en.Wedoany.com Reported - Southern Copper Corporation's Tía María copper mine has confirmed the introduction of Komatsu's FrontRunner autonomous haulage system, making it the first mine in Peru to deploy Komatsu autonomous mining trucks on a large scale. Julio Molina, CEO of Komatsu Mitsui Group, stated that the implementation of this autonomous fleet will comprehensively upgrade safety management standards, transport capacity, and overall operational efficiency at Peru's open-pit mines.
The Tía María copper mine is located in the Islay Province of the Arequipa Region. Equipment for the project is scheduled for delivery by mid-2027, including 18 Komatsu 930E mining trucks with a payload capacity of 290 tons, two P&H 4100XPC-AC electric shovels, one P&H L-2350 loader, and two P&H 320XPC blast hole drills. During the initial production phase, 14 autonomous haul trucks will be deployed, with all 18 units operating in unmanned mode upon reaching full capacity, featuring the new-generation 930E-5 as the primary model. The concentrator is designed to process 100,000 tons of copper oxide ore per day, producing 120,000 tons of high-purity cathode copper annually, with an overall mine design service life of 20 years. As of March 31, 2026, cumulative construction investment in the project reached $948 million.
Prior to this, Peru had already seen the deployment of intelligent mining equipment, with Anglo American's Quellaveco mine operating 30 Caterpillar 794AC autonomous haul trucks. The implementation of Komatsu's autonomous haulage solution further enriches the application pathways for intelligent equipment in large-scale open-pit mines in South America. The company remains optimistic about the growth potential of Peru's mineral development market and is currently evaluating multiple new investment plans to deepen its presence in Peru's mining equipment market.
The advancement of the autonomous haul truck project at the Tía María copper mine marks the entry of Peru's open-pit mining operations into a new era of intelligence, providing an important reference for the modernization transformation of the mining industry in Latin America.
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