TerraNova Mining Corp's Autonomous Haul Fleet Surpasses 5 Million Kilometers, Cutting Fuel Costs by 18%

Karratha, Western Australia / 500NewsWire / July 15, 2026 / TerraNova Mining Corp announced today that its fleet of autonomous haul trucks at the Ridgeback Iron Ore Project has surpassed 5 million kilometers of driverless operation, marking one of the largest sustained autonomous haulage deployments in the Pilbara region.

The milestone, reached after 30 months of continuous operation, has delivered an 18% reduction in fuel consumption per tonne hauled and a 22% improvement in truck utilization rates compared to the site's previous human-operated fleet, according to internal operations data released by the company.

"When we started this program, our goal wasn't just automation for its own sake — it was about building a safer, more predictable operation," said Priya Anand, Vice President of Operations at TerraNova Mining Corp. "Five million kilometers later, we're seeing fewer near-miss incidents, more consistent cycle times, and a workforce that's shifted into higher-skilled remote monitoring and maintenance roles rather than being replaced."

Key Highlights

• 42 autonomous haul trucks now operate across the Ridgeback pit, coordinated through a centralized remote operations center located 1,200 kilometers away in Perth.
• Zero lost-time injuries attributed to haulage operations since the autonomous fleet reached full deployment in early 2024.
• 18% fuel savings achieved through optimized route planning and reduced idle time, driven by machine-learning models that adjust haul routes in real time based on pit conditions.
• 60 employees transitioned from truck operation roles into new positions in fleet monitoring, data analysis, and predictive maintenance.

A Model for Remote Operations

TerraNova's remote operations center — one of the first of its kind to manage haulage at this scale from an offsite location — uses a combination of LiDAR mapping, GPS precision guidance, and onboard collision-avoidance systems to coordinate truck movements across the open-pit site.

The company says the data gathered from the program is now informing the design of its next autonomous deployment, planned for the Silverlode Copper Project in 2027, which will incorporate autonomous drilling rigs alongside haul trucks for the first time.

"Every kilometer this fleet drives generates data we can act on," Anand added. "We're not just automating a task — we're building an operational playbook that we believe will become standard practice across the industry over the next decade."

About TerraNova Mining Corp

TerraNova Mining Corp is a diversified mining company focused on iron ore, copper, and critical minerals production across Australia and Southeast Asia. The company is committed to advancing safer, lower-emission mining practices through technology and operational innovation.