Copper mining giant Collahuasi has officially announced for the first time that the first batch of trolley-assisted mining trucks has been put into operation in Chile and across South America. This milestone pilot project began testing in June and was officially launched in July at the Rosario open-pit mine in Chile, located in the Tarapacá region at an altitude of more than 4,600 meters. The site uses Liebherr T284 trolley-assisted mining trucks with a rated payload of 375 t.

In Phase 1, the key section is the uphill segment between the mine and the dump site, where energy demand peaks during loaded climbing. Four Liebherr T 284 mining trucks, each with a payload capacity of 375 tonnes, are equipped with pantographs connected via a retractable arm to an overhead contact line system, which supplies power to the motors during this period. As a result, diesel consumption on this slope section dropped by about 98%, and CO₂ emissions fell by 97.6%.

Dalibor Dragicevic, Executive Vice President of Operations at Collahuasi, said:

"Liebherr's trolley-assist system is a mature technology that allows us to make tangible progress in decarbonizing our operations. It is a viable, scalable solution suited to our terrain."

The system is powered by 100% renewable electricity through a substation, two transformers and a rectifier station. Thus, every switch from diesel to electric power helps achieve zero emissions, reinforcing Collahuasi's commitment to sustainable mining.

In addition to the environmental benefits, the technology also more than doubles the speed on the uphill section through the trolley-assist system, from an average of 11 km/h to 25 km/h, thereby improving operational efficiency and saving about two minutes per cycle. It can also reduce equipment wear, lower maintenance costs and extend truck life.

Marcos Márquez, Director of the Mine Process Electrification Project, said:

"Operating 375-tonne payload mining trucks at high altitude and under extreme conditions is a major technical challenge, but also a major opportunity for large-scale mining. The trolley-assist system will greatly reduce diesel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions while increasing haulage speed, helping to achieve more efficient and sustainable operations."

Experts from Liebherr's Mining Division, local Chilean engineers and Chilean suppliers such as Grupo Saesa (STN) worked together to lead this deployment, tailoring a design able to withstand extreme altitude, wind and seismic conditions, setting a new benchmark for regional mining innovation in South America.