RCT adds to Fortescue’s automation fleet at Solomon

Published by Jody Dodgson, Editorial Assistant
Global Mining Review, Tuesday, 28 October 2025 15:00

RCT - Powered by Epiroc are proud to have worked with Fortescue at its flagship iron ore mine and production site, Solomon to further grow their Non Line of Sight (NLOS) fleet on site and in turn further drive efficiency and productivity.

The company, well-known in the industry for its autonomous operations, has now added five NLOS excavators to its ever-expanding fleet, thanks to the team at RCT - Powered by Epiroc.

RCT’s Perth Solutions Team was tasked with the design, installation and commissioning of two CAT 350 Excavators and four D10T Dozers with AutoNav Tele, RCT’s Teleremote control solution, which allows the operator to control the machines from the comfort of an automation centre.

“It allows them to comfortably control machines in real-time with the help of strategically placed cameras and sensors,” said RCT’s Solutions & Customer Service Manager for RCT Perth, Steven Appleton.

Even though the operator is removed from the cab of the machine, they receive real-time data through a graphical interface and a touch display which provides them with instant access to machine data and operational insights.

“While AutoNav Tele is stage 2 of RCT’s Automation journey, our technology range is fully scalable and can grow with Solomon’s mining needs, if necessary,” he added.

At Solomon these automated machines are used as ancillary machines for rock breaking and tray cleaning (back scratching) as required on site.

"This task requires an operator to control the machine for very short bursts of time, meaning there was a lot of coming and going which is quite time consuming and results in lost time,” said Mr Appleton.

“Our AutoNav Tele technology eliminates this downtime by removing them from the cab of the machine and allowing them to attend to a number of other tasks in the interim, instead of having them sit idle in the machine, waiting to be picked up each time.”

At Solomon the operators are controlling multiple machines from an AutoNav Centre, located in an office location on site, which also plays a part in reducing downtime associated with shift changeovers etc.

RCT training was also provided to operators and maintenance staff to ensure the technology can be self-sufficient on site.

Our technology has been in place some time now and the feedback from the client has been positive.

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/28102025/rct-adds-to-fortescues-automation-fleet-at-solomon/