In the search for a greater impact on productivity, the Veladero mine acquired two 994K loaders and bet on FinningCAT technology. It is Caterpillar's largest and achieves superior performance at a lower cost.

Earlier this year, Barrick announced the extension of its Veladero mine in San Juan for at least 10 more years. The goal is to "extend the life of the Veladero mine beyond 2030 and elevate it to a world-class asset," said Mark Bristow, the company's president and CEO.

To achieve this goal, the mine added to its fleet two large Cat wheel loaders of last generation equipment that, thanks to their optimized performance, allow moving more material efficiently and safely, at a lower cost per ton.

The first unit, which has already been assembled by FinningCATwill start operations in August. It weighs about 243 tons and is equipped with a CAT 3516E engine, which delivers a gross power of 1847 HP. Also, compared to its predecessor, the new CAT 994K shows a 29% increase in payload capacity, 28% more breakout force, 19% more power, and 17% more rimpull.