Case Study: Global mining company Los Pelambres boosts ROI and copper throughput with ORBCOMM remote fuel monitoring

Mining Company Ups the ROI with Remote Fuel Level Monitoring and Vehicle Telematics

Global Mining Company operates a high‑altitude copper mine with 55 Komatsu haul trucks and adopted a fast refueling system that caused factory fuel sensors to fail under pressure. The breakdowns forced drivers to guess fuel levels, creating empty tanks, air leaks and long refuel queues that increased downtime. To fix this, the customer sought a rugged fuel sensor, continuous cellular/satellite connectivity and a real‑time monitoring app — a solution that would include ORBCOMM hardware.

Tarco implemented the PCR 1000 remote fuel monitoring system integrated with ORBCOMM’s IDP‑782 dual‑mode terminal to deliver real‑time tank levels, vehicle telematics and alarmed thresholds over cellular or satellite. As a result, each refuel adds about 1,200 liters, reducing stops by 10 per truck per month, adding ~4 hours of productive time and enabling an extra ~4,000 tons of copper processing; ORBCOMM’s connectivity also improved preventative maintenance, asset utilization and overall profitability.