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Australia’s first Cat® 793 XE Early Learner battery-electric haul trucks have arrived at BHP’s Jimblebar iron ore mine in the Pilbara, marking the start of on-site testing, in collaboration with Rio Tinto, of Caterpillar’s battery-electric heavy haulage technology in the region that powers the nation’s economy. 

The two Early Learner trucks, delivered through an industry-first collaboration between BHP, Rio Tinto and Caterpillar represent a major step toward a more sustainable future in mining, designed to deliver zero exhaust emissions while maintaining productivity and performance. 

Once safely commissioned, the trials will begin to test the viability of battery-electric technology as an alternative to diesel usage in large-scale iron ore mining operations. The trials will help inform the development of technology, processes, infrastructure and people required to support lower greenhouse gas emissions machines and mine sites of the future.  

Decarbonisation of Pilbara iron ore operations will rely on technology advancements and breakthroughs in research and development, which is why BHP and Rio Tinto are working closely with Caterpillar, supported by WesTrac, to accelerate development and transition their fleets as soon as commercially and operationally viable. 

Following the joint trial, BHP and Rio Tinto will independently determine progress towards scaled trials within their respective operational environments. 

Tim Day, Western Australia Iron Ore Asset President, said: 

“Powering up our first battery-electric haul trucks in the Pilbara is an important step forward on the mining industry’s road to decarbonisation. 

“Replacing diesel isn’t just about changing energy sources, it’s about reimagining how we operate and creating the technologies, infrastructure and supply chains to transform mining operations. These trials will help us understand how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together: the battery technologies, generation and charging infrastructure, power management, as well as the supply chains to potentially deliver this at scale. 

“A significant shift like this demands a strong commitment to research and development, coupled with collaboration across the industry. This is going to take time to get right, which is why trials like this one with Rio Tinto and Caterpillar are so critical. 

“These trials are a critical part of this work as we bring the testing to the reality of the Pilbara. We’re excited about what we’ll learn about how best to deliver the breakthroughs required to accelerate this transition.” 

 Andrew Wilson, Rio Tinto Iron Ore Managing Director Pilbara Mines, said: 

“Decarbonising Rio Tinto’s fleet across our 18 Pilbara mines is a significant challenge. By exploring solutions like this to reduce emissions, we hope that, over time, we will be able to move away from diesel. 

“No single company can achieve zero emissions haulage on its own. It takes the whole industry working together. That’s why we’re working with BHP and Caterpillar to develop new solutions that will reduce emissions in mining and help us reach our net zero commitments. 

“Through this industry-first collaboration to test Cat 793 XE Early Learner battery-electric haul trucks in Pilbara conditions, we hope to meet our shared goals as quickly and efficiently as we can.” 

Marc Cameron, Senior Vice President, Resource Industries Sales, Services and Technology, Caterpillar Inc:  

“The arrival of the Early Learner trucks in the Pilbara marks a significant milestone in the journey toward a more sustainable future. By working side by side with our customers, we’re delivering solutions to help them solve their toughest challenges while learning together each step of the way. This collaboration is key to accelerating innovation and shaping the next generation of mining technology, and we’re excited to be on this journey together with our Early Learner customers.”  

Ongoing testing and development throughout this trial will enable learning toward future deployment.  This will inform the approach for testing a larger number of haul trucks and the potential integration of battery-electric haul truck fleets into each company’s operations. 

The collaboration reflects the shared ambitions of BHP, Rio Tinto and Caterpillar to support BHP’s and Rio Tinto’s respective net zero operational greenhouse gas emissions goals by 2050. 

KARACHI:

Following a session marked by institutional profit-taking a day earlier, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a measured rebound on Thursday as renewed buying helped the benchmark KSE-100 index claw back some lost ground.

The market briefly surged around 700 points during intra-day trade before settling with a modest uptick of around 140 points, reflecting cautious optimism and selective re-entry by investors.

Sentiment strengthened after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that bidding for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) would be broadcast live on December 23, 2025, a development that fuelled interest in PIA Holding Company, which was actively traded throughout the session.

At the close of trading, the benchmark KSE-100 index posted a mild gain of 138.20 points, or 0.08%, settling at 166,283.55.

Arif Habib Limited (AHL) reported a largely flat session following two consecutive days of decline, with market breadth evenly balanced as 50 stocks advanced while 49 retreated. Index support came primarily from Service Industries (+10%), Pioneer Cement (+3.84%) and PTCL (+4.95%). On the downside, Fauji Fertiliser Company (-0.86%), Pakistan Services (-6.7%) and Mari Energies (-0.62%) were the biggest drags, it said.

In sector developments, the telecom regulator granted conditional approval for the acquisition of Telenor Pakistan by PTCL. Meanwhile, Bank Alfalah (+0.18%) accepted a non-bidding offer from Ghazanfar Bank to acquire its Afghanistan business, pending satisfactory due diligence. With key support near 164,000, the KSE-100 remains 0.24% down while heading into the final session of the week, AHL said.

“It was a market recovery as investors re-entered,” noted Topline Securities in its review. After a heavy spell of institutional selling in Wednesday’s session, the bourse staged a welcome recovery on Thursday. The benchmark index touched the intra-day high of 691 points before closing at 166,284, up 138 points, reflecting renewed buying interest and improved intra-day sentiment.

On the news front, it said, confidence strengthened after the prime minister announced that the bidding process for the privatisation of PIA would be broadcast live on national television on December 23. This development sparked notable investor interest in PIA Holding Company, which saw healthy volumes.

Meanwhile, Lalpir Power emerged as one of the most actively traded stocks, with over 108 million shares changing hands. The surge aligns with the company’s ongoing share buyback programme that commenced on November 28.

Market sentiment remained broadly positive, supported by strong performance in key heavyweights such as Service Industries, Pioneer Cement, PTCL, Engro Holdings and Pakistan Petroleum, which added 298 points to the index, Topline said.

Mubashir Anis Naviwala of JS Global wrote that the PSX closed slightly positive as the KSE-100 settled at 166,284, up 138 points. The market witnessed choppy trading earlier in the day but it later stabilised with selective buying near support levels. Volumes remained moderate at 608 million shares, reflecting cautious sentiment. A close above 166k indicates underlying support, though momentum remains soft, he said.

Overall trading volumes were recorded at 608 million shares compared with the previous session’s tally of 593 million. The value of shares traded during the day was Rs31.2 billion.

Shares of a total of 477 companies were traded. Out of these, 203 closed in the green, 223 ended lower, while 51 remained unchanged.

Lalpir Power led the volumes with 108.9 million shares, shedding Rs1.57 to close at Rs24.33. It was followed by PIA Holding Company with trading in 37.8 million shares, gaining Rs3.62 to settle at Rs41.61, while PTCL recorded trading in 34.5 million shares, gaining Rs2.07 to close at Rs43.92. Foreign investors sold shares worth Rs1.8 billion, the National Clearing Company reported.