CATL, BYD join BHP to electrify Australia’s mines with fast-charging machines, locomotives
The Chinese firms will collaborate with BHP on battery development for mining equipment, locomotives and rapid charging infrastructure.
Melbourne-based BHP said on Monday that it had signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with CATL, the world’s largest battery maker, and FinDreams Battery (FDB), a fully owned subsidiary of BYD, the world’s largest EV maker, to collaborate on battery development for mining equipment, locomotives and fast-charging infrastructure.
CATL and FDB will also focus on energy storage systems and battery recycling options, leveraging BHP’s copper operations to enhance recycling processes and create sustainable value chains in the mining sector.
BHP said its partnership with BYD involved evaluating the Chinese EV maker’s commercial and light vehicles for mining applications to reduce diesel use.
“Together with forward-thinking mining companies like BHP, we aim to demonstrate how advanced battery technologies can decarbonise mining operations, logistics and product delivery,” said Tan Libin, head of overseas business at CATL. This would accelerate a sustainable and efficient future while creating long-term value and transform the global mining industry through innovation, he added.
The signing of the MOU represented a pivotal milestone for accelerating decarbonisation across the global resources sector, said Jack Li, a general manager at FDB.