Finning International’s South American operation has secured a contract to deliver new equipment and product support to Teck Resources’ Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 (QB2) project located in the Tarapacá Region, northern Chile.
The company will supply a fleet of Caterpillar 794AC electric drive off-highway trucks along with other large mining machines to Teck’s QB2 open-pit copper mine.
Finning noted that the accompanying agreement for product support for the initial fleet will run for a period of five years.
Finning International president and CEO Scott Thomson said: “We are pleased to partner with Teck in developing QB2, one of the world’s premier copper assets, and are excited to deliver and support the first fleet of electric drive, autonomous off-highway trucks in Chile.
“Our Integrated Knowledge Centre in Antofagasta, Chile is using data-driven insights and innovative processes and technologies to reduce cost per tonne and improve equipment availability for our customers.”
Together, Finning and Caterpillar will provide the Command for Hauling system, 794AC Autonomous Haulage Technology (AHS) kits and ancillary kits to Teck’s QB2 operations to enable autonomous operations.
Full copper production from the QB2 project is expected in 2022.
Caterpillar Resource Industries group president Denise Johnson said: “Working with Teck and our dealer Finning, our experts will provide QB2 state-of-the-art technology and services to help it operate with greater safety and productivity.”
First copper production from the QB2 project is planned for the second half of 2021.
In June, Teck Resources signed a $2.5bn recourse project financing agreement to fund the development of the QB2 project.
QB2 is owned by Compañía Minera Teck Quebrada Blanca (QBSA), in which Teck holds an indirect 60% stake.
Together, Sumitomo Metal Mining and Sumitomo Corporation have a 30% indirect interest in QBSA, while the remaining 10% non-funding interest is owned by Chilean state agency ENAMI.
