Technology company ABB and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have agreed to develop new solutions for digitally integrated all-electric mining operations to help the industry meet net-zero emissions goals.

The companies said the initiative's purpose is to "show reliability, effectiveness and scalability" as mining operators "move towards all-electric and net-zero-emissions."

ABB explained that its ABB Ability Operations Management System (OMS) had been integrated with heavy-duty electric vehicle drivetrain development MEDATech's cloud data collection system on AWS in a first demonstration.

During the integration, telemetry data, including battery state and charge speed, was transmitted in real-time from MEDATech's first-ever 100% electric haul truck; the data was secured on AWS' internet of things (IoT).

Flemming Kongsberg, director of Global ISV Alliances at AWS, said mining companies are looking for "end-to-end integrated solutions to optimise their operations."  

He said the parties, including MEDATech, have "demonstrated a fully integrated solution for mining operators to combine data from electric vehicles and operations to maximise their efficiency and contribute to their sustainability goals."

Darren Mueller, director of sales and marketing, MEDATech Engineering, said the "agnostic vehicle-level telematics systems" developed with AWS and ABB would provide mining operators with real-time vehicle data.

Max Luedtke, global head of mining, process industries at ABB, said, "A successful digital, automation and electrical transformation journey relies on partnerships, and we've demonstrated how ABB and AWS, together with MEDATech in this case, can bring their respective capabilities to realize the vision of net-zero emissions."