Fortescue Metals Group has outlined plans to boost the number of driverless trucks at its mines in the next financial year.
The world's fourth largest iron ore exporter says it will convert an additional 12 trucks at its Solomon hub mining site in the Pilbara to the autonomous haulage technology, in addition to the 56 AHS trucks already operating now.
It will also implement the AHS technology to its main Chichester Hub mine site, converting about 100 trucks there.
The company said since it started using driverless trucks at the Solomon Hub in 2012, it has achieved a 20 per cent improvement in productivity.
It is targeting a similar level of improvement at Chichester.
Fortescue said it will also invest in an innovative relocatable conveyor trial at the Cloudbreak mine, which forms part of Chichester.
It did not disclose financial details of the projects, but said they will contribute productivity improvements across the business through reduced haulage costs to offset the rising strip ratios, or waste rock removal, at the mines.
The projects will be implemented over a three year period starting in the 2018 financial year and will form part of the company's sustaining capital expenditure.
It did not disclose the resulting number of job losses that would result.
At 1540 AEST, Fortescue shares were up 3.6 per cent to $4.87 in a steady Australian market.
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