Australian iron ore miner Rio Tinto and Chinese mining equipment giant XCMG have signed a global cooperation framework agreement in Conakry, Guinea’s capital. Simultaneously, XCMG and SimFer Company, a joint venture between Rio Tinto and Chinalco Group, signed a statement of work for the Simandou mining project.
XCMG and Rio Tinto first established cooperation in 2014, focused on XCMG’s hydraulic cylinder products. A 400-ton excavator hydraulic cylinder supplied by XCMG has operated continuously for over 20,000 hours in an Australian mining site, setting a new record for trouble-free operation of Chinese-made core components.
Since then, the partnership has expanded with the joint development of the GR2605 motor grader and the XC9 series wheel loader. In 2021, XCMG successfully delivered a GR5505 grader to Rio Tinto, which has played a key role in the mine’s production and operations.
In a significant development, XCMG has won the bid for the Simandou mining project and will provide a complete set of core mining equipment, including dozens of XDE240 230-ton diesel-electric drive mining trucks, as well as 350 HP and 550 HP large mining graders. The total contract is valued at nearly USD 110 mln.