purchase and deployment of fully 31 electric haul trucks.

The all-electric LiuGong DW105A-E haul trucks being deployed at the 15th Metallurgical Construction Group’s copper mine in Zambia are capable of moving 70,000 kilograms of earth per 43 cubic meter bucket load with surprising quiet and consistency. It’s precisely the kind of state-of-the-art scene Zambia is hoping for from its mining partners – and one reasons so many African countries continue to partner with the Chinese.

“The overseas cooperation [is] the first large-scale deployment of electric mining trucks at one go to a mining project in Africa,” Li Wenjie, chairman of the construction trade division of China 15th Metallurgical Construction Group, told AfricaNews. “It will help further upgrade the local mining equipment.”

Keeping Zambia’s mining operations rolling is critical as the global demand for African minerals rises. The nation’s economy is on track to grow 6% this year, driven by 820,000 tons of copper exports that reaffirmed the mining sector’s critical role. To support that role, China has pledged up to $5 billion in investments across Zambia’s copper and cobalt sectors through 2031.

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The investment is set to be delivered by the Chinese Mining Enterprise Association as part of Zambia’s national strategy to boost production, generate jobs, and foster innovation while, at the same time, slashing carbon emissions.

The LiuGong DW105A-E haul truck packs a CATL-developed 528 kWh LFP battery that sends electrons to a hugely powerful motor capable of putting out 700 kW (nearly 940 hp) of peak power and a robust 4,800 Nm (~3,550 lb-ft) of torque at 0 (zero) rpm, with a continuous 500 kW output that offers 10% increased traction and 5% superior energy recovery than previous models.

More than enough, in other words, to smoothly get 70 tons of earth and ore from wherever it is to wherever you need it.

Electrek’s Take

There’s a great quote that circulates the interwebs ever so often that’s attributed to a Kenyan politician. It’s a response to Western criticism of African nations’ willingness to partner with China that basically goes, “every time the Chinese visit we get a hospital, every time the British visit we get a lecture.”

Here, the President of Congo (Africa’s second largest country) echoes that sentiment …

… but why I’m including that sort of talk in an EV blog about Africa decarbonizing mining operations that are critical to our tech-focused way of life with new electric LiuGong haul trucks while America’s government is pushing ICE-powered corporate profits over very real environmental and public health concerns is anyone’s guess.

Probably unrelated. Head down to the comments and let me know if you can see any connection to this news and the video here.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Business Insider Africa.

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