Small-Truck Fleets and Selective Extraction: Enabling Precision Mining Through Open Autonomy

By: Wenco International Mining Systems

As ore grades decline and deposits extend into more complex terrain, mining operators are rethinking how to move material with greater precision, efficiency, and sustainability. Two complementary strategies are gaining traction: small-truck mining—deploying distributed fleets of smaller autonomous haul trucks—and selective extraction, the practice of removing only higher-value ore while leaving low-grade material in place. When combined with interoperable autonomy and robust fleet management, these approaches move from concept to practical reality.

Why Smaller Trucks?

Smaller, right-sized trucks can access tighter benches and constrained areas where larger haul trucks struggle. In a distributed fleet model, capacity is delivered through many coordinated units rather than a few very large machines. This improves operational resilience: individual equipment faults have less impact on throughput, and downtime can be mitigated through intelligent reassignment.

Selective Extraction + Autonomy = Precision at Scale

Selective extraction reduces the total material moved and the energy required per tonne of valuable ore. Coupled with smaller, more maneuverable haul trucks and excavators equipped with advanced sensing, mapping, and autonomous haulage technologies, operators can route high-value material through optimized cycles while minimizing waste movement—lowering both cost and environmental impact.

Interoperability Is the Multiplier

The benefits of small-truck fleets and selective extraction depend on more than vehicle size. They hinge on how autonomy stacks integrate: vehicle controllers, perception and sensor fusion, machine guidance, fleet management systems (FMS), and the mine’s operational platforms.

Open autonomy—the ability to mix and match best-of-breed solutions rather than being locked into a single, vertically integrated stack—is essential for scaling these strategies across diverse sites. Interoperability ensures operators can adopt the right combination of technologies for each orebody and operational context.

A Practical Example

A field deployment in Western Australia's Pilbara region demonstrates how open autonomy principles work in practice with small-truck fleets. The mining operation has integrated Scania 40-60 tonne class autonomous haul trucks using Wenco's fleet management system. This implementation coordinates multiple technology layers—dispatch optimization, traffic management, vehicle control, and machine guidance for interaction with staffed loading units—all operating through open interfaces rather than proprietary connections. The technical architecture validates that smaller autonomous trucks can operate effectively without single-vendor solutions, with operations selecting components independently while maintaining full system integration at production scale.

Environmental and Economic Advantages

Smaller autonomous trucks deliver measurable benefits:

• Lower Carbon Footprint: Reduced material movement means less energy use and fewer emissions.

• Better Energy Efficiency: Higher payload-to-weight ratios make smaller trucks more efficient and ideal for electrification.

• Cost Savings: Optimized fleet utilization and selective extraction reduce operating costs significantly.

These advantages align with the industry’s push toward responsible mining practices and a low-carbon future.

Looking Ahead

Small-truck mining and selective extraction are not at odds with large-truck fleets—they are complementary strategies. Open autonomy enables operators to implement heterogeneous fleet strategies, trial different vehicle classes and autonomy suppliers, and adopt the best combination for each bench or orebody.

Scaling these approaches will require shared standards, collaborative pilots, and transparent reporting of results—principles at the heart of open autonomy.