How Hitachi is Supporting Next-Generation Mining Operations

Hitachi Construction Machinery is working with Technological Resources Pty Limited, a Rio Tinto subsidiary, to advance remote operation technologies for ultra-large hydraulic excavators.

The aim is to support the next phase of mining with operator assist, remote control and partial autonomy at the core of excavation and loading work.

Both companies plan to build on previous joint efforts by applying and testing these technologies at Rio Tinto’s mine sites in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. The agreement sees Hitachi Construction Machinery providing the technical development, while Rio Tinto handles on-site implementation and evaluation.

Remote operation supports continuous mining

In a mining environment that operates round the clock, maintaining safety and productivity requires consistent innovation. The push to deploy remote operation systems on ultra-large hydraulic excavators responds to that demand, helping to minimise risk and increase efficiency across mining operations.

Hitachi Construction Machinery – which is to be known as LANDCROS from April 2027 – develops remote and partially autonomous systems, while Rio Tinto brings these into the field through its fleet of ultra-large hydraulic excavators.

These machines, once equipped with the latest control technologies, collect operational data and provide site-specific feedback. This exchange forms the foundation for improving and scaling remote digging and loading.

Partial autonomy allows operators to set the initial digging position and the dump truck’s loading location. The machine then repeats the operation automatically, reducing manual input while maintaining precision.

This approach also opens up opportunities for reducing on-site personnel and enhancing safety through distance.

Hitachi Construction Machinery has set a target of 2030 to create an interoperable platform, which would operate multiple ultra-large hydraulic excavators with partial autonomy in a coordinated way across various mine sites.

Field testing continues in Western Australia

The collaboration builds on earlier work where Hitachi Construction Machinery and Rio Tinto examined the durability of excavator booms and arms, along with trials of operator-assist functions.

With a new agreement in place, both companies aim to accelerate real-world testing of autonomous functions across different mining conditions.

Rio Tinto’s Pilbara operations provide a varied landscape, making them suitable for testing the robustness and versatility of remote systems. Through this deployment, Hitachi Construction Machinery collects data to refine its technologies and push towards broader site integration.

The two companies say they will continue field tests under changing and diverse conditions to confirm performance.

This hands-on partnership reflects a shared plan to turn autonomous features from test systems into operational norms. For Rio Tinto, which already applies autonomous haulage and drilling systems at scale, adding hydraulic excavation to its autonomous operations supports its larger digital mining strategy.

Creating reliable solutions

The development work falls under Hitachi Construction Machinery’s wider business approach named LANDCROS, a concept which focuses on creating “reliable and open solutions for our customers” through a flexible and collaborative model.

Hiroshi Kanezawa, Executive Officer and Vice President of the Mining Business Unit at Hitachi Construction Machinery, says the company has pushed technical innovation in hydraulic excavation since entering the field in the late 1970s. He explains how this next phase aligns with their vision.

"Since entering the mining machinery business in the late 1970s, the Hitachi Construction Machinery Group has driven technology innovation for ultra-large hydraulic excavators in the industry," says Hiroshi.

"Our new concept LANDCROS embodies our desires for 'Customer', 'Reliable', 'Open' and 'Solutions' – reliable and open solutions for our customers – and expresses the direction that the Hitachi Construction Machinery Group wish to take.

"Under this concept, we are confident that open collaboration with Rio Tinto, which has extensive expertise in mining operations, will accelerate the development of highly-versatile autonomous operation technologies for the benefit of the whole mining industry."

Hitachi Construction Machinery’s strategy to deliver a scalable, open system fits with wider industry efforts to integrate autonomous equipment from different suppliers. Rio Tinto’s focus on interoperability across its mining systems makes the two firms aligned on both technology direction and execution.

With remote operation and partial autonomy now moving beyond proof of concept, the collaboration sets a clear path for ultra-large hydraulic excavators to join the next wave of digitally managed mining fleets.