China trials unmanned trucks on world’s highest mine, 5,600 metres from sea level
Lead-zinc mine in Kunlun Mountains of Xinjiang sits at an altitude surpassing the world’s highest human settlement, in the Peruvian Andes
These machines can operate round the clock, eliminating the risk to workers of exposure to the low-oxygen, frigid conditions of high-altitude environments. This stands as a testament to humanity’s ability to access zones fraught with physiological hazards and effectively harness their resources.
The world’s highest settlement is La Rinconada, a small town nestled in the Peruvian Andes that is home to around 30,000 people. Most of its population are gold miners working in nearby mines and their families, settled at a frigid altitude of between 5,090 and 5,300 metres.
China has discovered its finest and largest reserves of lead-zinc deposits to date deep within the Kunlun Mountains, at altitudes even higher than La Rinconada.