Underground mining is complex and continues to be an early and strong adopter of sustainable mobile equipment solutions. Underground mining companies require solutions to help them navigate the challenges of managing safety, emissions, and cost as they continue to go deeper under the earth’s surface.
To support their customers objectives, Caterpillar Inc. developed the new R1700 XE underground loader and the MEC500 mobile equipment charger. Together, these are the first battery powered, zero emission equipment for Caterpillar’s Hard Rock Vehicle Load Haul Dump product line. Matching the performance of the R1700, it is rated for 15 tonnes of payload, 18 kph top speed and 2.5 hours of aggressive run time between charges.
This 100% battery powered machine generates less heat and zero emissions which lead to improved air quality and a cooler, safer environment for miners. On top of these safety benefits, the machine’s fast charging capability also allows for increased battery reliability and decreased infrastructure costs.
The R1700 XE and the MEC500 will both be on display at MINExpo INTERNATIONAL® 2021 in Las Vegas.