Driverless trucks move iron ore at automated Rio Tinto mines
www.abc.net.au
The first two mines in the world to start moving all of their iron ore using fully remote-controlled trucks have just gone online in Western Australia's Pilbara.
  • MakingWork@lemmy.caEnglish
    1·
    1 day ago

    These trucks will be popular quickly once they become cheaper than human labour.

    Human labour costs:

    1. Drug testing. Mining has strict rules and lots of mines drug test.
    2. Pay. Bonus, overtime, vacation, sick days, etc.
    3. Less work for HR. Reduction of harassment, workplace bullying, conflicts between coworkers and supervisors.
    4. Other pay, like retirement contribution and health and benefits.
    5. human accidents (roll over, death, hitting something, etc.)

    All these will be eliminated with unmanned trucks. Heavy duty truck drivers make over $100k so they are good jobs, even with a lot of mines having 12 hours shifts.