At the edge of what the human body can tolerate, a mine in China’s Kunlun mountains is becoming a proving ground for industrial autonomy. The Huoshaoyun deposit sits roughly 5,600 metres above sea level, where low oxygen and severe cold complicate every shift. Instead of relying on large teams working at altitude, the operation is turning to driverless haul trucks—connected, sensor-heavy machines designed to keep moving when people can’t.
Huoshaoyun: a massive deposit in a place that punishes humans
Huoshaoyun is not an obvious location for a modern mining project. Temperatures can drop to about -20°C, winds are harsh, and much of the ground remains frozen for long stretches of the year. At this elevation, even small physical tasks can quickly become exhausting because oxygen levels are dramatically lower than at sea level—conditions that raise safety risks and drive up operating costs.
But the potential payoff is enormous. Geological surveys estimate the deposit contains more than 21 million tonnes of lead and zinc. Using late-2025 prices cited in reports, analysts have valued the resource at around €45 billion—making it one of the world’s largest undeveloped lead-zinc finds.
How driverless trucks keep ore moving in thin air
The mine’s autonomous trucks are not simply standard vehicles without drivers. They are equipped with radar, lidar, high-resolution cameras and onboard computing that fuses sensor inputs to navigate haul roads and react to obstacles. Rather than following only rigid scripts, the trucks can detect changes in the environment—such as debris or traffic—and adjust their path in real time.
5G as the mine’s “nervous system”
Connectivity underpins the entire concept. A 5G network supports the operation by linking vehicles to each other and to a central control room. Position, speed and sensor data can be shared across the fleet, while software coordinates routes, maintains safe distances and manages the flow of trucks through key choke points.
When conditions require it, human operators can intervene remotely from lower-altitude, indoor control centres. From there, technicians monitor multiple vehicles via panoramic screens and data overlays—taking over briefly if an unusual situation appears, then returning control to the autonomous system.
Why the mine’s lead and zinc matter to industry
Lead and zinc may not dominate daily headlines, but they remain essential industrial metals. The source data points to December 2025 prices of roughly €1,970 per tonne for lead and around €2,500 per tonne for zinc. Lead continues to support industrial battery applications and other heavy-use sectors, while zinc is widely used to protect steel through galvanisation and to produce durable alloys.
With expectations of price pressure driven by supply trends and slower-than-hoped demand growth, operators have a clear incentive to cut costs and stabilise output. Automation—especially in extreme environments—can reduce the on-site workforce footprint and avoid many of the health and rotation constraints that come with high-altitude labour.
Geography and logistics: automation in a sensitive, remote region
Huoshaoyun lies in Aksai Chin, a remote disputed region between China and India. The mine is owned by Guanghui Energy and is described as among the largest lead-zinc operations. In places where logistics are complicated and the political environment is sensitive, reducing the number of workers living and operating on-site can also mean fewer support facilities, less transport demand for supplies, and a smaller operational footprint overall.
Claves
- Huoshaoyun sits around 5,600 metres above sea level, with harsh cold and thin air that makes conventional mining difficult.
- The deposit is estimated at more than 21 million tonnes of lead and zinc, valued around €45 billion using late-2025 prices.
- Driverless haul trucks use lidar, radar and cameras plus onboard computing to navigate and avoid hazards.
- A 5G network links vehicles and control rooms, enabling coordination and remote human intervention when needed.
- Lead and zinc remain core industrial inputs; automation can help mines stay viable when margins tighten.
Beyond Huoshaoyun: a model for other hostile-environment projects
The playbook being tested at Huoshaoyun—autonomous vehicles, robust connectivity and remote operations—can be applied well beyond a single mountain site. Similar approaches are often discussed for Arctic projects, deep underground operations and other locations where safety, labour and logistics are intrinsically difficult. The central idea is consistent: keep humans in controlled environments and send machines into the most punishing conditions.
What could limit the model
Connectivity and new categories of risk
Highly automated sites also introduce new vulnerabilities. If communications links falter for extended periods, autonomous trucks need safe fallback behaviour. The system must also be resilient against threats such as sensor failures, spoofing or cyberattacks—risks that become more consequential when vehicles operate without drivers inside the cabin.
The workforce shift
Automation changes the kinds of jobs mining creates. At extreme altitude, reducing direct human exposure can improve safety and health outcomes, but it also shifts demand toward remote operators, maintenance specialists and technical roles that manage networks and automation stacks.
