Located in a high-altitude copper cluster in western China, Julong copper mine spans multiple deposits including Julong and Zhibula.
As one of the world’s top five copper deposits, it represents a cornerstone of China’s critical mineral supply, haul roads at Julong range from 4000 to 5400 meters above sea level, where extreme cold, low oxygen, and rugged terrain pose severe challenges to both personnel and equipment.
Recruiting and retaining drivers at this altitude has long been a bottleneck for operations. To address these challenges, the mine operator initiated the adoption of autonomous haulage. EACON was recently awarded the contract, and in the first phase of deployment, its system has been successfully launched at the Julong site.
Five 100-tonne wide-body autonomous dump trucks now operate alongside seven 200-tonne manned rigid dump trucks, sharing haul roads under live production conditions. The mixed fleet deployment has recorded zero safety incidents to date.
“To introduce autonomous haul trucks at such altitude and under these conditions is a milestone for industry safety and productivity,” Julong mine superintendent said. “It has removed the need for drivers to work in extreme environments, significantly enhancing safety while easing operational constraints.”
Building on this success, Phase Two of the project is now underway. EACON is retrofitting 240-tonne mining trucks and rolling out ORCASTRA CONDUCTOR, its intelligent fleet management system, to coordinate mixed brand and size of autonomy trucks across multiple mining zones.
Next, the company will extend its technology to the Zhibula Copper Mine, also operated by Julong. Here, sixty factory-fitted, battery-electric wide-body autonomous trucks will be deployed — a significant step forward in both electrification and autonomy.
Due to narrower roads and a strong commitment to emissions reduction, Zhibula is set to become a flagship site for Zijin’s sustainability goals and corporate responsibility initiatives.
This program highlights the strength of EACON’s OEM-agnostic architecture, which supports both retrofit and factory-fitted autonomy across diesel and electric platforms — even in the world’s most extreme mining environments.
EACON’s solution integrates autonomous driving, electric powertrains, and intelligent scheduling, enabling mines to reduce safety risks, improve fleet efficiency, and accelerate their transition toward sustainable operations.
By proving reliable autonomous haulage in one of the world’s highest and harshest sites, EACON is setting new benchmarks for safety, resilience, and sustainability in global mining.
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