Element 25 announced plans to collaborate with Scania and Regroup to deploy what it claims as the world’s first fleet of autonomous mining trucks at the Butcherbird Manganese Mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
The fleet of 11 autonomous Scania G 560 8×4 tippers will begin operations in 2025, the company said in an ASX announcement.
The autonomous fleet, which will transport manganese ore and waste, is expected to boost productivity while enhancing sustainability through improved fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions.
“Implementing autonomous mining at Butcherbird has many productivity, safety, and environmental benefits,” said Element 25 Managing Director Justin Brown.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Scania and Regroup to deliver this.”
The rollout is seen as a major milestone for Element 25, as the company moves towards fully electric autonomous ore haulage at Butcherbird.
The initiative also includes the introduction of a fully battery electric vehicle (BEV) water truck, which will provide crucial operational data on duty cycles and charging infrastructure for future fleet transitions.
Scania Australia’s Managing Director, Manfred Streit, underscored the significance of the project, noting its pioneering nature.
“We are delighted that this historic event—the first order globally for a fleet of Scania’s new autonomous trucks—has been made by a privately-owned Australian company,” Streit said.
“This will provide these trucks for use in an Australian mining environment, showcasing the future of mining transport.”
Regroup, a key partner in this initiative, sees the autonomous truck fleet as a critical stage in the mining industry’s shift towards zero-tailpipe emissions.
Regroup’s Managing Director, Michael Still, emphasised the environmental benefits of the smaller autonomous trucks.
“We see the autonomous Scania fleet also reducing our diesel consumption, as we’re moving from a larger capacity fleet of 100-200 tonne vehicles to a smaller class unit, and from a decarbonisation perspective, we’re burning less fuel on site, so we’re reducing our impact on the environment to achieve the same commercial result,” Still stated.
The Butcherbird Project is Element 25’s flagship asset, producing high-quality manganese oxide concentrate targeted at the downstream steel industry.
The mine also serves as feedstock for the company’s planned battery-grade high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) facility in Louisiana, USA, which is being developed in partnership with General Motors and Stellantis.
