Home  >  News  >  News Details

News Details

July 31, 2025

Nevada Gold Mines and Komatsu Launch First-of-Its-Kind Autonomous Haulage Partnership in the U.S.

A massive yellow Komatsu haul truck with an enormous dump bed sits on a dirt road at an open-pit mining site in Nevada. The truck features huge black tires, external staircases for cab access, and appears to have an American flag design on its dump bed. Behind the vehicle, barren desert mountains rise against a clear blue sky, with exposed rock faces and mining tailings visible on the hillsides, characteristic of Nevada's gold mining operations.
NGM will be automating their fleet of 300 and 230 tonne haul trucks across their surface operations.

Nevada Gold Mines (NGM) and Komatsu have officially launched a pioneering partnership to elevate workplace safety and enhance operational efficiency through the deployment of Komatsu’s FrontRunner Autonomous Haulage System (AHS). NGM will be automating their fleet of 300 and 230 tonne haul trucks across their surface operations. While visiting the company’s Cortez operations this week, Barrick president and chief executive Mark Bristow joined site leaders to witness a milestone moment — a live demonstration of the FrontRunner AHS. The collaboration marks the first implementation of the system for both companies within the United States, setting a new standard for mining operations nationwide.

“This is a strong example of how proven global solutions can be adapted to meet NGM’s specific operational needs,” said Bristow. “Barrick and NGM are committed to innovation that drives meaningful change. But more than that, it’s about protecting our people. By reducing the need for onboard operators, the FrontRunner system significantly minimizes employee exposure to potential hazards, while enhancing more predictable fleet performance, better fuel consumption and continuous operations — all of which contribute to a safer, more sustainable future for mining.”

“We’re proud to partner with Nevada Gold Mines on this transformative initiative,” said Braden Weisheit, General Manager of Mining Technology Solutions at Komatsu. “The scale and ambition of this deployment mark a major milestone for autonomous mining in America. This collaboration reflects Komatsu’s commitment to delivering proven, world-class solutions tailored to our partners’ needs.” 
 

A group of ten mining workers in bright yellow high-visibility safety shirts with reflective stripes and hard hats pose on a yellow metal platform at a Nevada gold mine. Most wear the standard yellow and navy safety uniforms, with one woman in a pink safety shirt. Behind them is a large blue banner reading MINING AUTOMATION: UNEARTHING VALUE featuring an image of a massive yellow haul truck. The desert landscape with hills and clear skies stretches in the background, typical of Nevada's mining regions.
Barrick president and chief executive Mark Bristow (left) joins site leaders to witness a milestone moment — a live demonstration of the FrontRunner AHS.
A massive yellow Komatsu haul truck numbered 1776 drives across a dirt road at an open-pit gold mine in Nevada, kicking up dust behind its enormous tires. The truck features a large dump bed with an American flag design and external metal staircases leading to the operator's cab. In the background, the dramatic terraced walls of the open-pit mine stretch across the landscape under a partly cloudy blue sky, showing the characteristic benched mining levels carved into the desert terrain.
Barrick and NGM are committed to innovation that drives meaningful change.

To support the performance and reliability of this cutting-edge system, Sedna and Nokia will deploy a customized 5G communications infrastructure. This tailored network will provide the high-speed, low-latency connectivity required for seamless system performance, real-time data exchange and safe, remote equipment operation.

“This collaboration demonstrates how technology leaders can come together to create powerful, future-ready solutions,” said Peter Dormehl, Sedna chief executive officer. “The 5G network will provide the robust foundation needed to support high-performance, safety-critical operations.”

Don Leyn, director of sales, mining, reiterated this message, saying, “Together, we are building more than just connectivity, we’re creating a network solution built for the future and for today.”

NGM, Komatsu, Sedna and Nokia are laying the groundwork for a smarter, safer and more efficient operating model — marking the beginning of a powerful collaboration rooted in shared values and a collective vision for a better tomorrow.

Investor Relations Contact

Cleve Rueckert, +1 775 397 5443
cleveland.rueckert@barrick.com

Media Contact

Brunswick Group
Carole Cable, +44 (0) 7974 982 458
barrick@brunswickgroup.com

About Nevada Gold Mines

Nevada Gold Mines, operated by Barrick Mining Corporation (NYSE:B)(TSX:ABX) is a joint venture between Barrick (61.5%) and Newmont (38.5%) that combined their significant assets across Nevada in 2019 to create the single largest gold-producing complex in the world.

About Komatsu

Komatsu develops and supplies technologies, equipment and services for the construction, mining, forklift, industrial and forestry markets. For more than a century, the company has been creating value for its customers through manufacturing and technology innovation, partnering with others to empower a sustainable future where people, business and the planet thrive together. Front-line industries worldwide use Komatsu solutions to develop modern infrastructure, extract fundamental minerals, manage forests and create consumer products. The company's global service and distributor networks support customer operations to help enhance safety and promote productivity while working to optimize performance. Learn more at www.komatsu.com.

About Nokia

At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together. We have been innovating for over 160 years, adapting along the way to put technology in the service of people. As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think, and act.

Multimedia Files: