Time to take a closer look at hybrid mining systems: Worley
- 19 July 2025
Leading global engineering group Worley has again put its weight behind in-pit crushing and conveying (IPCC) systems as a sustainable mining solution, now also highlighting the role of “a rising star in sustainable mining” in a possible hybrid approach.
“IPCC systems have been in operation for years, with several mining companies adopting them to reduce reliance on trucks and improve efficiency,” says Nicholas Russell, principal mechanical engineer with the Australian Securities Exchange-listed Worley.
“Their key benefit lies in using conveyors for material transport, which is more energy efficient.
“By replacing trucks, IPCC systems significantly reduce fuel use and emissions.”
Apart from IPCC’s generally hefty upfront capital requirements, Russell says the extent to which operations can be fully “truckless” is likely to vary. In many cases hybrid solutions that combine IPCC and a smaller truck fleet might provide “the best balance between sustainability and operational flexibility”, he says.
While still seen to be in its infancy, battery-electric haul truck (BEHT) technology is highlighted by Worley as a further promising advance in the industry’s efforts to reduce emissions.
Senior associate technical consultant Renee Frenette says electric-powered trucks shape as a direct replacement for diesel-powered units, promising cleaner and quieter options. “As the technology matures it’s expected to become more widely adopted across the sector,” she says.
Frenette says current BEHT models are significantly smaller than units required for large-scale mining operations, with original equipment manufacturers estimating larger-capacity BE trucks will be available between 2027 and 2030. However, smaller vehicles might still have a key role in a practical solution for many mining sites.
“A hybrid model might involve using IPCC to handle most of the material transport while a smaller fleet of BEHT or hybrid trucks is used in areas requiring more flexibility or where IPCC is not feasible,” Russell says.
The approach reduced truck dependency and associated emissions while leveraging the continuous material flow and efficiency of the IPCC system for improved material handling, he said.
In the short term combining both technologies could provide operational flexibility and scalability that a truckless system couldn’t offer, with each technology offering different route capabilities.
“For example, [for] the upper burden in a strip mine trucks can travel straight across the pit, whereas IPCC typically needs to go around it. Conversely for deep pits IPCC generally take a steeper, more direct route,” Russell says.
Worley says a hybrid solution is currently being studied in Morocco where IPCC is being considered for one material type and BEHT for the remaining operation.
“This solution allows the mine to benefit from an overall reduced fleet size, lessening the risk of supply constraints before 2030,” Frenette says.
In China small BEHT fleets were already in use alongside IPCC installations while in Australia “many miners … are conducting desktop studies to assess the feasibility of IPCC concepts”.
Russell says countries such as Saudi Arabia and other parts of the Middle East are also exploring both technologies as part of their broader efforts to expand their mining sectors and adopt more sustainable practices.
“As environmental regulations tighten, these regions are becoming key hotspots for the adoption of both IPCC and BEHT,” he says.
Worley is a gold sponsor of Resourcing Tomorrow 2025 in London from December 2-4.
