JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Diversified mining company Anglo American has announced a $13.5-million agreement with First Mode to develop innovative technology for the mining industry.

First Mode, of Seattle, which has been working with Anglo to develop the world’s biggest hydrogen fuel cell haul truck for Anglo American Platinum in Limpopo, will be supporting projects across FutureSmart Mining™, Anglo’s programme to meet mining’s sustainability challenges.

Founded by members of the Planetary Resources asteroid mining venture, First Mode will be innovating for the mining industry under the three-year deal, notes Alan Boyle in GeekWire, which adds that the company has been providing design, engineering and system development services for projects including NASA’s next Mars rover, the Psyche mission to an iron-rich asteroid, the Europa Clipper spacecraft and a proposed moon rover.

The terrestrial work First Mode will do for Anglo includes technology trade studies, engineering design, prototypical developments, technology demonstrations, delivery of integrated systems and deployment to Anglo’s diamond, platinum, copper and iron-ore sites around the world. 

Anglo technical director Tony O’Neill described the work as supporting Anglo’s trajectory towards carbon-neutral mining and First Mode president and chief engineer Chris Voorhees noted that the development of the world’s largest hydrogen-powered mine truck was an important step in making mining carbon-neutral from start-to-finish.

First Mode business development VP Rhae Adams added:  “Experts have made it clear that we have to move away from fossil fuels, and even though higher demand for renewables means we’ll have to mine more of these materials, it’s worth that effort. The important thing, then, is to make that mining process as environmentally friendly as possible.”

The 'first motion’ of the hydrogen powered truck is expected in 2020, followed by a testing and validation programme at the Mogalakwena platinum group metals mine in Limpopo, after which the trucks are expected to be deployed at other Anglo operations.

Operational performance of the converted truck is expected to be the same or better than the original diesel trucks, with the additional benefits of cleaner air, less noise and lower maintenance costs.

Global energy company Engie has an agreement with Anglo to provide hydrogen generation solutions for the hydrogen truck being developed, and Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser will be delivering a 3.5 MW electrolyser to Engie as part of the hydrogen truck project. When scaled up, more than 100 MW of electrolyser capacity will be needed at the Mogalakwena mine.

Hydrogen engines provider Power Plug is to supply a custom refuelling system to Engie, following the signing of a global partnership agreement between the two companies.

Hydrogen is offering itself as a transportable and tradeable oil alternative, with one of the key market drivers being the need for deep decarbonisation of the world’s economies.

There is a clear trend towards direct electrification of transport, heating and industry, using more renewables. With the transportation sector being among the highest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and pollution worldwide, one of the ways to achieve deep decarbonisation is to opt for hydrogen fuel produced from renewable power, using water electrolysis technologies.