Fortescue has signed a major contract with Swedish mining equipment manufacturer Epiroc to acquire more than 50 electric drill rigs, marking a significant step in the company’s drive to eliminate emissions from its mining operations.
The deal, valued at up to $350 million, encompasses both autonomous electric platform drills and autonomous electric contour drills, with delivery and deployment scheduled to align with the phased replacement of Fortescue’s ageing diesel-powered fleet by 2030.
Once fully operational, the new autonomous electric fleet — remotely managed from Fortescue’s Integrated Operations Centre in Perth — will eliminate around 35 million litres of diesel consumption annually, translating to a reduction of over 90,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.
This initiative is part of Fortescue’s broader decarbonisation strategy, which includes a target to achieve “Real Zero” terrestrial emissions (Scope 1 and 2) by 2030 without relying on carbon offsets.
The announcement follows the arrival of the first Epiroc Pit Viper 271 E electric drill at Fortescue’s Solomon mine earlier this month, which is set to become the first of its kind in operation in Australia.
The contract is the largest ever received by Epiroc and represents a major milestone for electric-powered surface mining equipment.
Fortescue Metals Chief Executive Officer Dino Otranto stated: “We’re thrilled to be joining forces with Epiroc to bring cutting-edge electric mining equipment into our operations.
“The deployment of this new fleet of electric drills will immediately start reducing our carbon footprint, cutting over 90,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually once the fleet is operational.
“To decarbonise, we’re aiming to swap out around 800 pieces of heavy mining equipment with zero emissions alternatives by the end of the decade, as well as deploy 2-3GW of renewable energy and battery storage across the Pilbara.”
Epiroc President and Chief Executive Officer Helena Hedblom commented: “Fortescue is at the forefront of the mining industry in reducing emissions from operations and in using automation to strengthen safety and productivity, and we are proud to support them on this important effort.
“Not only is this the largest contract we have ever received, but it is also a major step forward for our electric-powered surface equipment.
“We look forward to contributing to Fortescue’s continued success now and in the future.”
In addition to the electrification of its drilling fleet, Fortescue is advancing renewable energy projects, including the construction of a 190MW solar farm at its Cloudbreak site, which will further reduce diesel consumption by approximately 125 million litres annually.
This follows the commissioning of a 100MW solar farm at North Star Junction near Iron Bridge in 2024.
The partnership with Epiroc underscores Fortescue’s commitment to leading the mining sector in decarbonisation and automation, setting a new benchmark for sustainability and innovation in mining operations.
