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BHP, CATL, BYD ink battery deals for mining: Update

BHP, CATL, BYD ink battery deals for mining: Update

Beijing, 14 July (Argus) — Australian diversified mining group BHP has signed non-binding deals with China's largest battery manufacturer CATL and largest electric vehicle producer BYD to develop battery solutions for heavy equipment and railway locomotives used in mining activity. BHP and CATL aim to collaborate in areas such as the electrification of mining equipment, construction of fast-charging infrastructure, and energy storage and battery recycling. They plan to accelerate the electrification of BHP's mining operations and to create a replicable "green transformation model" for the global mining industry, CATL said on 14 July. Global demand for critical minerals such as lithium and nickel has increased with the rise in renewable energy technologies. This in turn has spurred the expansion of the mining industry, which is energy-intensive and emissions-intensive, said CATL. BHP aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations by 2050. BHP and FinDreams Battery, a subsidiary of BYD, signed a similar deal on 14 July to research and explore battery system solutions suitable for heavy mining equipment and locomotives, as well as the corresponding fast-charging infrastructure. BHP will use explore the viability of using BYD's commercial and light vehicles in BHP's mines. CATL's total battery capacity is projected to reach 700-1,000 GWh/yr in 2025, which would make it the world's first TWh-level battery manufacturer, according to market participants. The firm has been accelerating expansions outside China in recent years, with projects in Germany, Hungary, Spain, and Indonesia. CATL has been trying to expand its presence in the conventional energy and mining sectors. It is building a 40 GWh/yr factory in Dongying, which is the largest oil refining city in China, with the aim of helping Dongying evolve into a zero-carbon city. China's sales of new energy trucks have increased in 2025, mainly on the back of government subsidies, overtaking LNG trucks in displacing diesel vehicles. The country's sales of new energy trucks in January-June reached about 72,000 units, more than 2½ times year-earlier levels. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.