Wedoany.com Report-Oct. 10, Hitachi Construction Machinery has entered into a charter agreement with Technological Resources, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, to jointly develop remote operation technologies for ultra-large hydraulic excavators. The partnership seeks to advance next-generation mining technologies, focusing on operator assist, remote control, and partial autonomy for digging and loading operations.

By 2030, Hitachi aims to create a platform capable of operating several excavators with partial autonomy across mine locations.

The collaboration is aimed at improving both safety and productivity in mine sites that operate continuously, 24 hours a day throughout the year. Under the agreement, Hitachi Construction Machinery will lead the development of remote operation systems, while Rio Tinto will deploy the excavators at its mining sites in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. The company will collect operational data, evaluate performance, and provide feedback to support further technological refinement.

A key feature of this initiative is the introduction of partial autonomy functions that enable operators to set initial digging and loading positions. Once programmed, the system can automatically repeat the same operation sequence, reducing manual input and enhancing consistency. By 2030, Hitachi aims to establish a platform capable of managing multiple excavators operating with partial autonomy across various mining locations.

This latest agreement builds upon a long-standing collaboration between Hitachi Construction Machinery and Rio Tinto. Both companies have previously worked together on initiatives such as verifying the durability of excavator components and assessing operator-assist technologies. The new partnership expands their scope to include autonomous operation systems, aligning with their shared medium- and long-term development plans for the mining sector.

The companies emphasized their commitment to testing these new technologies under a wide range of operational conditions to ensure reliability and adaptability across diverse mining environments. The ultimate goal is to create highly efficient, safe, and sustainable mining solutions that can be applied globally.

Hiroshi Kanezawa, Vice President of the Mining Business Unit and Executive Officer at Hitachi Construction Machinery, said: “Since entering the mining machinery business in the late 1970s, the Hitachi Construction Machinery Group has driven technology innovation for ultra-large hydraulic excavators in the industry. Our new concept ‘LANDCROS’ embodies our desires for ‘Customer’, ‘Reliable’, ‘Open’, and ‘Solutions’—reliable and open solutions for our customers—and expresses the direction that the Hitachi Construction Machinery Group wishes to take.

“Under this concept, we are confident that open collaboration with Rio Tinto, which has extensive expertise in mining operations, will accelerate the development of highly versatile autonomous operation technologies for the benefit of the whole mining industry.”

The partnership reflects the growing importance of automation and digitalization in global mining, where advanced technologies are increasingly being used to improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and enhance worker safety. Through this initiative, Hitachi and Rio Tinto aim to set new benchmarks in the use of intelligent machinery for sustainable and future-oriented mining operations.