China's first intelligent mine opened in Inner Mongolia, at a large open-pit coal mine.
The mining company deployed a fleet of one hundred fully autonomous electric trucks.
Huawei built a 5.5G network and designed algorithms specifically for open-pit coal mines, with localized maps. As a result, the smart trucks operate at 120% efficiency compared to human operators.
As more intelligent mines come online and electrify, enormous savings in fuel costs will be realized. Diesel fuel typically accounts for up to half of all operating costs for mining operations; mining trucks consume up to 100 liters (30 gallons) of fuel per hour, and overland fuel transport and storage in remote areas drive capital investment needs higher.
Closing scene, Yinchuan, Ningxia
Resources and links:
How Fuel Inefficiencies Cost Mining Companies Millions
https://www.link2pump.com/fuel-inefficiencies-cost-mining
Digging Deeper: Tackling the affordability challenge in the mining industry with these three improvements
https://www.cummins.com/news/2020/02/10/digging-deeper-tackling-affordability-challenge-mining-industry-these-three
Fleet of 100 autonomous electric mining trucks deployed at Yimin mine
https://im-mining.com/2025/05/15/fleet-of-100-autonomous-electric-mining-trucks-deployed-at-yimin-mine/
5G Advanced powers world’s largest fleet of driverless coal mining trucks in China
https://totaltele.com/5g-advanced-powers-worlds-largest-fleet-of-driverless-coal-mining-trucks-in-china/
Chinese autonomous electric mining trucks get to work in Mongolia
https://newatlas.com/automotive/autonomous-coal-mining-electric-trucks/
Electrek, Autonomous electric haul truck fleet set to revolutionize mineral mining in China
https://electrek.co/2025/05/18/autonomous-electric-haul-truck-fleet-set-to-revolutionize-mineral-mining-in-china/
China’s first intelligent mine opens in Inner Mongolia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie5BTH9mHUk
The future of mining: how China is upgrading traditional industry with driverless EVs
https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3312442/future-mining-how-china-upgrading-traditional-industry-driverless-evs
Truck driver salary in Red Dog Mine, AK
https://www.indeed.com/career/truck-driver/salaries/Red-Dog-Mine--AK
Yearly Salary of a Mining Haul Truck Driver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIoqevfWBPw
What Is the Average Mine Truck Driver Salary by State
https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/What-Is-the-Average-Mine-Truck-Driver-Salary-by-State
Alaskan trucking fleets promise $150K driver salaries amid drilling boom
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/alaskan-trucking-fleets-promise-150k-driver-salaries-amid-drilling-boom
China's Crude Oil Imports Reach 11.1 Mb/D in 2024, Down 1.9% from 2023
https://www.voronoiapp.com/energy/-Chinas-Crude-Oil-Imports-Reach-111-MbD-in-2024-Down-19-from-2023-3819