NewSteel Mining and Chile’s CEIM to covert diesel Cat 777D to battery electric
Chile’s Industrial and Mining Training Centre (CEIM) and NewSteel Mining have announced they are to convert a diesel-powered mining truck to battery electric operation. The statement said the alliance will enable the development of a pilot project for the electric conversion of a mining truck and they say will generate new capabilities for developing human capital.
CEIM: “The mining industry is moving toward a new stage marked by decarbonisation, energy efficiency, and the incorporation of electromobility technologies. In this context, the Industrial and Mining Training Centre (CEIM) and NewSteel Mining signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes the foundation for jointly developing initiatives aimed at strengthening the human capital that this transformation will demand.”
The alliance seeks to combine NewSteel Mining’s experience in electric retrofit solutions – a process that allows for the conversion of diesel mining trucks into electric equipment through the incorporation of battery systems and new propulsion technologies – with CEIM’s track record in training, development, and certification of skills for the mining industry.
For background, NewSteel Mining Latam is a Chilean company, with a global head office under NewSteel Global in Melbourne, Australia, specialising in the application engineering of technologies for electromobility in mining. NewSteel is an agent for Huigong (Hebei) Machinery Group’s mining truck oil to electric conversion technologies in Chile and Australia under a deal first signed in 2024. Huigong has carried out a significant number of conversions of rigid trucks in China.
Huigong is based in the industrial zone of Julu County in Hebei Province and has a major position in mining for supplying its own manufactured components – including electric wheel motors, gearboxes, control systems, transmissions, axles and others for mining trucks and shovels – including for models from Komatsu, XCMG, NHL, BELAZ, SANY, Taiyuan Heavy and others. It also developed a major Li-ion battery industry through two major Huigong subsidiaries, the manufacturing one being Xingdong Lithium Battery Technology Co Ltd (XDLE).Â
A major focus of Huigong and NewSteel is on the electric conversion of mining trucks between 90 and 300 tons, using retrofit solutions that incorporate battery systems, intelligent energy management, and advanced monitoring, contributing to the industry’s transition toward more efficient and sustainable operations. NewSteel has also been in discussion with Codelco about battery electric conversion of water trucks and smaller class rigid trucks.
Both CEIM and NewSteel will develop a pilot project involving the electric conversion of a Caterpillar 777D mining truck (water truck), owned by CEIM. This transformation process will not only incorporate new technologies into the equipment but also generate technical knowledge that can later be transferred to training programs.
This will be a multi-month project that represents a significant challenge for both organisations. “For CEIM, it means continuing to incorporate cutting-edge technologies into our training processes and, at the same time, anticipating the new skills the industry will require. The transformation underway in mining not only involves having new technologies, but also preparing the people who will face the challenge of operating and maintaining them. We are proud to be part of this initiative and to become the first training centre to develop a project of this nature,” said José Antonio DÃaz, General Manager of CEIM.
For his part, Rafael Arévalo, CEO of NewSteel Mining, emphasised the importance of having a skilled workforce to support this transformation. “The advancement of these technologies requires qualified personnel and training facilities capable of preparing future maintenance technicians. We hope this project can continue to grow, be presented at Expomin next year, and attract new stakeholders so that its benefits can extend to the entire mining industry in the country.”
The truck’s transformation will involve a complete overhaul of its propulsion system, replacing the main components associated with diesel technology with an electric solution. “We will remove the diesel engine, transmission, and other mechanical components to incorporate a battery system, electric traction motors, and electronic controls. With this conversion, the truck will become 100% electric, and we project that it will achieve a range of at least eight hours before requiring a recharge,” explained Daniel López, head of the Heavy Equipment division at CEIM.
The electric retrofit project opens the possibility of documenting the process, generating technical knowledge, identifying emerging skills, and advancing the development of training programs associated with the new profiles that electromobility in mining will demand. In this way, the truck can become a training platform to introduce these technologies to students, workers, and future maintenance personnel, connecting innovation applied to mining equipment with the development of the skills required for its implementation in operations. With this initiative, both organisations aim to strengthen training in heavy mining electromobility, combining technological innovation and human capital development to support the industry’s transition toward increasingly efficient and sustainable operations.
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