CATL, BYD partner with Australia’s BHP to electrify mining industry


Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) and BYD have signed initial agreements with Australian mining giant BHP to collaborate on battery technology and electrification of mining operations, as both mainland firms explore new growth avenues amid a weakening outlook for electric vehicles (EVs).

Melbourne-based BHP said on Monday that it had signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with CATL, the world’s largest battery maker, and FinDreams Battery (FDB), a fully owned subsidiary of BYD, the world’s largest EV maker, to collaborate on battery development for mining equipment, locomotives and fast-charging infrastructure.

CATL and FDB will also focus on energy storage systems and battery recycling options, leveraging BHP’s copper operations to enhance recycling processes and create sustainable value chains in the mining sector.

BHP said its partnership with BYD involved evaluating the Chinese EV maker’s commercial and light vehicles for mining applications to reduce diesel use.

Visitors look at the fast-charging battery from CATL that promises 520km from 5 minutes of charging. Photo: AP
Visitors look at the fast-charging battery from CATL that promises 520km from 5 minutes of charging. Photo: AP

“Together with forward-thinking mining companies like BHP, we aim to demonstrate how advanced battery technologies can decarbonise mining operations, logistics and product delivery,” said Tan Libin, head of overseas business at CATL. This would accelerate a sustainable and efficient future while creating long-term value and transform the global mining industry through innovation, he added.

The signing of the MOU represented a pivotal milestone for accelerating decarbonisation across the global resources sector, said Jack Li, a general manager at FDB.

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