Carbon free mining revolution is underway

Epiroc is one of the world’s leader in green mining equipments, Epiroc AB is a Swedish manufacturer of mining and infrastructure equipment. It is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden and has its manufacturing facilities in Sweden, United States, Canada, Australia, China, India, Japan and Germany

Epiroc is leading the charge towards sustainability in mining through battery-electric, zero-emission equipment. Based on long experience, Epiroc have expanded battery offering and zero-emission underground fleet with the second generation in loaders, mine trucks and rigs for face drilling, production drilling and rock reinforcement. The new battery power-packs comply with CE standards and can be covered by a new battery service plan.

A battery-driven electric fleet provides a powerful opportunity to lessen the environmental footprint and create a healthier work environment. Electric battery powered machinery brings savings on energy bill, maintenance, ventilation, cooling and personnel health. They are also reliable, robust, highly productive and great performing.

Built in Switzerland a fully loaded Komatsu eDumpers from Kuhn Schweiz AG transport 65 tons of limestone and marl rock from the higher-lying mining area to the permanently installed transport system. The energy stored in the Lithium System AG batteries is used for the empty trip up the mountain. This development is based on experience and the construction of electrified trucks.

The eMining AG, which was founded jointly by Kuhn Schweiz AG and Lithium Storage GmbH, wins the European eMove360° award right at the start with its eDumper. The largest electric – pneumatic vehicle with an empty weight of 45 tons and a total weight of 110 tons.

eMining AG converts conventionally driven machines for mining to electric drives and sells them worldwide. With eMining AG, customers can achieve the goal of “carbon free mining”.

The company eMining AG consists of a team of innovative minds, motivated technicians, engineers and professors. The greatest challenges are in obtaining the relevant data and providing the identical or superior drive performance that characterizes electric vehicles.

The construction serves as the basis for the development, construction and marketing of electrified 100 – 200 ton construction machines.

Electric motors offer torques of thousands of Newton meters (Nm) and a much higher speed range. The numerous auxiliary drives (e.g. hydraulic pumps, cooling systems) should not be underestimated when it comes to energy requirements. When recuperating braking energy, large electric vehicles generate extremely high charging currents. These attributes characterize the eDumper No. 1:

World’s largest electric vehicle, CO2 free transport,Energy PLUS vehicle
Largest battery installed in a vehicle, No wearing parts – no maintenance costs.
A battery-driven electric fleet brings savings on maintenance, ventilation and cooling and provides a powerful opportunity to lessen the environmental footprint and create a healthier work environment for miners everywhere.

TH665B battery electric truck from Sandvik is the largest battery powered dump truck made for underground mining conditions. It utilizes the cutting edge Lithium-Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4 or LFP) battery chemistry. The fully battery powered truck produces no underground exhaust emissions and significantly less heat than traditional engines, supporting a mine operation in reaching sustainability targets, such as reduced CO2 emissions. Battery-powered equipment also helps to reduce ventilation requirements, therefore
reducing costs.

Sandvik’s electric loaders with zero diesel emissions and lower noise reduce the need for ventilation and improve underground working conditions. The electric loaders combine compact design with reliability, high breakout forces, responsive controls and high tramming speeds. High power-to-weight ratios ensure quick cycle times.

Volvo Autonomous Solutions and Holcim Switzerland have entered a collaboration to jointly test and further develop the use of autonomous electric haulers in a limestone quarry. Holcim’s quarry Gabenchopf in Siggenthal has been chosen as the site for this project. The battery-electric haulers currently being tested mark a groundbreaking step in the industry: not only are they quieter and more sustainable than conventional haulers, they are also safer – in fact, they are the world’s first commercially available CE-certified electric, autonomous transport solution for the quarry and cement industries.

“This project show-cases a sustainable transport solution that is commercially viable and combines the technology shifts of connectivity, automation and electrification,” says Nils Jaeger, President of Volvo Autonomous Solutions. “Through a strong partnership with Holcim Switzerland this will happen in a real environment driven by two committed companies dedicated to jointly presenting the future.”

Albanian Minerals CEO Sahit Muja said, The mining green electric vehicle revolution is coming.Green transport and cleaner mobility are key to meeting climate goals, next generation green technology of mining equipment that could represent the future of the industry is coming. The cleaner equipments, machines will not only reduce the industry’s carbon footprint but will improve the workers health. The war on containing global warming is not possible without urgent action in the mining and transport sector, This is a sector that is often overlooked in the climate equation, but it shouldn’t be. Transportation is currently responsible for 20% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emission”.